Arches National Park is a National Park in Utah. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 94 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Arches
We matched 94 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Arches. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (6)
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointNatural Arches (78)
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural Arch
Natural ArchCanyons (2)
Rock Formations (7)
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock Formation
Rock FormationDark Sky Places (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Arches the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:36 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:21 PM | 243° | 9h 45m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:56 PM | 255° | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:31 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 284° | 13h 13m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 295° | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:46 PM | 301° | 14h 52m |
| July | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 299° | 14h 37m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 289° | 13h 41m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:28 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:41 PM | 260° | 11h 13m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:06 PM | 247° | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:59 PM | 240° | 9h 28m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.7226, -109.5864); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Arches, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.2 | 12° |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:31 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.7 | 22° |
| June | 10:43 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.2 | 22° |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:26 AM | 3.8 | 22° |
| August | 9:53 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:58 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.3 | 19° |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.3 | 12° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Arches is part of the Colorado Plateau, a "high desert" region that experiences wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 degrees in a single day. The temperate (and most popular) seasons are spring (April-May) and fall (mid-September-October), when daytime highs average 60 to 80 F and lows average 30 to 50 F. Summer temperatures often exceed 100 F, making strenuous exercise difficult. Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 F, and lows averaging 0 to 20 F.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (56%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Arches National Park is located in southeast Utah, five miles north of Moab on US 191. From Moab, Utah, drive five miles north on Main Street/US 191. Turn right at the stoplight. From Interstate 70, take exit 182 (Crescent Junction), then drive south 28 miles on US 191. Turn left at the stoplight.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- Canyoneering
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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