The major highlights of both Arches and Canyonlands can be seen in one day. We know because we’ve done it ourselves. If you follow the same long but amazing dawn to dusk itinerary we did, you’ll visit the top photo spots and hike the most popular trails. Looking back, we’d say it’s easily one of the most memorable days we’ve had traveling around the US.
In this guide we show you exactly how to spend one unforgettable day in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, based on our experiences. Read more about us.
We’d been road tripping around the American Southwest for almost 3 months by the time we arrived into Moab, Utah in mid-November 2019. Our travel budget was almost gone, so we needed to speed things up a bit before heading home. After a lot of research and serious planning, we figured out the perfect route to get through Canyonlands and Arches in one day without missing any of the best bits.
Our alarm went off at the agonizing time of 4:30am so we could make it to Mesa Arch for sunrise. It was a non-negotiable for us, so we loaded up with coffee and hit the road. Then we spent a few more early morning hours in Canyonlands, before heading across to Arches so we could hike Devils Garden Trail and be up at Delicate Arch in time for sunset. And it worked like a dream.
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What You Need To Know
Okay, let’s get right into the thick of it. Here are the most important things you need to know:
- You’re only going to have time to see Canyonlands Islands in the Sky District.
- You’ll spend more time in Arches because it’s the better park in our opinion.
- It takes 50 minutes to drive from Moab to Mesa Arch Trailhead, the first stop.
- The drive from Canyonlands to Arches takes around 40 minutes.
- It’s only 10 minutes drive from Arches back to Moab at the end.
- Mesa Arch at sunrise and Delicate Arch at sunset are the photo spots you can’t miss.
- Check Moab’s weather report to make sure it’s worth doing sunrise and sunset.
- Devils Garden Trail in Arches is the hike you can’t miss.
- Moab is the perfect place to use as a base for this itinerary.
- You must buy a timed entry reservation for Arches between April 1-October 31.
- You don’t need a reservation for Canyonlands.
Entry Fees: It costs $30/vehicle to enter both Arches and Canyonlands for a total of $60. The price includes driver and all passengers. Alternatively, you can use an America the Beautiful Pass to enter both parks.
Route Map
Click or touch the map below to activate. Zoom in and out, move around the map and you’ll see icons at each stop along with the driving route. You can also click on the “view larger map” icon in the top right to expand the map, which is much easier to see.
Map key:
- Red icons – Top attractions
- Blue line – Driving route
Assuming you begin and end your day at Moab, the total driving distance for this itinerary is approximately 121 miles, which is around 3 hours and 10 minutes in the car. Now, that might sound a lot but trust us you’ll barely notice the driving because it’s split up so much by viewpoints and hikes.
One Day Itinerary
Next, let’s walk through how we spent our day in both parks in November, so you can see if it will work for your visit.
1. Mesa Arch
We checked sunrise time for Canyonlands the night before, packed our gear and set a 4:30am alarm to arrive at Mesa Arch in time for nautical twilight. Waking up wasn’t fun (happy birthday, Mark!) but we quickly got on the road with hot coffees and the heater on full blast. There was only one other car and a camper van when we arrived at Mesa Arch Trailhead parking lot.
The easy hike only took a few minutes despite the dark, and we arrived at the photo spot as the second group. That meant we could set up our camera and tripod in a great spot, relax, eat snacks and wait for the sun. It soon filled up and became a hive of activity. Then suddenly the sun burst over the distant horizon to a collective gasp and that early alarm felt more than justified.
2. Grand View Point
We knew the top highlight in Canyonlands was over and the adrenaline began to subside. But the day had really only just begun, so we took a minute in the car to recharge, eat more substantial snacks and warm up. Next, we drove 10 minutes south to Grand View Point parking lot. This viewpoint had far reaching views of vast canyon floors, buttes and spires had hints of both the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley.
If you’re short on time or you don’t fancy the hike, you can see most of the scenery from very close to the parking lot. But we encourage you to walk the short, flat and easy trail to a second viewpoint further out into the canyon. We thought it was well worth doing and it’s suitable for the whole family. Just watch younger kids around the edges because there are long drops.
3. Green River Overlook
Next, we drove 15 minutes north and west to Green River Overlook parking lot. This time we couldn’t see anything from the parking area, but it was only a very short and easy walk to reach the viewpoint. We’d say this was the better view of the two because it was more picturesque and had a more obvious subject. Plus, we could see a small portion of the Green River snaking through the deepest ravine.
4. Shafer Canyon Overlook
We could have stopped at more places in Canyonlands Island in the Sky District. But we knew the activities in Arches were going to take longer and they looked more enjoyable, so it was time to leave. Our final stop on the way out of Canyonlands was called Shafer Canyon Overlook, which was a clifftop viewpoint looking down over a twisting 4WD track. It’s awesome, unless you have a fear of heights!
