Planning a Trip to Arches National Park in 2024
In 2022, Arches National Park implemented a timed entry system to help mitigate crowds. Thus far, the trial system has been considered successful and it will be continued for 2024. If you are going to visit between April 1st and October 31st, you will need to make sure you are prepared. If you are visiting outside those dates, the timed entry will not apply and you can enter the park at anytime, without any need to secure any reservation in advance.
In previous years, to get into Arches during the busy season, you could be in line to get into the park for an hour or more, and many days entry was closed entirely and arriving visitors were greeted with a sign to come back and try later. The timed entry has worked quite while these past 2 years in helping to control some of the problems that have come about when the park gets congested. With steady growth in visitation, it has improved the visitor experience by preventing issues from overcrowding on the roads, parking areas, and trails.
What do you need to know? To enter the park between 7am and 4pm any day from April 1st to October 31st, you need the following 3 things:
1) Timed entry ticket secured in advance ($2.00 processing fee)
2) Photo ID
3) Park entrance fee OR valid park pass
So, each private vehicle will need a timed entry ticket. You can get yours from recreation.gov.
Pick your date and your 1-hour slot for which your ticket will be valid for entry, add it to your cart, and submit payment information for a non-refundable $2.00 processing fee. You will then receive an email with an attached Timed Entry Ticket, which you can print, download, or screenshot. Alternatively you can secure your ticket over the phone at 877-444-6777.
When you arrive at the park entrance, the timed entry ticket holder must be in the vehicle with photo identification and you then also either pay the entrance fee ($30 per vehicle) or show your valid park pass. You can then exit and re-enter the park for the remainder of that day, but entry on a different day will require an additional timed entry ticket. Visitors have access to the entire park but are not guaranteed parking at a specific lot. Note that tickets are released by month blocks, 3 months in advance. For example, all tickets for July will be available April 1st.
Exceptions:
If you are on foot or a bicycle, you do not need a timed entry reservation. Additionally, if you have a permit for the campground, backcountry camping, or Fiery Furnace, you do not need to reserve a timed entry ticket, just present your other permit for verification upon entry.
What if I didn’t plan ahead?
If you don’t secure a timed entry before your trip, there is still hope. They make a limited number of next day tickets available on the website at 6:00PM (MST). You should have a pretty good shot as long as you are ready to make the purchase as soon as they are made available the night before your visit. Another option to consider is booking a commercial tour, which I’m happy to be personally offering (https://www.zachcooleyphoto.com/archesworkshop). In that case you won’t need a timed entry ticket. Yet a third option is you can enter the park without a reservation before 7am or after 4pm.
Free National Parks Day
If you are visiting Arches in 2024, I thought it would be helpful to include a list of days for free entry. While many National Park sites are always free to visit, Arches is one of 63 national parks that cost between $10 and $35. In an effort to take away any potential barrier to visitors, and encourage people to get out and visit the parks, there are 6 days those entrance fees will be waived. This only applies to entrance, so additional amenities and activities such as camping, boat launches, special tours, etc., will still be paid by visitors.
January 15: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 20: First day of National Park Week
June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
September 28: National Public Lands Day
November 11: Veterans Day
I hoped this has helped in planning for a trip to Arches National Park in 2024. Though the reservation system requires a little extra planning on your part, it should definitely lead to an optimal visitor experience with less chance of congestion issues in the park. If you have any questions or thoughts on any of this let me know in the comments!
