NP.GUIDE / FIELD GUIDE / FALL 2026
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Conditions change. Follow signs and ranger orders.
March through October, entrance waits may exceed 60 minutes and trailhead lots fill before 8 am. When lots fill, the park delays entry for 3 to 5 hours. Enter before 8 am or after 3 pm. Check the entrance webcam before you drive to the park.
Summer highs often exceed 100 F. Plan activity for early morning or late evening and avoid 10 am to 5 pm. Carry 2 to 3 liters of water per person for short hikes and 4 liters or more for backcountry trips. You are halfway through your hike when your water is half gone.
Water is available year-round only at the visitor center and Devils Garden Campground, plus the Devils Garden Trailhead in season. Fill bottles before you leave the pavement.
There are no gas stations in the park. Arrive with a full tank. The nearest gas is in Moab, 5 miles south of the entrance.
Summer storms can flood washes with no warning, even in sunshine. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. Move to high ground and never cross a flooded road. If you hear thunder, shelter in your vehicle and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder.
Coverage is spotty and varies by carrier. The visitor center, Balanced Rock, and Panorama Point have reliable coverage. The Windows, Devils Garden, Fiery Furnace, Park Avenue, and the Delicate Arch Viewpoint do not. Texting often works where calls fail.
NPS conditions (large page)
Major places list all five services. Seasonal services may be closed.
Do this: Stop first for passes, water, maps, and current conditions. Ask about lot closures and ranger programs.
Just inside the entrance, 5 miles north of Moab. Open daily, closed December 25. Oversize vehicles can park here. In an emergency, call 911.
Do this: Arrive early. The lots fill and the campground needs a reservation March through October.
End of the scenic drive, 18 miles and about 45 minutes from the visitor center. 51-site campground with a day-use picnic area at its entrance.
Do this: Come early or late. The lots stay full through much of the day in season.
12 miles from the visitor center, about 25 to 30 minutes. North Window, Turret Arch, and Double Arch in one stop. The Double Arch trail is barrier-free.
Do this: Hike early for heat and parking. Sunset draws hundreds of people.
Wolfe Ranch trailhead is 13.2 miles from the visitor center, about 30 to 35 minutes. If the lot is full, viewpoint parking adds 1 mile each way on the road.
Summer estimates without long stops. Traffic, wildlife, weather, and road work can cause delays.
Moab → north on US 191 for 5 miles → park entrance and visitor center
Use the restroom and fill your tank in Moab. If the line backs up to the entrance sign, expect up to an hour. Do not stop on the highway to wait.
I-70 at Crescent Junction → south on US 191 for 22 miles → park entrance
The nearest airports are Canyonlands Field (11 miles), Grand Junction (109 miles), and Salt Lake City (230 miles). There is no public transportation inside the park.
Visitor center → scenic drive 18 miles → Devils Garden, about 45 minutes
Balanced Rock 9.2 miles (15 to 20 minutes), the Windows 12 miles (25 to 30 minutes), Wolfe Ranch 13.2 miles (30 to 35 minutes). Lots fill for much of the day. Never park on vegetation.
Emergency: call 911. Tell the dispatcher your location, direction of travel, vehicle, and problem.
Park information: 435-719-2299
This independent guide is not the National Park Service and is not an emergency service.
Private vehicle $30, per person $15. Standard passes are good for 7 days. The entrance station takes cards only. The $55 annual pass also covers Canyonlands, Natural Bridges, and Hovenweep.
Reserve on Recreation.gov for nights March 1 to October 31, up to 6 months ahead. Individual sites $25 per night. November through February, sites are first-come, first-served. Pay with the Recreation.gov Scan and Pay app.
Enter only with a ranger tour or a self-guided permit. Ranger tours cost $16 per person and open 7 days ahead. Self-guided permits cost $10 per person. Children under 5 are not allowed.
Backpack only in designated sites with a permit from the Backcountry Permit Office, 2 miles south of Moab, up to 7 days ahead and before 4 pm. Canyoneering permits are required and climbing permits are advised from the self-issue station outside the visitor center.
Distances are one way unless marked as a loop. Check trail closures.
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