The Perfect Arches To Canyonlands One Day Itinerary

Did you know that it is possible to explore Arches and Canyonlands in one day? Both parks have so many outstanding viewpoints and easy trails that it is effortless to plan a one-day trip! I have been to both parks many times, so I have made the perfect Arches To Canyonlands one-day itinerary. Don’t worry, I have only highlighted the best parts of both parks and have included lunch spots and hotels, which will make your planning a lot easier. Enjoy, and let me know if you have any questions!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you. 

Map Of The Canyonlands And Arches In One Day Itinerary

Below is a Google Map of the itinerary. I have color-coded and separated the national parks into different layers. I have also added hotels and my favorite lunch spots.

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Reservation To Arches National Park

How Far Is Canyonlands From Arches

The distance from Canyonlands to Arches is only 27 miles, around 30 minutes of a drive. That is why it is so easy to combine both national parks in one day.

Arches To Canyonlands One Day Itinerary

Arches National Park

Delicate Arch Hike For Sunrise

• Distance: 3.4 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 626 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Trail Guide: Link

The Delicate Arch is the symbol of Utah. Anywhere and everywhere you go in this state you will see a picture of this magnificent arch. Lucky for you, there are two ways to see the famous Delicate Arch.

The first option is to hike the 3.4 miles round trip trail and get right next to the arch as seen in the photo above. I was lucky enough to have the arch all to myself years ago. It might not be the case for you now, but I still feel like sunrise is probably your best bet to avoid the hoards of people.

I know moderate hikes and sunrises are not for everyone, so I have a second option below.

If you still want to see the Arch but don’t want to hike too much or want a later start in the day, hike the extremely easy Delicate Arch Viewpoint trail. It is only 0.7 miles round trip. You can see a sample photo below and decide which path is better for you.

Read More: Hiking The Delicate Arch Trail

The Devils Garden (Landscape Arch)

• Distance:  1.9 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 259 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

The Devils Garden is probably my favorite trail in Arches National Park. I love how this trail is for everyone. You can hike as little or as much as you want. If you want to hike a difficult trail, you can hike the whole loop or if you want to make it quick and easy, you can hike to Landscape Arch.

Since you have a half-day at Arches National Park, it is probably best to only hike up to Landscape Arch. If you want to read more on the whole loop trail, then head to my Best Hikes In Arches National Park Post.

The Windows Loop Trail

• Distance: 1.2 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 154 ft.
• Route Type: Loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

The Window Trail is a fun and easy hike for the whole family. I love getting close views of the windows and arches. I loved the Turret Arch and the North and South Window.

Double Arch

• Distance: 0.6 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 95 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

I LOVED Double Arch. This extremely short hike is breathtaking and out of this world. The best part is that the hike is pretty short, and the views are stunning. I highly recommend this area.

Read More: The Best National Park in Utah – All 5 Ranked From Best to Worst

Balanced Rock

• Distance: 0.3 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 55 ft.
• Route Type: Loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

Balanced Rock is probably one of the most popular spots in Arches National Park. But in all honesty, this is perhaps my least favorite activity on the list. I would still stop here and take a quick photo because it is located on the main road, and it only takes a few minutes to experience it.

Read More: Best Things to Do in Arches National Park, Utah | 17+ Attractions

Arches Scenic Drive

When heading towards the park entrance, make sure to take in all the breathtaking views. There are many places you can stop to take in the beautiful buttes and canyons. The Courthouse Towers is an underrated spot that never gets talked about.

Park Avenue

• Distance: 1.8 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 298 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

Park Avenue should NOT be missed. When I first came to Arches National Park, I had not heard of Park Avenue and almost took it off my list. I am so glad I did not because this area is breathtaking! You don’t even need to hike the whole trail to enjoy it! We only walked a few feet to take the photo shown above. We were pretty hungry for lunch and decided to cut the trail short. I am so glad we got to experience this area.

Read More: Best Hikes In Arches National Park

Lunch

Both parks do not have any restaurants; however, Moab has many restaurants. We ate at many restaurants, but I will only name the ones I loved.

