Arches is one of the few national parks where the campground sits at the end of the scenic drive, not at the entrance. You drive the entire 18-mile park road to reach Devils Garden — which means every trip to your campsite doubles as a sightseeing tour through 2,000 sandstone arches. We hear it from renters constantly: they planned to drive through once and ended up making the trip three or four times because the light changes everything.
Here's what makes Arches different from most RV parks in the system: there's exactly one campground inside the park, it has no hookups, and the real camping ecosystem is in Moab — five miles from the entrance gate and packed with BLM campgrounds, private resorts, and everything your rig needs.
TL;DR
- One campground inside the park. Devils Garden — 51 sites, $25/night, 18 miles from the entrance at the end of the scenic drive
- 12 sites fit RVs up to 40 feet. Most sites handle up to 30 feet. No hookups, no dump station, no showers
- Timed entry is gone for 2026. No more separate reservation to enter the park — just pay the $30 vehicle fee and drive in
- Reservations required March–October via Recreation.gov. First-come, first-served November–February
- Most RV travelers base in Moab. Full-hookup resorts, BLM campgrounds ($20/night), dump stations, showers — all within 10 minutes of the park
- 36-mile scenic drive is fully paved and RV-accessible at every stop
- Nearest rental city: Salt Lake City (4 hours)
What changed at Arches for 2026?
The biggest shift since 2022: Arches National Park dropped its timed-entry reservation system for 2026. From 2022 through 2025, you needed a separate ticket just to enter the park between April and October — on top of your campground reservation and entrance fee. That extra booking step pushed a lot of RV travelers toward other Utah parks.
Now the entry process is simple: drive up, pay $30 per vehicle (or show your America the Beautiful Pass), and you're in. No advance entry ticket required.
What this means for RV campers
The timed entry change for 2026 is the biggest shift at Arches since the system launched in 2022. We've already seen it in early-season booking patterns — renters are choosing Arches who previously skipped it because the entry reservation added too much planning friction. The campground reservation at Devils Garden is now the only advance booking you need.
The trade-off: without timed entry controlling the flow, parking lots at popular trailheads fill earlier. If you're driving a 30-foot Class C, the Delicate Arch and Windows Section lots can get tight by mid-morning during peak season. Arrive before 8 AM or after 4 PM for the best parking — and the best light.
What still requires a reservation
- Devils Garden Campground: March 1 through October 31 via Recreation.gov
- Fiery Furnace ranger-led hikes: Permit required, booked separately on Recreation.gov
- Park entrance: No reservation needed — $30/vehicle for a 7-day pass
Can you camp inside Arches in an RV?
Yes — at Devils Garden Campground, the only developed campground inside the park. It sits at the very end of the 18-mile park road, surrounded by sandstone fins and pinyon-juniper forest at 5,200 feet.
Devils Garden Campground — the full breakdown
- Sites: 51 (including 2 group sites — tent-only, and 1 ADA-accessible site)
- RV sites: 12 sites accommodate RVs up to 40 feet; most standard sites handle up to 30 feet
- Fee: $25/night (standard), $75–$250/night (group)
- Season: Year-round
- Reservations: Required March 1–October 31 (Recreation.gov). First-come, first-served November–February (Scan & Pay app)
- Stay limit: 7 nights per month, 14 nights per year
- Amenities: Flush toilets, potable water, fire rings, picnic tables, campground host
- NOT available: Hookups, dump station, showers, firewood sales
The dry camping reality
Devils Garden is full dry camping — no electric, water, or sewer hookups at any site. Your house batteries, freshwater tank, and gray/black tanks are your lifeline. In summer, that means no air conditioning unless you run a generator (check quiet hours: typically 10 PM to 8 AM). In our booking data, Moab is the #1 destination where renters add a private RV resort to their trip even when they have a campground reservation inside the park. The reason is simple: after two or three nights of dry camping in desert heat, a night at a full-hookup resort in Moab with a hot shower and AC feels like a different world.
Getting a site
Devils Garden fills months in advance for spring and fall weekends. Set a Recreation.gov alert for your dates. Weekday reservations are easier to get. If you strike out, the winter FCFS window (November–February) is wide open — download the Recreation.gov app before you arrive since payment is via Scan & Pay and cell signal is unreliable at the campground.
Where do most RV travelers camp near Arches?
Moab. Five miles south of the park entrance on Highway 191, Moab is the staging ground for every Arches trip — and for most RV travelers, it's home base.
BLM campgrounds — the local's choice
The Bureau of Land Management operates 26 campgrounds around Moab. These are the camping spots that repeat Moab visitors know about, and they're the sweet spot between Devils Garden's no-amenities experience and a private resort's price tag.
- Fee: $20/night
- Amenities: Picnic tables, vault toilets, fire rings. No drinking water at most
- Hookups: None
- Reservation: Mostly first-come, first-served. Ken's Lake and some Courthouse Rock sites take reservations via Recreation.gov
- RV size: Goose Island, Ken's Lake, Big Bend, and Hittle Bottom all accommodate 40-foot RVs. Sand Flats Campground A has 6 sites for 40-footers
- Stay limit: 14 days within 30 days
- Important rule: No dispersed camping within 20 miles of Moab — you must use a developed campground
Private RV resorts — when you need hookups
Three resorts sit on Highway 191 within 10 minutes of the Arches entrance:
Archview RV Resort — 77 sites with full hookups, dump station, cabins. Open March–October. 10 minutes north of Moab.
Moab Valley RV Resort — 62 sites with full hookups, dump station, cabins. Open March–October. 5 minutes from the park entrance.
Portal RV Resort — 82 sites with full hookups, swimming pool, dump station. Open year-round. 10 minutes southeast.
