Delicate Arch
Compare the short lower viewpoint with the uphill arch trail. Snow and ice can make the longer sandstone route unsuitable.
December · Delicate Arch
What to see and do in Arches in December
Choose a December outing that fits the route, weather and effort involved.
The Windows
Keep this as a shorter sandstone outing. The trail beyond its flat initial section has steps and uneven rock, which need a winter footing check.
December · The Windows
Arches weather in December
December’s normal high is 44°F and low is 22°F, with 0.76 inches of precipitation. Moab, Utah is a gateway station outside the park at about 4,053 ft. These numbers do not represent every trail or the higher Devils Garden district. Snow, ice and heat can differ at your stops.
Cooler Hotter
Jan
High44°F
Low21°F
Precip · in0.65
Feb
High52°F
Low27°F
Precip · in0.66
Mar
High65°F
Low36°F
Precip · in0.70
Apr
High72°F
Low43°F
Precip · in0.77
May
High83°F
Low51°F
Precip · in0.82
Jun
High94°F
Low59°F
Precip · in0.35
Jul
High99°F
Low66°F
Precip · in0.92
Aug
High96°F
Low64°F
Precip · in0.88
Sep
High88°F
Low55°F
Precip · in0.89
Oct
High74°F
Low42°F
Precip · in1.03
Nov
High57°F
Low30°F
Precip · in0.70
Dec
High44°F
Low22°F
Precip · in0.76
Arches crowds in December
December averages 48,970 recreation visits, 25% of the peak monthly average in May.
LowestLowModerateHighPeakAverage month: 128,797December
Tips for your December visit
Check the approach before choosing the rest of the day.
AMain entrance
- Park boundary
Main entrance from US 191
The paved scenic-drive approach has a year-round operating pattern. Rain, snow and incidents can interrupt access. Check trail conditions and parking separately.
How we built this page.
An independent guide using official data. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service.
- Crowds
- 2021–2025 monthly averages. NPS recreation visits, compared with the park’s own busiest month. Visits are not unique visitors or a count of people on a trail.
- Weather
- 1991-2020 climate normals. NOAA’s Moab, UT station. These describe typical weather at the station, not every part of the park or a forecast.
- Roads & lodging
- Normal seasonal schedules. NPS guidance and official operator information. Confirm access, hours and availability before you travel.
Historical records and data-quality checks
- Visit history: 1979–2025 NPS monthly recreation visits.
- Weather history: 1893–2025 daily observations, separate from climate normals. We average daily highs and lows and total the rain for each month.
- Complete months only: every day must pass our quality checks for that metric. Missing or incomplete records stay blank; we never interpolate.
- Excluded measurements: flagged, presumed-zero and lagged values. Trace rain counts as zero measurable rainfall.