Arches Activities

Backpacking

Arches is a relatively small park, with very few areas far enough from roads to qualify as backcountry. Outside the developed areas there are no designated trails, campsites, or reliable water sources.
In order to backpack in Arches, you must obtain a free backcountry permit at the visitor center. The maximum group size is twelve, but smaller groups are strongly recommended to reduce impacts. Permits may not be reserved in advance. Backpackers should know how to navigate with a topographic map, recognize safety hazards and practice low-impact camping specific to the high desert. Primary safety considerations include steep terrain, loose rock, lightning, flash floods, and dehydration.

Biking

Arches offers great opportunities for both road and mountain biking. Though there are no bike lanes and traffic can be heavy at times, biking the scenic drive is a great way to see the park. The Salt Valley and Willow Springs roads are less traveled but are more suited to mountain bikes due to washboards, deep sand and other obstacles.
Bicycles are only permitted on roads: there is no single track or trail riding in the park. When biking on the main road, please use caution and ride single file on the edge of the lane.

Climbing

The rock at Arches offers excellent climbing opportunities, despite its sandy nature. Most climbing routes in the park require advanced techniques. Permits are not required, unless the trip involves an overnight stay in the backcountry. Climbers are encouraged to access climbing routes via established trails, slickrock or sandy washes.

Hiking

Arches contains a wealth of hiking trails. Ranging in length and difficulty, these trails provide access to outstanding viewpoints and many of the park's famous features, including Balanced Rock and Delicate Arch. In many cases, trails travel under arches, affording quite a different perspective than what is visible from a car.

Photography

The first time someone asked me about the best place to photograph the sunset, I advised, "well, most folks would say up at Delicate Arch." Though that information was accurate, and that person probably came away with a memorable photo, I've since come to feel that I could have conveyed more. Read on.
Composition is one of the first ways to improve those photographs. Look at a really good photograph and you'll find the subject is placed off-center, and probably falls along the imaginary line that connects the opposite corners of the frame. Or, imagine a grid in your viewfinder that sections the frame into thirds top to bottom and right to left. Now, place your subject at the intersection of a horizontal line and a vertical line. That's called the Rule of Thirds, and it's a good one to follow. Place a foreground subject on one of those intersections and a background subject on the opposite intersection, and you may find that friends start asking for copies of your photos.