Arches packs more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches into 76,000 acres just north of Moab — the densest concentration of arches anywhere on Earth. The park is small, almost entirely accessed by one paved scenic road with short side trails, which makes it one of the easier reunion parks to logistically run. The trade-off: it's hot in summer (95°F+ daytime), and a timed-entry permit is required during peak season. Most reunions base in Moab, which has the best lodging density of any Mountain West park gateway.
Where it is
Things to do (with the family)
Hand-curated. Every entry links to its official source so you can plan without guessing.
Delicate Arch viewpoint
The 65-ft freestanding arch on Utah's license plate; full hike is 3 mi roundtrip with elevation, or use the upper viewpoint (0.5 mi) for older relatives.
Official source ↗Landscape Arch
1.6-mi flat roundtrip from the Devils Garden trailhead to the longest natural arch in North America (306 ft span).
Official source ↗Double Arch
A 0.5-mi flat roundtrip in The Windows section to two giant arches sharing a single sandstone fin — kids can climb up under them.
Official source ↗The Windows section
A short loop with North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch all on one 1-mile loop — the highest density of accessible arches in the park.
Official source ↗Devils Garden trail
The park's longest trail (7.8 mi if you do the full loop) past 8 arches; most groups do the first 1.6 mi to Landscape Arch and turn around.
Official source ↗Park Avenue
2-mi out-and-back through a canyon of sandstone fins; the trailhead overlook is fully accessible for those who can't hike.
Official source ↗Balanced Rock
A 0.3-mi loop around a 128-ft-tall balanced sandstone formation; quick stop, accessible from the parking lot.
Official source ↗Junior Ranger program
Free activity book at the visitor center; complete it for the wooden Arches badge — kids 5-12.
Official source ↗Arches Visitor Center
Excellent introductory exhibits, ranger talks, and orientation film; ideal first stop and a cool refuge from afternoon heat.
Official source ↗Sand Dune Arch
A 0.3-mi flat roundtrip through deep sand to a hidden arch in a slot — kids love the sand. Cooler than other trails on hot days.
Official source ↗Find more things to do for your Arches National Park reunion
The picks above are general. Inside the Reunly app, Rosi tailors local activities, meals, and printables to your actual dates, group size, ages, and budget — and saves them straight to your reunion plan.
Good for
- Reunions basing in Moab (best gateway lodging in the Mountain West)
- Photo-focused groups
- Multi-generational families — most arches are short hikes
- Reunions that want to combine Arches + Canyonlands in one trip
- Spring (Mar-May) and fall (Sept-Oct) groups
Practical logistics
- Closest Airports
- Grand Junction, CO (GJT) — 2 hr · Salt Lake City (SLC) — 4 hr · Moab (CNY) — small commuter flights from Denver
- Group Lodging
- Moab (5 mi south of the entrance) has 50+ hotels, hundreds of vacation rentals, and several large family-sized rentals; no in-park lodging exists.
- Cell Service
- Reliable in Moab; spotty inside the park, especially in side canyons.
- Parking
- Delicate Arch trailhead and Devils Garden fill by 8 AM in peak season — start early or come after 4 PM.
- Park Fee
- $30 per vehicle (7-day) plus a separate timed-entry reservation required April-October peak hours.
- Accessibility
- Park Avenue overlook, Balanced Rock loop, and the visitor center are wheelchair-accessible; Delicate Arch upper viewpoint is partially accessible.
- Official Site
- https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm
When to go
March through May and September through November. Summer (June-August) regularly hits 100°F+ — too hot for kids and grandparents on midday hikes. Winter has stunning snow-on-red-rock photos and small crowds, but several trails ice over.
Best for your group size
Small group · 10–25
Groups of 10-25 fit easily in a single 4-6 bedroom Moab vacation rental or 4-5 hotel rooms.
Medium group · 25–60
Groups of 25-60 should book 2-3 large Moab rentals near each other, or block-book one of the 100+ room hotels (Hyatt Place, Best Western Plus Canyonlands, Holiday Inn Express).
Large group · 60+
Groups of 60+ are easily handled in Moab — multi-house compounds (some sleep 30+) plus a hotel block-booking. Moab rental companies are accustomed to reunion-scale groups.
Sample 3-day Arches reunion
A starter agenda you can copy into Reunly\'s Schedule and customize for your group.
Friday — Arrival & Moab Welcome
- Travel day. Most relatives fly into Grand Junction (GJT) or Salt Lake City and drive.