• Love Muffin: OMG. I loved this cute lunch/coffee spot, and so did my husband. We came here multiple days, and we were sad that they were closed on certain days of the week (which might be different in the busy season). The breakfast sandwiches are tasty. And the lunch sandwiches were terrific as well. You can pack these sandwiches up in your backpack and eat them at a viewpoint instead of driving back into town.
• El Charro Loco: Good Mexican food! I especially loved the pineapple dish filled with all kinds of meats, salsa, and pico. My husband and I shared it, and it was a ton of food.
• The Blu Pig: This place had some pretty good BBQ and drinks.
• The Trailhead Public House and Eatery: I enjoyed their burgers. So delicious.

Read More: Best Things To Do In Moab, Utah

Canyonlands National Park

Islands In The Sky Visitor Center

You have got to stop at the Canyonlands Visitor Center. The views are pretty epic here. Park at the Visitor Center parking lot and cross the street to get your first look into Canyonlands National Park. This park is one of my favorites, and you can see right away why it is.

Read More: 12 Best Things To Do in Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Mesa Arch Hike

• Distance: 0.7 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 85 ft.
• Route Type: Loop
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

Mesa Arch is probably the most well-known hike in Canyonlands National Park. It is short, breathtaking, and crowded, but this trail is crowded no matter what time you hike it.

The best time to view Mesa Arch is sunrise, when the golden light illuminates the arch, as shown in my photo above. If you would love to experience this, I recommend switching the itinerary around and visiting Canyonlands first instead of Arches. But that would mean seeing Delicate Arch in the afternoon, which means larger crowds.

Green River Overlook

Out of all the overlooks in both national parks, Green River Overlook was my favorite! This view is so breathtaking and easy to get to. Hopefully, you are lucky and get a light dusting of snow to add to the viewpoint. If you have extra time, you can also hike Upheaval Dome Hike.

Read More: One Day in Canyonlands National Park | Amazing Itinerary for 1 Day Visits

Grand View Point Overlook

• Distance: 1.8 miles, round trip
• Elevation Gain: 173 ft.
• Route Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trail Guide: Link

We got to Grand View Point late in the afternoon, and let me tell you, it was busy! This is a highly crowded area, so get ready to wait a bit for a parking spot.

You have two options for this area. You can take photos of the viewpoint or hike the 1.8 miles round-trip trail. We did both, and both were pretty crowded. But I still enjoyed the hike. If you feel a bit tired or running out of time, the Grand View Point is still good enough. You don’t need to hike the trail.

Read More: Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park

Bonus: Dead Horse Point State Park At Sunset

Ok, so I know you will probably be exhausted by this point but grab the little energy you have left and watch the sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park. It is worth it, and you do not need to hike. Just drive here and sit and watch the sun go down. It really is as easy as that. The best area for sunset is the Dead Horse Point Area, and I have it marked on the map above.

Arches VS Canyonlands

Which is better, Arches or Canyonlands? This is a difficult question I get asked all the time. Both national parks are phenomenal and vastly different. But if I had only to pick one to do, I would probably pick Canyonlands. Canyonlands has so much more to offer. It is huge and you can go backpacking, hiking, go off-roading, etc.

I have seen most of Arches National Park after visiting for two days, while Canyonlands I have barely scraped the surface.

With that being said, I still feel like Arches is an amazing park. It is small and easy to experience so it is great for families.

If you only have one day in Moab, I would do the itinerary I presented, rather than only experiencing one park. It is great to see two completely different parks that are so close to one another.

Tours Of Arches And Canyonlands

Final Thoughts On Arches And Canyonlands In One Day

Thanks for reading all about my Canyonlands to Arches itinerary. Make sure to check out more blog posts on Utah:

• The 15 Best Hikes In Utah
• The Mighty 5 Utah: Utah National Parks Road Trip
• The 16 Best Things To Do In Capitol Reef National Park
• Visiting Arches National Park in Winter | Snowy Weather Guide
• The 26 Of The Absolute Best Hikes In National Parks

Pin For Later: Arches National Park And Canyonlands In One Day