Mid–late September
A mid-month transitionThe reviewed temperate window begins in mid-September. Early-month heat can linger; the chart still shows the full September average.
163,421 average visits in September
Choose your fall month
Compare early-season outings with later weather and service changes.
October
Cooler hiking, cold nightsOctober is within the NPS temperate fall window. Bring layers for the day-to-night temperature change.
150,241 average visits in October
Things to do in fall
Choose a shorter viewpoint or a longer outing for the actual conditions.
Delicate Arch
The 3-mile roundtrip climbs 480 feet. Choose for fitness and weather; sunset remains a popular time.
Landscape Arch
Use the relatively flat 1.9-mile roundtrip for a shorter Devils Garden outing.
The Windows
Choose this area for several formations and shorter scenic stops.
Get oriented for fall
Use the entrance as your starting point for the park drive; choose a short or longer walk before setting out.
- 1 · Arches Entrance Station
- Park boundary
Getting around in fall
Use the season’s access and safety decisions to choose your outing.
Expect popular trailheads
Fall is one of the park’s most popular seasons. Keep a backup stop when a parking area is full.
Use the forecast for layers
Cooler days and cold nights call for different clothing. Check the actual forecast before a long exposed walk.
Where to stay in fall
Choose a Moab room or a separately booked park campsite.
Moab rooms
Arches has no lodges or restaurants. Use nearby Moab for rooms and meals, and bring supplies for the park.
Camping Devils Garden has a seasonal reservation system. Check booking rules and the campground calendar before choosing a site.
Arches fall crowds
The highlighted whole months average 156,831 recreation visits per month. May is the annual peak at 195,001.
Fall months highlightedMid-September–October
LowestLowModerateHighPeakAverage month: 128,797
Arches fall temperatures
NOAA 1991-2020 averages at Moab, UT (preview station; full station review pending). Use the forecast for exposed desert trails; these averages do not establish a safe hiking hour.
Fall months highlightedMid-September–October
Cooler Hotter
Jan
High44°F
Low21°F
Feb
High52°F
Low27°F
Mar
High65°F
Low36°F
Apr
High72°F
Low43°F
May
High83°F
Low51°F
Jun
High94°F
Low59°F
Jul
High99°F
Low66°F
Aug
High96°F
Low64°F
Sep
High88°F
Low55°F
Oct
High74°F
Low42°F
Nov
High57°F
Low30°F
Dec
High44°F
Low22°F
Questions about Arches fall
Quick answers to the practical questions below.
Is Arches worth visiting in fall?
Arches in fall offers temperate hiking from mid-September through October. October is still a popular month, so cooler weather does not mean empty trails.
Which fall month should I choose?
September: A mid-month transition. October: Cooler hiking, cold nights.
What should I check before a fall hike?
Fall is one of the park’s most popular seasons. Keep a backup stop when a parking area is full.
How we built this page.
An independent guide using official data. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service.
- Official guidance
- NPS and the relevant operators. The linked official pages support the access, facilities and rules described here. Confirm details before traveling.
- Crowd context
- 2021–2025 monthly averages. NPS recreation visits describe normal seasonal demand, not trail congestion, parking availability or unique visitors.
- Schedules and conditions
- Planning patterns, not live status. Seasonal information describes the normal pattern or explicitly dated source schedule. Current conditions are handled separately. The official source is the place to confirm today’s access.
Topic sources and data details
NPS seasonal, activity and overnight guidance supports the normal patterns and named choices on this page. Check the linked official pages for current operation and booking details.
Month choices describe the reviewed planning window. Monthly recreation visits are full-calendar-month 2021–2025 averages, including any month partly inside the window.
Temperatures are NOAA 1991-2020 normals at Moab, UT; The Moab station sits at about 4,053 ft in town, south of the park entrance, not in the park, so conditions on the trails can differ from these numbers. Its 1991-2020 normals show little snow: 4.9 inches in December and under 2 inches in January and February. We have not finished reviewing this station for Arches, so treat the numbers as a preview. This is a preview station, pending full station review.
Seasonal highlights mark the editorial month window, not guaranteed access or travel-date weather.
Operational source check: October 21, 2026. Design and emphasized source review: 2026-10-21. A design review does not refresh every underlying record.