- 3 PM check-in at Moab vacation rental
- 5 PM short visit to Park Avenue overlook (sunset on the fins)
- 7 PM welcome dinner at a Moab restaurant
Saturday — Arches Day
- 6 AM early entry to beat heat and crowds (timed-entry permit required)
- 7 AM Devils Garden + Landscape Arch (1.6 mi flat)
- 9 AM The Windows + Double Arch loop
- 11 AM heat-of-the-day break: Moab pool + lunch
- 4 PM Delicate Arch upper viewpoint (kids 8+ and active adults can do the full 3-mi)
- 7 PM group dinner back in Moab
Sunday — Colorado River & Goodbyes
- 8 AM brunch at the rental
- 10 AM 3-hour Colorado River family float (book in advance)
- 1 PM final group photo at the river takeout
- 2 PM goodbye lunch and travel home
Reunion organizer tips
Base in Moab — there is no in-park lodging at Arches. Moab has the best lodging density of any Mountain West park gateway: 50+ hotels, hundreds of vacation rentals, and several large 8-12 bedroom family compounds. Book 6-12 months out for spring and fall.
Buy timed-entry reservations the moment they open. April-October peak hours (typically 7 AM - 4 PM) require a separate permit at recreation.gov on top of the entrance fee. They sell out fast — set a calendar reminder for the release date.
Plan early starts and late finishes. The summer heat is no joke. Do your big hikes (Delicate Arch, Devils Garden) starting 6 AM, return for a long lunch and pool time at the rental, and head back into the park 5-7 PM for a sunset drive.
Keep older relatives in mind. Delicate Arch's full hike has 480 ft of elevation gain on slickrock with no shade — not for many grandparents. Use the lower or upper viewpoint instead, then drive everyone to The Windows + Double Arch for the best easy-arch experience.
Pair with Canyonlands (40 min away) for a 5-night reunion. The two parks share a Moab base. Most groups do 2 nights Arches + 1 day Canyonlands + a rest day for the Colorado River and Moab town.
Pre-arrange a group rafting or Colorado River jet boat. Moab's outfitters run reunion-perfect 3-hour family floats — break up the dry-park days with a water afternoon.
How Reunly helps you plan it
Reunly is the all-in-one app made for family reunion organizers. Free to start. No credit card. Cancel anytime.
Smart guest list
Drop in any spreadsheet — Rosi (our AI) reads multi-sheet, color-coded family groups, even handwritten exports. RSVP, dietary, T-shirt, paid status all in one row.
Open in Reunly →Public RSVP link
Share one link with the whole family. They RSVP per event (Friday BBQ, Saturday dinner) without making an account. You see live counts.
Open in Reunly →Budget that adds up
Track estimated vs. actual, who paid, who still owes. Auto-creates per-guest fee rows from your registration cost.
Open in Reunly →Day-by-day schedule
Friday welcome BBQ, Saturday photo, Sunday brunch — with location, meal flag, and per-event RSVPs.
Open in Reunly →Name tags + printables
Avery 5160 sheets color-coded by family, programs, welcome packets, packing lists — auto-filled from your data.
Open in Reunly →Rosi the AI helper
Stuck on a reminder email? A budget? A timeline? Click Rosi anywhere in the app — she drafts it from your live data.
Open in Reunly →Plan your Arches National Park reunion with Reunly
Free to start. Build your guest list, share an RSVP link, track payments, and print name tags — no spreadsheets.
Frequently asked
When is the best time for an Arches family reunion?
March through May and September through November. Summer hits 100°F+, which is dangerous for kids and grandparents on midday hikes. October has the smallest crowds and most comfortable temperatures.
How far in advance should we book?
Moab vacation rentals book 6-12 months ahead for spring and fall peak. Hotels are easier 3-6 months out. Timed-entry reservations for the park (required April-October) sell out within hours of release — track the release date and grab them immediately.
How much does an Arches reunion cost per person?
Plan $150-300/person/day for Moab lodging + meals + activities + entry fees. A group raft trip adds $50-90/person. Moab rentals can be more affordable than Springdale (Zion) for similar group sizes.
Do we need a timed-entry permit?
Yes, April through October during peak hours (typically 7 AM - 4 PM). Reservations are released in monthly chunks at recreation.gov; track the release date and book the moment they open. The standard $30 entrance fee is separate.
Is Arches accessible for older relatives?
The visitor center, Park Avenue overlook, Balanced Rock loop, and the Delicate Arch upper viewpoint are accessible or nearly so. Many of the most photogenic arches (Windows, Double Arch, Sand Dune Arch) are short flat hikes. Avoid the full Delicate Arch hike for anyone with mobility limitations.
Should we combine Arches with Canyonlands?
Yes — they're 40 minutes apart and share Moab as a base. Most reunion groups do 2 nights Arches focus + 1 day Canyonlands. The two are complementary: Arches is delicate sculpture; Canyonlands is overwhelming scale.
