March
Cooler early walksMarch is a cooler transition into spring. Choose a short viewpoint or a longer walk for the actual forecast.
144,233 average visits in March
Choose your spring month
Compare the cooler March start with April–May hiking conditions.
April
Temperate hiking daysApril falls in the NPS temperate spring window. Compare monthly visits below rather than assume quiet trailheads.
162,590 average visits in April
May
Warmer exposed trailsMay is still in the temperate spring window, but exposed trails need cooler-hour planning as summer approaches.
195,001 average visits in May
Things to do in spring
Choose a shorter viewpoint or a longer outing for the actual conditions.
Delicate Arch
The 3-mile roundtrip climbs 480 feet. Choose it for your fitness and the weather; sunset is a busy time.
Landscape Arch
The relatively flat 1.9-mile roundtrip offers a shorter option in Devils Garden.
The Windows
See North Window, Turret Arch and Double Arch in one concentrated area.
Get oriented for spring
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 spring
Use the season’s access and safety decisions to choose your outing.
Check entry before travel
Use the official trip-planning pages for your travel date. Keep a backup outing when popular parking areas fill.
Plan for sun and exposed rock
Choose cooler hours as temperatures rise. Carry water and use sun protection even on a spring walk.
Where to stay in spring
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 spring crowds
The highlighted whole months average 167,275 recreation visits per month. May is the annual peak at 195,001.
Spring months highlightedMarch–May, with April–May the temperate core
LowestLowModerateHighPeakAverage month: 128,797
Arches spring 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.
Spring months highlightedMarch–May, with April–May the temperate core
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 spring
Quick answers to the practical questions below.
Is Arches worth visiting in spring?
Arches in spring suits hiking, especially in April and May. March is cooler, and the popular spring season still needs a parking and entry plan.
Which spring month should I choose?
March: Cooler early walks. April: Temperate hiking days. May: Warmer exposed trails.
What should I check before a spring hike?
Use the official trip-planning pages for your travel date. Keep a backup outing when popular parking areas fill.
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.