When to Go

The busiest times of year are spring and fall. In the spring, blooming wildflowers and temperatures in the 70s bring the year's largest crowds. The crowds remain steady in summer as the thermostat approaches 100°F in July and then soars beyond that for about four weeks. In August, sudden, dramatic cloudbursts create rainfalls over red rock walls and dramatic skies for a part of the day.

Fall weather is perfect—clear, warm days, and crisp, cool nights. The park almost clears out in winter, and from December through February you can hike any of the trails in relative solitude. Snow seldom falls in the valley beneath the La Sal Mountains, and when it does, Arches is a photographer's paradise, as snow drapes slickrock mounds and natural rock windows.