Browse Moab campgrounds and RV parks for the full list with availability.
Why camp outside the park?
The math makes sense for most RV trips longer than two nights: Moab gives you hookups (essential in summer heat), a dump station (Devils Garden has none), hot showers, laundry, grocery stores, restaurants, and fuel — all within a 10-minute drive of the park entrance. Stay in Moab, day-trip into Arches. Check the Utah campgrounds guide if you're combining multiple parks.
What's the best way to drive through Arches in an RV?
The park's single road runs 18 miles from the entrance to Devils Garden — 36 miles round-trip. Every inch is paved, and every pullout and parking area accommodates RVs. This is one of the most RV-friendly scenic drives in the national park system.
The stops, in order
Park Avenue Viewpoint (mile 2.1) — Your first look at the sandstone towers. Quick pullout with room for any size rig. A 1-mile downhill trail runs between the towers if you want to stretch your legs.
La Sal Mountains Viewpoint (mile 3.2) — Wide pullout with views of Utah's second-highest mountain range rising behind red rock spires. Good morning light.
Courthouse Towers Viewpoint (mile 4.5) — The Three Gossips formation. Another quick photo stop with generous parking.
Balanced Rock (mile 9.2) — The park's most photographed formation after Delicate Arch. A 0.3-mile paved loop circles the base. Parking lot handles large RVs.
The Windows Section (mile 11.2) — Side road to North Window, South Window, Turret Arch, and Double Arch. This parking lot fills first on busy mornings. In a large RV, arrive before 9 AM or wait until after 3 PM.
Delicate Arch Viewpoint (mile 12.5) — A short walk from the parking area gives you a distant view of the arch. The full Delicate Arch trail (3 miles round-trip, 480 feet elevation gain) starts at Wolfe Ranch — park in the upper lot if your rig is over 25 feet.
Fiery Furnace Viewpoint (mile 14.7) — Look into the maze-like cluster of sandstone fins. Ranger-led hikes into the Furnace require advance permits.
Sand Dune Arch & Skyline Arch (mile 16) — Quick stops with easy trails. Sand Dune Arch is tucked in a shady alcove — one of the few cool spots on a hot day.
Devils Garden Trailhead (mile 18) — End of the road. Landscape Arch (the longest natural stone arch in North America at 290 feet) is a 1.6-mile walk from the trailhead. The campground sits adjacent.
Driving tips for RVs
The park road has long, gradual grades — nothing that will challenge your engine. Switchbacks near the entrance gain most of the elevation. Pullouts are frequent and paved. The biggest RV challenge isn't the road — it's the parking lots during peak hours. Dawn drives (before 8 AM) and late afternoon runs (after 4 PM) give you the best parking and the best photography light.
When should you visit Arches in an RV?
The desert sets the rules here. Your season choice determines whether you'll love or endure this trip.
Spring (March–May) — the sweet spot
Highs in the 60s and 70s, wildflowers in April, long days. This is peak season at Arches — Devils Garden reservations sell out months ahead for weekends. The dry camping is comfortable: cool nights (30s–40s) mean you'll sleep well without AC, and daytime temps are perfect for hiking. Book early.
Fall (September–October) — equally good
Similar temps to spring with fewer crowds in late October. Cottonwoods along the Colorado River turn gold. Devils Garden still requires reservations through October 31. Late September combines warm days with noticeably shorter lines at trailheads.
Summer (June–August) — for hookup campers only
Daytime highs above 100°F, surface temps on sandstone exceeding 130°F. Devils Garden's lack of hookups makes summer dry camping genuinely uncomfortable — no AC, limited shade from piñon pines, and your freshwater tank depletes fast. If you visit in summer, base at a full-hookup resort in Moab and understand what dry camping requires before committing to a Devils Garden reservation. Drive into the park at dawn or dusk and hike before 10 AM.
Winter (November–February) — the solitude window
Highs in the 30s and 40s, possible snow, short days. Devils Garden switches to first-come, first-served — you can often get a site without any advance planning. The park is quiet, the light is extraordinary, and the La Sal Mountains behind the arches are snowcapped. Bundle up and bring a propane heater. Know what RV hookups provide so you can prepare for fully off-grid winter camping.
Where should you rent an RV for Arches?
Salt Lake City, UT (4 hours)
The largest rental market in the region. Take I-15 south to US-191 through Price and into Moab — a straightforward desert drive. Salt Lake City works especially well if you're combining Arches with Canyonlands (30 minutes from Arches), Capitol Reef (2.5 hours), or Bryce Canyon (4.5 hours).
Browse Salt Lake City RV rentals for options.
What to rent for Arches
Our most common Moab rental is a Class C in the 25–28 foot range — big enough to be comfortable for a week of desert camping, small enough to fit most Devils Garden sites. The renters who go campervan are usually combining Arches with Canyonlands' backcountry roads, where smaller is always better.
- Best fit: Campervan or Class C under 30 feet. Fits every Devils Garden standard site, every BLM campground, and every parking lot on the scenic drive
- Large rigs (30–40 feet): 12 of 51 Devils Garden sites work. BLM campgrounds at Goose Island, Ken's Lake, Big Bend handle 40-footers. The park road and scenic drive pullouts are fine
- Not recommended: Fifth wheels and large trailers. The campground access road and many BLM sites aren't designed for long towed combinations
About this guide
This guide draws on campground and fee information from the NPS Arches camping page and the Recreation.gov Devils Garden listing. The 2026 timed-entry change was confirmed via the Moab Times announcement. BLM campground details reference Discover Moab's BLM campgrounds page. RV-specific insights — including rig-size patterns, booking behavior, and campground preferences — reflect Outdoorsy's rental and booking data for the Moab region.
