Arches National Park in winter.

Getting in and driving.

Arches is not free before 7 am, or at any other hour. The park is normally open year-round, 24 hours a day, and NPS says fees apply. In 2026 it is not requiring timed-entry reservations, so you can enter at any time with a valid entrance pass, bought online at Recreation.gov or at the entrance station (credit or debit only). Our Arches reservations page tracks timed entry, and Arches fees has the prices and fee-free days. The entrance is off US 191, five miles north of Moab, with the visitor center just inside.

After a snowfall, NPS says the park road might be closed for several hours for plowing, and roads, parking lots, and pullouts can still be icy, especially in shade. Large snowfalls are uncommon except in the nearby mountains, but even a little snow or ice can make local trails and roads impassable. Ask at the visitor center for the latest road conditions. For roads outside the park, check the Utah Road Weather Forecast or call 1-866-511-UTAH (8824). The new Moab-Arches shuttle's announced season ends October 31, 2026, per its NPS announcement, and the NPS directions page says there is no public transportation inside Arches, so plan on a car in winter.

Hiking on ice.

Most hiking trails stay open all year. After a snowfall, popular trails like Delicate Arch and Devils Garden quickly get slippery from packed snow and ice, and shady trails, like the one to Delicate Arch, can stay icy through early spring. NPS recommends traction devices and trekking poles. Drifting snow can cover trail markers, which makes even "easy" trails harder to follow. The visitor center posts updated photos of trail conditions, so look before you pick a hike.

Ranger-led hikes and campfire talks are not offered in winter. That matters for the Fiery Furnace: rangers normally lead hikes there spring through fall, and the only other way in is an individual permit. The NPS Fiery Furnace permit page does not say whether permits are issued in winter, so check before you plan around it. Kids can still earn a Junior Ranger badge with the Arches Junior Ranger booklet; ask at the visitor center. For light and timing, see our Arches photography page.

Where to sleep.

Devils Garden Campground, the only campground in the park, is open year-round and sits 18 miles from the entrance. From November through February it has 25 sites, first-come, first-served, and NPS's winter page says there are restrooms and drinking water. NPS asks winter campers to download the Recreation.gov app before arriving and use its Scan & Pay function to pay for a site. Collecting wood is prohibited; buy firewood at the visitor center or in Moab. Our Arches camping page covers reservations the rest of the year.

There are no services inside Arches. Moab is the nearest community, and NPS puts it 45 to 60 minutes' drive from the campground for food, gas, and supplies, so it is the practical base for a winter trip. The visitor center is open seven days a week, 9 am to 4 pm, and closed December 25.

How quiet winter really is.

NPS calls winter at Arches "a peaceful time, without the crowds or scorching heat that can plague summertime visits." The numbers agree. January averages about 36,000 recreation visits against 195,000 in May. December runs 25% of May's visits and February 26%, while November is still 44% and March jumps to 74%.

Is December a good time to go? For the park, yes, if you want quiet trails and don't mind cold mornings and ice: December averages 25% of May's visits. The tradeoffs are short days, no ranger programs, and trails that can turn slick after even a small snow. The best time to visit Arches page compares winter with spring and fall.

Daylight and cold.

On December 21 the sun rises at 7:33 a.m. and sets at 5:01 p.m. at the Arches Visitor Center, per the U.S. Naval Observatory, which leaves 9 hours 28 minutes of daylight. By March 21 sunset is 7:32 p.m., on daylight time. Start Delicate Arch early enough to be off the slickrock before dark.

NPS says winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50°F and lows 0 to 20°F. NOAA 1991-2020 normals at the Moab station (USC00425733, 4,053 ft) put January's average high at 44°F and low at 21°F, with about 4.9 inches of snow in December. Treat those as preview numbers: we have not finished reviewing that station for this park, and it sits in town, not in the park. Pack layers, a warm hat, and traction for your boots.

Common questions.

What are the coldest months at Arches?

December and January. At the Moab NOAA station, December averages a high of 44°F and a low of 22°F, and January 44°F and 21°F. February warms to 52°F and 27°F. NPS gives winter highs of 30 to 50°F and lows of 0 to 20°F in the park.

Is Arches National Park free before 7 am?

No. Arches is normally open year-round, 24 hours a day, and NPS says fees apply. In 2026 the park does not require timed-entry reservations, so you can enter any time with a valid entrance pass, bought online at Recreation.gov or at the entrance station. See Arches fees for prices and fee-free days.

Where these facts come from

Winter trail and road conditions, plowing closures, visitor center hours, ranger programs, the Junior Ranger booklet, Devils Garden's 25 winter sites, firewood, the Utah road line, winter temperatures, and the "peaceful time" line come from the NPS Visiting in Winter page (last updated November 16, 2025). The 24-hour opening and fees rule come from the NPS hours page; no timed entry in 2026 and the entrance pass from the February 18, 2026 NPS news release; the card-only entrance station from the NPS fees page; the Fiery Furnace season and permit from the NPS Fiery Furnace hike page; Scan & Pay and the winter first-come rule from the NPS camping page; the campground's distance and Moab services from NPS campground data (the NPS developer API); the entrance location and no public transportation from the NPS directions page; the shuttle season from the September 10, 2026 NPS news release. Sunrise and sunset come from the U.S. Naval Observatory for 2026 in local clock time. Temperatures and snowfall are NOAA 1991-2020 normals at the Moab station (USC00425733), a preview station. The entrance point is from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Crowd numbers are five-year monthly means (2021 to 2025) of recreation visits from the NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package on NPS IRMA Stats. Independent site, not affiliated with the National Park Service.