National Park Service Visitor Guide U.S. Department of the Interior Arches The La Sal Mountains with the Windows Section in the foreground NPS / PAUL STOLEN We Need Your Help BY RACHEL JOHA Arches National Park is a destination for over 1.5 million people a year. Numbers like that can have a huge impact on the landscape. No matter your experience in the outdoors, we all play a role in protecting and preserving our public lands. The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace are helpful guidelines to minimize your impact here at Arches or anywhere you visit. Plan Ahead and Prepare Dispose of Waste Properly Minimize Campfire Impacts Be Considerate of Other Visitors Plan your trip activities to match your “Pack it in, pack it out.” Don’t leave Never leave a fire unattended, and Avoid disrupting natural quiet with loud goals, skills, and abilities. Research the behind any trash or food scraps. In thoroughly extinguish all fires. Fires are music or shouting. Remember— you park and current conditions ahead of arid climates like ours, organic litter only allowed in designated pits at Devils share public lands with other visitors. time. Bring enough water, a map, food, like orange peels or nut shells does not Garden Campground and in picnic Respect and protect the quality of and appropriate gear so you don’t need decompose quickly. “Go before you go.” areas. Collecting firewood or kindling is everyone’s outdoor experience. rescuing. Dozens of hikers at Delicate Before starting a hike, use the bathroom not allowed in the park. Arch and Devils Garden get in trouble and carry a human waste disposal bag Thank You! every year from lack of preparation. for emergencies. Respect Wildlife Practicing these Leave No Trace Do not feed wild animals. Secure your outdoor principles is a powerful way to Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces Leave What You Find food and trash so clever ravens can’t show your love and help preserve public Concentrating your activity on non- Chalking, carving, scratching, or get into it. Keep pets under control lands for future generations. vegetated durable surfaces (e.g. a trail, painting on the rocks is considered and on a leash so they don’t harm or rock, a drainage path, or pavement) graffiti and is illegal. Cairns (stacks of stress wildlife. Pets are not allowed spares vegetation, sand dunes, and soil rocks) mark routes in the park. Don’t at overlooks, on trails, or in the crust from damage. Don’t walk through change existing ones or build your own, backcountry, even in carriers. Observe desert puddles, whether they are wet or which can mislead other hikers. wildlife quietly from a safe distance so dry. They contain living organisms. as not disturb them. Welcome to Arches Have a safe and enjoyable visit by remembering these rules and advisories. Drink water. It is easy to become dehydrated here, Keep off the arches. The sun is intense, and shade is rare. even in cold temperatures. Plan on drinking at least It’s prohibited—and dangerous—to climb on any Avoid exertion during peak heat (>90°F /32°C). 1 gallon (4 L) of water per day. You can get water at arch or on prominent features like Balanced Rock. Protect yourself with sunscreen, sunglasses, Arches Visitor Center and Devils Garden. and a hat. Walk on hard surfaces. Do not rely on cell service at Arches. Stay on trails to protect fragile biological soil crusts Watch your step. Coverage varies throughout the park. There are pay and plant and animal habitat, and to reduce your Rocks fall. People fall. Sandstone is slippery when phones at the visitor center. Emergency? Call 911 risk of getting lost. wet or icy. In winter, avoid snowy or icy trails. Respect nature. Leave drones at home. Launching, landing, Leave the rocks as you see them. Leave plants, rocks, and artifacts where you see or operating unmanned aircraft (such as model Graffiti—carving, scratching, chalking, or any type them. Do not feed or disturb animals. airplanes, quadcopters, or drones) is prohibited. of marking—is illegal and unsightly. Find your way. Preserve natural darkness. Do not use ATVs. It’s prohibited to use any type Cairns (small rock piles) mark routes. Don’t build Using artificial light sources to illuminate features of ATV or OHV. There are many roads outside the your own; they could mislead other hikers. If you for photography at night is prohibited. park where you can use ATVs and OHVs. get lost, stay where you are, and wait for rescue. Emergencies call 911 Park Information National Park Service HOURS OF OPERATION PETS U.S. Department of the Interior i ` The park is open 365 days a year. The visitor center is open daily from 9 am You may have your pet at Devils Garden Campground and may walk your to 4 pm, with extended hours spring through fall. The visitor