This summer, I was blessed to take a girls’ trip that was on my dear friend Heidi’s bucket list. Our plan was to hike Arches National Park and Zion National Park in Utah. We coordinated with sweet friends from Florida, Colorado, Michigan, Arizona, and Illinois. Miraculously, everything happened seamlessly.
The truth is, the trip was as wonderful as it was because of Heidi’s excellent research. After having these experiences, I knew I would absolutely need to share them in my upcoming blog post. You can also see it here.
Here is our trip in a nutshell, along with all the hacks, tips, and tricks we discovered along the way. (Note: for all my hacks, tips, and tricks, look for these emojis 💡✨📝).
Day One: Denver, Colorado to Moab, Utah
Our meeting place was Denver, Colorado. All six of us were finally united and ready to embark on our road trip to Utah. We spent the entire first day driving to Moab. If you like road trips, it is a beautiful drive through the Rocky Mountains, with many places to stop if you have the time.
If road trips aren’t your thing, I’d recommend flying into Salt Lake City and making your way to Moab from there. It is roughly 3.5 hours driving distance, compared to the 5+ hours we took.
An exciting game of “Musical Alphabet” kept us busy, along with catching up with one another. We finally made it to Moab and headed straight for Arches National Park, aiming to catch the sunset before heading to our hotel.
💡✨📝 Tip: During certain months of the year, you’ll need a reservation to enter Arches National Park. You can do that here. The cost is $2 a reservation.
Every evening at 7 pm, there is a lottery where a specific number of spots are opened up for entry into Arches National Park. We did this and opted for earlier timed entries due to the forecasted weather.
You’ll also pay a gate fee, or you can purchase a National Parks Pass, which is good for any National Park for one year. The cost of the pass is $80. Since we planned to visit two National Parks on our trip, the annual pass was the right choice!
Day Two: Arches National Park
The trail to see Delicate Arch up close is a 3-mile round trip and climbs 480 feet. Along this steadily uphill trail, you’ll also pass the Wolfe Ranch cabin and a wall of Ute Indian petroglyphs.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
With hydration and snack stops, along with lots of photo opportunities, it took our group of six roughly three hours. The hardest part for me was the steady incline on a rock bed. It was manageable but definitely got my heart rate up.
The views were absolutely worth it. I was surprised that we could take pictures directly under the Delicate Arch!
Next on our list was Double Arch. Visible from the parking loop at The Windows, Double Arch is an impressive feature—the tallest arch is 112 ft and the second-longest is 144 ft in the park. A gently sloping path leads to its base. The round trip was 0.6 miles and took us less than 15 minutes. We all agreed that Double Arch was so impressive.
Surprisingly, we had service here, and a few of us FaceTimed our husbands. They watched the gorgeous sunset with us.
Difficulty level: Easy
Day Three: Corona Arch & Arches National Park
Today was the last full day for us to explore Arches National Park and the surrounding area. We debated between Dead Horse Point or Corona Arch and chose Corona Arch:
✨ Free entrance and parking
✨ A quick 16-minute drive from Arches National Park
✨ Boasted to be impressive
Let’s do this!
The trail is a moderately strenuous 3-mile round trip hike to the spectacular Corona Arch. There are a few sections of the trail with mild exposure to heights; however, these sections include cables and ladders to assist you. There was hardly anyone there, so we felt like we had the place to ourselves, and our photos are proof of that! We sat near the base of Corona Arch and just soaked up the scenery for quite some time.
Difficulty level: Moderately strenuous
After Corona Arch, we returned to Arches National Park (don’t forget to make a reservation for a timed entry) to do a few quick trails. By now, the heat index was in the 90s, and it was HOT! We opted for short trails that we could drive to and find refuge in the air conditioning in between.
💡✨📝 I highly recommend these cooling towels if you plan to visit Utah in the warmer months. We also had plenty of drinking water and electrolytes.
Sand Dunes Arch seemed like the perfect trail to meet our new requirements. It is 0.4 miles round trip, and the addition of Broken Arch is another 0.8 miles. When we got there, it was evident that Sand Dunes Arch is a favorite for children. There is literally sand everywhere, and it feels like a cross between a beach and a giant sandbox.
Difficulty level: Easy
Balanced Rock is short and sweet. Just a 0.3-mile hike round trip. Worth the pit stop. We captured some darling photos and were back in the car in less than 20 minutes.
Difficulty level: Easy
The Skylight Arch Trail is a short, out-and-back hike on a well-defined trail that leads to an arch in a high wall. The round trip is 0.4 miles. It was definitely easy, but I will admit I was starting to feel a bit “arch fatigued” by this point. I was ready to take advantage of our beautiful hotel and get ready for our road trip tomorrow to Zion National Park.
Difficulty level: Easy
Where We Stayed in Moab, Utah
💡✨📝 When looking for places to stay near Arches National Park, it required a bit of research. We wanted to be as close to the park entrance as possible and have a hotel with amenities.
I highly recommend My Place in Moab, Utah:
✨ 5 minutes to the park entrance
✨ Brand new
✨ Pool
✨ Washer & dryer (paid)
✨ Full kitchen in each room
I Want to Hear From You!
Have you been to Moab and visited Arches National Park? I’d love to hear about your favorite hikes, hidden gems, and any tips you have for future visitors. Whether you’ve experienced the breathtaking arches or have an upcoming trip planned, share your stories and questions in the comments below! Let’s create a community of adventurers who can inspire and help each other make the most of our travels.
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