5. Drive To Arches
From Shafer Canyon Overlook it took us around 40 minutes to reach Arches visitor center. We stopped in for a quick look around, grabbed another hot coffee and removed our heavy layers as the morning began to warm up. It took a further 25 minutes to reach The Windows, which was the next major stop on the itinerary. But along the way, we stopped at lots of roadside viewing areas including Balanced Rock.
6. The Windows And Double Arch
The Windows area turned out to be one of our favorite parts of the day, in terms of bang for your buck. We walked around North Window, South Window and Turret Arch first, before walking up to Double Arch and the Cove of Caves. This was the first time we’d seen such unique rock formations so it was a really cool experience for us. We took a ton of photos here before hopping back in the car.
7. Devils Garden Trail
Okay, this is where our one day itinerary will divide certain visitors from others. Devils Garden Trail is the most fun and adventurous hike in either Arches or Canyonlands, but it can be hiked in many different ways. We spent around 3 hours 30 minutes hiking the full loop in a clockwise direction but it was challenging, exposed, primitive and mostly off-trail with light scrambles and pathfinding elements.
Does that sound too much? An easier version is hiking to Landscape Arch only before returning to the trailhead, and then hiking to both Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch. The full loop is awesome, but it is hard so only commit if you’re up for it. Whichever version you do, make sure you’re ready to leave the parking lot 2-3 hours before the sunset time in Arches.
8. Delicate Arch
The hike around Devils Garden was amazing but the heat and long day were taking a toll. We needed to take on fluids and eat more food, but first we drove to Wolfe Ranch parking area to make sure we’d get a space at Delicate Arch Trailhead. It was only a 15 minute drive, then we refueled, grabbed our camera gear and hit the trail. It was getting close to sunset so we had to get a shift on.
The climb up Delicate Arch Trail was steeper and more of a lung-buster than we expected, but adrenaline got us up there lightning fast and we had a bit of time to walk around the mind-boggling formations. Everyone was huddled over on the east side of the arch with cameras, so we joined and waited for the sunset. It turned out to be incredible, and we even stayed up there for a dazzling Milky Way display.
When To Visit
Spring and fall are the best seasons to visit Arches and Canyonlands because temperatures are comfortable, crowds aren’t too overpowering and hotel prices are reasonable. We visited the parks in November, benefiting more from fewer crowds and cheaper hotels because it was so late in the season. But it was cold in the mornings and evenings.
Summer is the busiest time in Utah’s parks because schools are out and families can make it work. But it’s hot, busy and overpriced, so avoid the likes of July and August if possible. Also, the closer to June 21st you visit, the longer the days are which means super early mornings and late nights for sunrises and sunsets.
Winter is a unique time to visit parks like Arches and Canyonlands because there’s a small chance you might see light dustings of snow on the red rocks. But whether it snows or not, you will benefit greatly from barely any crowds and very cheap hotels. Just make sure you have plenty of heavy coats, pants, socks and boots to keep warm.
Where To Stay Nearby
Moab is by far the most convenient place to stay when visiting Arches and Canyonlands. The small city is set up perfectly for hosting adventure seekers and lovers of the great outdoors. We stayed in Moab ourselves and would do the same next time because it has a great selection of hotels and places to eat near both parks.
Here are three excellent lodging options in Moab:
We stayed at Expedition Lodge and had a fantastic experience. With that said, there are lots of great options due to high demand in the area. Read our guide to the 12 top rated hotels in Moab on our sister site Best Hotels Anywhere for a closer look. You also might find our guide on how to book cheap hotels helpful for saving money.
The Morgan Conclusion
Seeing the highlights of both Arches and Canyonlands in one day is totally doable, but it’s a long and action packed itinerary. We know the sunrise and sunset elements make it sound like hard work, but trust us they’re both worth the extra effort (as long as the weather is clear). Just make sure you arrive at both in good time so you get a space and don’t miss the spectacle.
If you want to slow down the itinerary, don’t hike the full loop around Devils Garden Trail. It’s the one thing you can change to save a lot of time, but it is an amazing trail so stronger hikers really shouldn’t miss it. Overall, we genuinely loved our highlights day in both parks but we definitely need to go back and explore them more thoroughly in the future.
More From Utah
- Unmissable hikes in Arches
- 3 days in Zion and Bryce Canyon
- Hikes you can’t miss in Zion
- Awesome Utah road trip routes
- Amazing hikes in Utah
- Top tourist spots in Utah
Want more Utah content? Head over to our Utah Travel Guides to explore the mighty five national parks and beyond.
We hope our Arches and Canyonlands itinerary helps with planning your visit to Utah!
Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
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Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.
Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more about Mark and Kristen.
Excellent article!!! We have decided to go there in September for our 55 anniversary.
Thank you Vincent – That’s great to hear, happy emerald anniversary! If you have any questions or need help planning your trip, please let us know. If not, have a fantastic time!
Amazing arches and formations, some don’t look real, love to see them though.
We agree! Delicate arch (the one with sunset and stars above) was the most fascinating. It’s hard to comprehend how that formed, particularly next to a smooth bowl shaped depression. This was one of our favorite landscapes on our US Road Trip. Hope you can get out to see them one day!