Arches National Park is one of the coolest places in America to visit, at least we think so. We might be biased but we also think visiting Arches during the offseason gives you a way better experience.

The amount of arches you will see there is unlike anything else you will see in the world. By visiting during the winter you get better weather and fewer crowds so you can stare at arches all day long.

Arches is so close to Moab (within a 30-minute drive) that you can hike in the desert during the day and still go out at night. It was our final stop on our Utah road trip and it was a great way to cap off the vacation.

Give yourself at least a full day to explore Arches but it is well set up so you can still see a lot. Make sure you take lots of pictures because this is probably THE top park in terms of sights for Instagram.

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Perks of Visiting Arches During the Offseason

Visiting Arches during the offseason means dealing with fewer people and having better weather. This lets you get better pictures, hike longer, and enjoy the scenery with fewer people around.

More Peaceful

Arches is one of the most popular parks in the USA so you will have to deal with some crowds. Unfortunately, crowds can take away from your peaceful experience in nature.

One nice thing about Arches is that a lot of the park can be seen by driving the main park roads. Since everyone drives differently, you will have a better time exploring from your car when you're not stuck driving behind someone and not worried about someone being stuck behind you.

If you want to get out of your car and see some arches up close and personal (and trust us, you do), having fewer people around gives you a better one-on-one time.

All of the arches are stunning and you may want to just stand and stare for a while. Being the only one at the arch will elevate your experience and add to the peaceful feeling these amazing structures will give you.

Cooler Weather

Utah gets hot during the summer and even though there are lots of arches in the park, there is not a lot of shade. Nothing ruins a hike like a little bit of heat exhaustion.

By visiting in the winter, you may have to deal with some snow but you can spend more time exploring. We loved being able to spend the entire day outside and climbing rocks without feeling drained by the sun.

Hiking in Arches

Okay, here's the deal...there is one hike you should do in Arches National Park and it's called Devils Garden. This trail takes you to not one but nine arches and lets you climb on rocks with the primitive trail.

The trail is about eight miles total and takes you on little side trails to get closer to each arch. The entire hike can be challenging but it's also a lot of fun.

The hardest part of the hike is the primitive trail section that includes a lot of rock climbing. If this seems too crazy, you can always skip this section and still see a lot of arches.

You get to drive through the park seeing lots of views from your car before arriving at the trailhead parking lot. Then when you get to where the trails split off, we highly recommend going counter-clockwise and starting towards the primitive trail (this is the order of arches listed below).

Pine Tree Arch

By going counter-clockwise one of the first arches you will see is Pine Tree Arch. We liked this one because it's giant and you can stand directly underneath it.

Tunnel Arch

Tunnel Arch is one of the smaller arches and is cool to see but you can't get close. Since it has the same side trail as Pine Tree Arch we say give it a look but spend more time at the bigger arch.

Private Arch

To get to Private Arch you will have to trek through the primitive trail and do some decent rock climbing. We loved Private Arch because it's the most secluded (hence the name).

Double O Arch

Double O Arch was Kelsey's favorite as it's two arches in one. Plus we did some exploring by climbing up the side to get a cool view of the arch from above.

Black Arch

Along the trail, you will come to Black Arch but this was one of the arches we didn't get the name. It's a cool arch that you have to look down into a rock formation to see but we didn't think it was any darker than the other arches.

Navajo Arch

This, along with Partition Arch, is part of a side trail either on your way to Double O Arch or on the way back. It is one of the more secluded arches you will find, almost built into a cave which allows it to stay cool all year long.

Partition Arch

Partition Arch gets its name from the partition that seems to run down the middle of the arch, almost creating two arches. Like Navajo Arch, it is a short side path away but well worth the trip.

Landscape arch

Landscape arch is amazing because not only is it the longest arch in North America but it's the easiest to get to on the entire trail. Even if you're not in for a crazy hike you can see this arch then turn around.

Dark Angel

Dark Angel is pretty popular but we don't think it's worth the mile side trail. You can see it from far away and getting closer doesn't add anything.

Lodging

If you want the best lodging near Arches National Park then stay in Moab and you will be good to go. *Keep in mind that staying in Moab is a great way to see both Arches and Canyonlands. The lodging section below is the same for both destinations.*

Hyatt Place Moab

We love staying at Hyatt hotels no matter where and this was no exception. They have the typical Hyatt Place rooms but in a place like Moab, the simplicity of Hyatt Place is great.

If you are traveling with a family or group of people they even have casitas which include 3 beds and sleep up to 8 people. They are right by the pool as well so you can cool down after a hot day of hiking with a swim.

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Moab

We stayed in SpringHill Suites when we visited Zion and we loved it! It is a little more expensive than Hyatt Place Moab is but they have all the amenities you would want in a hotel in Moab.

They have free breakfast, a pool, laundry machines, and large expansive rooms that give you room to spread out all your gear for your adventures. Plus they are part of Marriott so you can book with Marriott points or transfer in points from American Express Membership Rewards cards like the Platinum Card (use our referral link to get yourself some bonus points).

If you are planning any getaway in Utah, make sure to at least give Arches a drive-by. We suggest taking a day to explore by foot and going during the offseason to get an even better experience.

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