Arches National Park Summer Hikes
Arches National Park is a stunning destination for summer hikers. With its red-rock canyons and towering sandstone formations, you’ll find amazing Arches National Park summer hikes to explore this scenic park!
This Arches National Park travel guide will detail the best summer hiking trails, tips for summer hiking, what to pack, where to stay, and more!
Hiking in the summer at Arches National Park means HOT temperatures, sometimes exceeding 100 degrees F! And late summer monsoons can cause flash floods.
It’s important to stay hydrated, use sun protection, and get the latest weather information before hitting the trails at Arches in the summer!
We’ve made it easy for you to plan your Arches National Park activities and hikes with these done-for-you itineraries:
- Arches National Park in One Day
- Two Days in Arches National Park
- Three Days in Arches National Park
- Arches National Park and Canyonlands in One Day
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A Photo Tour of Arches National Park
Take a visual tour through Arches National Park to see the stunning landscapes you’ll see when you visit!
Visiting Arches National Park in the Summer
When planning your Arches National Park summer vacation expect HOT temperatures! Since the temperatures are brutal this time of year, plan your outdoor activities for the cooler mornings and evenings!
- Arches in June: Highs 93° | Lows 60° F
- Arches in July: Highs 100° | Lows 67° F
- Arches in August: Highs 97° | Lows 66° F
You’ll need an Arches Timed Entry ticket in the summer to enter the park from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. If can can’t get a ticket, you can still visit the park by going in before 6 a.m. or after 5 p.m. Those are the coolest times of day to enjoy summer hiking to avoid the daytime heat anyway!
Tips for Summer Hiking at Arches National Park
One of the best Arches National Park activities is hiking. It’s important to be prepared with the right clothing and gear for summer hikes at Arches!
Summer Clothing for Hiking
Arches National Park in the summer will be hot and dry!
- UV Clothing: Loose-fitting, light-colored, UV protective wicking clothing is recommended for summer hiking at Arches.
- Sunhat: Sun protection is a must at Arches!
- Fleece jackets: A jacket is perfect for that morning layer when the temperatures are cool.
- Darn Tough hiking socks: Do not wear cotton socks. Darn Tough Socks are comfortable, breathe well, and prevent blisters!
- Sturdy hiking shoes: Hiking shoes or boots should be sturdy with good tread and traction.
Summer Hiking Gear
Here’s the summer hiking gear we recommend for exploring Arches:
- Water: Carry and drink at least two liters of water. Use refillable water bottles or hydration packs. You can get water at the Visitor Center and Devil’s Garden Trailhead. We carry Propel powder packets to add to our water to help replace electrolytes.
- Sunscreen: Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin! Due to the dry heat at Arches, you’ll also want lip balm and lotion!
- First aid kit: No matter whether your hike is long or short, always pack a hiking first aid kit. Make sure your first aid kit has the essentials like plasters, bandages, anti-bacterial wipes, etc.
- Headlamps: If you’ll be hiking in the morning or late afternoon, carry a headlamp so you’re prepared in case you need to hike in the dark.
- Snacks: Pack salty and easy to digest snack to replace electrolytes.
Arches National Park Summer Hikes
Here are the best hikes in Arches National Park we recommend for summer hiking to see the incredible landscapes at this park!
There is not much shade at Arches National Park, so it’s best to hit the trails in the early morning or later in the day when the temperatures aren’t as hot, and the sun isn’t as intense!
Park Avenue Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Park Avenue Trailhead
- Distance: 2 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 187 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Park Avenue is the first parking lot on the left as you drive along the Arches National Park scenic drive from the Visitor Center. The trail follows the bottom of a canyon below some of the park’s gigantic and well-known monoliths.
The Park Avenue Trail is a one-way trail if you have two cars or a shuttle vehicle. The trail is a little over one mile taking you from the Park Avenue trailhead to the Courthouse Towers parking lot. This is where you would leave your second vehicle or have someone that doesn’t want to hike pick you up.
If that’s not an option, just head back the way you came through the towering sandstone for a nice 2 mile round-trip adventure.
The latter part of the hiking trail has good views of the famous Arches landmarks: The Organ, Tower of Babel and the Three Gossips.
Balanced Rock Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Balanced Rock Trailhead
- Distance: 0.3 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 45 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
As you continue along the scenic drive, you’ll come to Balanced Rock. We think it’s worth the time to walk along the trail around the base of Balanced Rock. Take note how the stone structure looks different as you walk around it. It’s an easy, short loop hike that takes you close to and around the Balanced Rock.
Balanced Rock is a terrific spot for watching and photographing the sunset at Arches National Park!
