When most people think of Utah, an image of the iconic Delicate Arch probably comes to mind. While Utah has tons to offer, the red rock is a huge part of what makes the state so unique.

About 4–4.5 hours from Salt Lake City is a landscape like nowhere else: Moab, Utah, and Arches National Park.

As a Utah native with outdoor-loving parents, I’ve been lucky enough to spend many incredible weekends exploring Moab and Arches. I’ve seen the park in every season, and over the years I’ve decided that fall is my favorite time to visit. The summer heat has finally started to fade, the weather is generally much more comfortable for hiking, and those red rocks against a crisp blue fall sky are hard to beat.

Arches is also one of those national parks that works for just about every kind of adventurer. You can spend the day hiking and scrambling over slickrock, or take it slower and see some incredible formations without venturing far from your car.

If you only have a weekend, here’s how I’d spend it.

Day 1: The Arches Classics

Get to the park early

First things first: get an early start.

Arches gets busy, especially on weekends. Aim to enter the park around 8 a.m. or earlier so you can beat some of the traffic and have an easier time finding parking at the popular trailheads.

As of 2026, you do not need a timed-entry reservation to enter Arches, but you should still plan for entrance lines and busy parking lots during peak times.

Make a quick stop at the Visitor Center on your way in. Fill up your water bottles, grab a park map if you need one, use the restroom, and then head into the park.

Park Avenue

Your first stop is Park Avenue, and it’s a pretty great introduction to what you’re about to spend the day exploring.

You can simply stop at the viewpoint or hike down into the canyon toward Courthouse Towers. If you’re trying to pack a lot into one day, the viewpoint is still absolutely worth the stop.

If you do hike it, keep in mind that you’ll either need to arrange a pickup at the other end or turn around and climb back up to your car.

Courthouse Towers

Continue driving through the Courthouse Towers area and take your time. Part of the fun of Arches is simply looking out the window.

There are plenty of pullouts along the road, so don’t feel like every stop has to turn into a full hike. This is one of my favorite things about Arches—you can see SO much even on a relatively relaxed trip.

Balanced Rock

Next up: Balanced Rock.

I’m still not entirely sure how this thing is holding on.

This is another easy stop where you can get out, stretch your legs, walk around the formation, snap a few photos, and keep going.

Double Arch + The Windows

From Balanced Rock, head toward the Windows Section.

This area gives you a lot of bang for your buck because several of the park’s best-known formations are clustered together.

Start with Double Arch, which is an easy 0.6-mile roundtrip walk. The trail takes you right to the base of the massive formation, and you can spend some time exploring underneath it.

Then head across to North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch.

These are all relatively short walks, which makes this area perfect for wandering around without committing to another big hike.

One word of caution: scrambling around the rocks is part of the fun, but remember that climbing up is usually a whole lot easier than figuring out how to get back down!

Pack a Lunch + Stop at Sand Dune Arch

Before heading out for the day, pack a lunch to bring into the park with you. Once you’re inside Arches, you won’t find restaurants or food for sale, and heading all the way back into Moab will eat up a good chunk of your day.

After exploring Double Arch and the Windows, keep driving toward Sand Dune Arch for a midday break.

The walk to Sand Dune Arch is only about 0.4 miles roundtrip, making it a quick and easy stop. The arch is tucked between towering sandstone fins, and the trail takes you through—you guessed it—lots of soft red sand.

It’s also a fun change of scenery from the wide-open views you’ll see throughout the rest of the park.

After checking out the arch, find a designated picnic area for lunch, refill on snacks and water from what you packed, and give your legs a little break before the biggest hike of the day: Delicate Arch.

Wildeway tip: Keep a cooler in the car with sandwiches, fruit, plenty of water and a few snacks. A packed lunch means more time exploring and less time driving back and forth to Moab.

Save Delicate Arch for Sunset

Now for the Utah classic.

If you have the energy, I highly recommend actually hiking to Delicate Arch instead of only seeing it from the viewpoint.

The trail is about 3 miles roundtrip with roughly 538 feet of elevation change, and it is considered moderate. A good portion of the hike travels over exposed slickrock, and the final approach follows a narrow rock ledge before the arch suddenly comes into view.

And it is worth it.

If your timing works out, hike up in the late afternoon and catch sunset at the arch. Just make sure you plan ahead—you’ll still have to hike all the way back down afterward.

Bring a headlamp. Don’t rely on your phone flashlight for the return hike.

Day 2: Devils Garden + Moab

For day two, head back into Arches and drive all the way to Devils Garden, about 18 miles from the park entrance.

This part of the park gives you options depending on how much hiking you want to do.

Option 1: Landscape Arch

For a more relaxed morning, hike out to Landscape Arch.

The trail is about 1.8 miles roundtrip, with only about 40 feet of elevation change, making it one of the easier ways to see another incredible formation.

Landscape Arch stretches more than 300 feet across and is unbelievably thin in places. Once you see it in person, it seems impossible that it’s still standing.

You can also add the short spur trails to Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch along the way.

Option 2: Keep Going to Double O Arch

If you want a bigger adventure, don’t turn around at Landscape Arch.

Continue toward Double O Arch.

This is where the trail gets significantly more difficult. You’ll climb sandstone fins, navigate narrow sections and do some scrambling along the way. The hike to Double O Arch is about 4 miles roundtrip from the Devils Garden trailhead.

This is one of my favorite ways to experience Arches because it feels completely different from the quick roadside stops you did on day one.

If you want to go even bigger, the entire Devils Garden route is about 7.9 miles, but expect a strenuous hike with scrambling, route-finding, narrow ledges and exposed sections. WEAR GOOD SHOES!

For a weekend trip, I’d choose your route based on how you’re feeling that morning. There’s no need to check every trail off the list.

Head Back Into Moab

After your hike, head back into town and spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Moab.

Walk through the shops along Main Street, grab some food and enjoy the slower pace for a few hours. After two days of hiking around the desert, this is also a very good time for ice cream at The Spoke on Center.

If you still have some adventure left in you, you can always squeeze in another short trail, scenic drive or sunset spot around Moab before calling it a weekend.

A Few Things I Always Bring to Arches

No matter how easy your itinerary looks, you’re still heading into the desert. Bring more water than you think you’ll need, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, snacks, sunglasses, layers, and a Wildeway bar to get the red dirt off after.

For fall trips especially, don’t let a warm afternoon fool you. Early mornings and evenings can feel completely different once the sun disappears behind the rocks.

And if you’re planning on staying out for sunset, throw a headlamp in your pack.

Why Visit Arches in the Fall?

I’ve visited this park throughout the year, but fall continues to be my favorite.

You get cooler hiking temperatures without completely losing those sunny Moab days. It feels easier to slow down, wander around and actually enjoy being outside instead of spending the entire day trying to escape the summer heat.

Most importantly, don’t worry about doing everything.

Stop at the overlooks. Pull over when something catches your eye. Spend longer than you planned underneath an arch. Sit on a rock and eat your lunch.

That’s kind of the point.

Moab is one of those places that reminds you that adventure doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes all it takes is a full water bottle, a pair of hiking shoes and a weekend somewhere wild.

Take adventure with you.