center is closed pet along roads and in parking lots. You may not have pets on hiking trails, December 25. at overlooks, or anywhere in the backcountry, even in carriers. Pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet (1.8 m) at all times. Do not leave pets Arches National Park FOOD, GAS, AND LODGING in vehicles when temperatures are above 65°F (18°C); they can die of heat PO Box 907 There is no food, gas, or lodging in the park. The town of Moab, five miles exhaustion. Moab has kennels with boarding services. Many public lands Moab, UT 84532 from the park entrance, has a full complement of restaurants, lodging, outside the park allow pets. email [email protected] grocery stores, gas stations, and other services. For information visit phone 435-719-2299 www.discovermoab.com. ô ACCESSIBILITY People with mobility impairments can access: • visitor center and toilets Visitor Guide 2021, Volume 2 − CAMPING throughout the park • Devils Garden Campground site 4H • Park Avenue Devils Garden Campground has 50 sites and is located 18 miles from the Viewpoint: Paved • Delicate Arch Viewpoint: Hard surface, level • Balanced Arches Visitor Guide published by park entrance. The campground has two group sites for groups of 11 or Rock Viewpoint: Paved, level • Wolfe Ranch Cabin/Rock Art Panel: Hard Canyonlands Natural History Association, more. The campground is usually full every day, March through October. surface, level • Double Arch: Hard surface with slope; may need assistance. a nonprofit organization that assists the We recommend reserving a site before you arrive. If you don’t have a National Park Service in its educational, reservation, plan to use other area camping options. For camping outside the For people who are deaf or have hearing loss, we have a variety of interpretive, and scientific programs. For park, ask at the visitor center, or visit www.discovermoab.com publications at the visitor center, exhibits throughout the park, and all video more information, see page 8. programs are captioned. % SHARE THE ROAD Park roads are narrow and winding. Do not stop in the roadway—save At the visitor center, we have audio recordings, tactile models, maps, and sightseeing for designated viewpoints. Watch for pedestrians and bicycles. rock samples for people who are blind or have low vision. We also have Ensure a minimum distance of 3 feet (1 m) when passing. large print and braille publications as well as an audio version of the park brochure. At the bookstore, you can purchase or rent an audio tour of the Find us online. RESERVATIONS park’s scenic road. Follow ArchesNPS to share your park You can reserve: • standard campsites up to six months in advance, • group experiences with us and our growing campsites up to 12 months in advance • ranger-led Fiery Furnace hikes (see Service animals, dogs or horses trained to perform specific tasks for a online community: below) up to six months in advance and self-guided permits up to seven days person with a disability, are allowed on trails. Emotional support (“therapy”) in advance. Visit www.recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777 (toll free), 877- animals are not considered service animals under the Americans with website nps.gov/arches 633-6777 (TTY), or +1 518-885-3639 (international). Disabilities Act. facebook.com/ArchesNPS twitter @ArchesNPS instagram @ArchesNPS flickr.com/ArchesNPS youtube.com/ArchesNPS Things to Do Park Fees RANGER PROGRAMS ç HIKING Check the visitor center or website for information on ranger programs There are many options for hiking, ranging from a short stroll to a strenuous, Arches National Park charges fees for park and special events. Programs are always subject to change. multi-hour hike. Check page 4 for a list of hiking trails. entrance, camping, and some permits. Eighty percent of the fees collected Evening Programs May be offered most nights in summer at Devils Garden ç BACKPACKING at Arches are returned to the park to Campground amphitheater. 45 minutes. Free. Arches has only a few areas for overnight backpacking. Outside the address priority needs in maintenance, developed visitor area there are no designated trails, or reliable water infrastructure, resource management, and Fiery Furnace Hikes May be offered daily, spring through fall. Physically sources. To backpack at Arches, you must obtain a backpacking permit at visitor services. Fees are subject to change. demanding hikes require scrambling up and through narrow cracks and the Backcountry Permit Office in Moab and camp in designated sites. Permits along ledges above drop-offs. Children under 5 are not permitted. Make are issued in person at the Backcountry Permit Office two miles south of Entrance Fees reservations or ask at the visitor center. Hikes may fill weeks in advance.