The Windows Section Summer Hikes
- Trailhead & Parking Area: The Windows Trailhead
- Distance: 1 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 187 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
The Windows Section of Arches National Park is a cool area with a lot to see. The Windows Trail loop is under 2 miles. You’ll see these two features along the loop hike: North and South Windows and Turret Arch.
From the viewpoint of South Window, there’s a primitive loop trail to see the back side of North and South Window. This trail ends at the parking lot about 50 yards north of the main trailhead.
This is also a terrific area for stargazing or taking Milky Way photos to enjoy the cooler summer nights!
Double Arch Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Double Arch Trailhead
- Distance: 0.5 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 32 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
On the other side of the Windows parking area is the Double Arch trail. It’s easy and super short. You can see it from the parking lot, but you’ll definitely want to get up close to this one.
Double Arch features two giant arches right next to each other! You can scramble up the rocks here, but remember that climbing up is easier than climbing back down.
Delicate Arch Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Wolfe Ranch
- Distance: 3 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 610 feet
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
Since Delicate Arch trail is one of the best hikes in Arches National Park, you might consider doing this hike in the morning. That way, the strenuous steep sections on slickrock is done in the cooler temperatures.
But Delicate Arch is most popular to see and photograph at sunset, so if that’s your plan, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get there since you’ll be hiking in the heat of day!
Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint Summer Hike
If you want to see Delicate Arch, but can’t do the hike that takes you right to the arch, check out the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint. The viewpoint is about 100 yards from the lower viewpoint parking lot where you can see the arch about a mile away.
You can access the Upper Viewpoint Trail from this same location. It’s a short .5 mile hike with a few stairs to climb that will get you a little closer to the arch.
You can’t get all the way to Delicate Arch from here. But it does provide a slightly less obstructed view from what you see at the Lower Viewpoint.
Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch Summer Hikes
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Sand Dune Arch
- Distance: 2 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 226 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
The Sand Dune Arch trail is a spur off the Broken Arch trail. It’s a fun and unique hike because the arch is located in an ‘almost’ slot canyon.
If you’re visiting Arches National Park with kids, Sand Dune Arch sits in the shade for most of the day so it’s a great hike to take a break and let the kids play in the cool sand!
The Broken Arch trail continues past the Sand Dune Trail. This trail often gets bypassed, but it’s an easy, flat hike and you won’t encounter many people on it.
After reaching Broken Arch, you can climb up a slickrock section to continue through the arch. It’s a nice view looking back through the from there.
You can also hike to Tapestry Arch and the Devil’s Garden campground from here.
Skyline Arch Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Skyline Arch
- Distance: 0.4 mile roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 28 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Skyline Arch sits high atop rocks in the Devils Garden area and can be seen from the scenic drive. Most people stop at the pullout, take a picture, then drive on.
We recommend the short hike to get a good view of the arch! You can also drive to the Devil’s Campground amphitheater and take the paved path to see Skyline Arch from the other side.
Landscape Arch Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Devil’s Garden Trailhead
- Distance: 1.9 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 40 feet
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Landscape Arch is the longest arch in North America at 306 feet! It’s a popular point of interest along the Devil’s Garden Trail. Many people will hike to the arch and back.
We recommend you also take the two short and easy spur trails near the beginning of the hike to visit Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch.
Devil’s Garden Summer Hike
- Trailhead & Parking Area: Devil’s Garden Trailhead
- Distance: varies
- Elevation Gain: varies
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Along the full Devil’s Garden Trail you’ll see arches, spires, and fins (narrow rock walls). Most of this trail is exposed to the sun so be sure to start early since it’s a popular location and the parking lot fills fast!
There are a variety of points of interest along the Devil’s Garden trail:
| Devil’s Garden Trail Points of Interest | Distance |
| Landscape Arch and back | 1.9 miles |
| Side trails to Pine Tree & Tunnel Arches | add 0.5 miles |
| Double O Arch and back | 4.1 miles |
| Side trails to Navajo & Partition Arches | add 0.8 miles |
| Dark Angel and back via main trail | 4.9 miles |
| Dark Angel + Primitive Trail | 6.6 miles |
| Total: all trails & spur trails | 7.9 miles |
BUY AT AMAZON: Arches and Canyonlands Guides and Maps
Summer Hiking Ideas
- Summer Hiking Trails in the US
- Summer Hikes at US National Parks
- Canyonlands Hikes
- Dead Horse Point State Park Hiking Trails
- Moab Utah Hiking Trails
Places to Stay at Arches National Park in the Summer
- Arches National Park Camping
- Hotels near Arches National Park
- Glamping Near Arches National Park
- RV Parks Near Arches National Park
Arches National Park Packing List
Use our Arches National Park Packing List to make sure you have the right clothing and gear for visiting in the summer! Grab your free printable packing checklist by clicking the image below!
