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Arches National Park in 4 Seasons – Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Arches National Park in 4 Seasons - Arches National Park Weather

The weather at Arches National Park does not shift as much as at parks in the more northern areas of the country, but the seasonal changes do become part of the experience for Utah visitors. Naturally, the heat in the parks farther north is less intense than in Arches during the hottest part of summer, from early July through mid-August. On the other hand, in winter, Utah’s gorgeous Arches park is not as cold as the parks farther north. So, what’s the best time of year to visit Arches National Park in Utah?

What Are the Best Months to Visit Arches National Park?

One of the most gorgeous seasons for visiting Utah and the Arches park is the fall, from around late September through November. The extreme heat of summer is over and there’s a crispness in the cooler air and that fresh, invigorating feeling of fall as you stand among the more than 2,000 majestic arches of the world-famous park.

How Is Arches National Park in the Winter?

There’s that incomparable feeling of knowing you’re experiencing one of life’s incredible moments being in Arches park during winter. That’s partly because there’s a sense of nearly having the park to yourself. There are not nearly as many visitors from December through February. But, there are fewer daylight hours in winter, and you do need to be careful walking in some areas that can become icy. Still, basking in the serenity of the quiet, nearly-empty park in winter is well worth watching out for some ice.

How Is Arches National Park in the Spring?

Spring is just a beautiful time to visit the park. The weather is mild. You can comfortably take your time outdoors. Light jackets are optional; lots of people are already in shorts. Just watch out for sudden quick-moving storms that can pass through and cause the temperatures to drop briefly. Be prepared with an insulated rain jacket in your day pack. Overall, it’s hard to beat the once-in-a-lifetime experience of standing before the great sandstone Arches of southern Utah with the cool spring breeze on your face. For those looking for a thrilling adventure while in the area, consider hiring a Moab climbing guide. Although these guided trips will be outside of the parks, they explore less traveled areas that still flaunt Southern Utah’s unique beauty.

How Is Arches National Park in the Summer?

The summer months are the hottest of the year, and it’s when the 119 square mile park has the most visitors. The red rock facings absorb heat from the sun, and together with the dry air of southern Utah, on many days it can be an especially hot experience. It’s fair to say that it’s potentially hazardous to the health of people who forget to hydrate frequently. Southern Utah visitors need to stay aware of the outdoor temperatures in summer to avoid a potentially severe reaction to the heat. Many travelers turn to the Colorado River to beat the Southern Utah heat. Guided Fisher Towers rafting trips depart less than 20 minutes from Arches National Park.

How Is Arches National Park in the Fall?

Probably the most irresistible season to spend some quality time in Arches park is in the fall. From about late September through November, the rough summer heat is just a memory. Just as the temperatures have fallen to consistently refreshing and comfortable levels, the daily population of park visitors has also fallen dramatically from just a few weeks earlier on the hotter late summer days. It’s that pretty perfect time of year when you can feel the greatest freedom to wander through the park in blissful focus on whatever comes to mind during an ideal experience walking in wonder below the incomparable 65 million-year-old Arches. Rest assured, you won’t run out of activities to choose from while visiting Southern Utah’s parks in the Fall. One of the most popular activities in the area for those ages 8 is Moab canyoneering.

Arches National Park Weather

Southeast Utah is in the high desert region of the west-southwest United States. Temperatures change as much as 40 degrees in a day here sometimes! So, a good rule of thumb is to check Arches National Park weather by month to see the actual predicted conditions for the weeks in which you want to visit.

In summer, temperatures are frequently above 100° F, which can make it dangerous to hike much or do other strenuous outdoor activities in the area. It’s monsoon season, which means sudden raging storms move through virtually every day, sometimes bringing flash flooding.

Winter high temperatures average 30° to 50° F, and lows are from about 0° to 20° F. There are rarely major snowfalls in the vicinity of the park, but icy roads can become inaccessible. It can be a great time to visit Arches for people who don’t mind the cold, but take precautions while driving and walking.

The most comfortable weather months at Arches park are in the fall, from September to early November. Average temperatures range from around 60° to 80°F with nightly lows from about 30° to 50° F.

Average fall temperatures, mid-September through October, range from average highs of 60º to 80º F and lows from 30º to 50º F. Those temperatures, along with the waning guest traffic, make fall the ideal season of the year to visit the spectacular Arches National Park, Utah.

Red River Adventures

A raft floats down the river near arches national park

Red River Adventures’ shop is located less than 15 minutes from the Arches National Park Visitors Center. Since getting our start in 2003, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming more than 100,000 guests and spending over 110,000 days immersed in the great outdoors! We’re thrilled to have earned 5-star ratings on various online review platforms, a testament to our pride and dedication. We are here to provide you and your family with Moab and Southern Utah’s most exciting and fun guided wilderness adventures. Whether you choose a Moab rafting trip, a Moab canyoneering tour or you choose to spend the day with one of our awesome Moab climbing guides, you’re in good hands. Red River Adventures is in the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame.

For your guided adventures in amazing Utah, call us at (435) 259-4046, or contact us here online anytime.

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The River People
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We strive to ensure that time spent with us is time that you will always look back on fondly. We want to leave you with a memories that bring a smile to your face no matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, and no matter how much time has passed. In addition to a deep reservoir of personal experience, our rafting guides are licensed by the state of Utah, have Wilderness First Responder and/or First Aid/CPR certifications, and are insured. Many guides also have swiftwater rescue training. Our climbing and canyoneering guides are AMGA-certified for the terrain in which they operate. Our skiing guides are certified for the terrain, and some are world-renowned for their experience. All of our guides are intimately acquainted with not only the river, rock and snow, but also with the incredible surroundings of the areas we guide.

River Rafting Reviews and Red River Adventure Testimonials!

Cathy Hollister
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Cathy Hollister
July 4, 2025

I have been whitewater rafting for 42 years. This river trip was wonderful! The rapids are very mild. The scenery is unsurpassed! 😍 I chose this full day float as a special way to experience the beautiful red rock, we spotted River Otters and Bighorn Sheep! The bus driver and guides were all fun and engaging, while totally professional. When I return to the area, I will do this again with Red River.

Morgan Turley
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Morgan Turley
July 3, 2025

Great experience! John was our guide and he was such chill dude. Seamless experience, would recommend!

Ethan Busch
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Ethan Busch
July 3, 2025

Really fun and the hosts were nice and very funny I’d recommend it

John Lucas
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John Lucas
July 3, 2025

Anna and the group of guides, fhe bus driver and everyone at Red River did a great job and I highly recommend Red River. We did the 6 hour trip with lunch and it was outstanding

Ronald Dunleavy
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Ronald Dunleavy
July 3, 2025

We did a half day Green River rafting adventure. Jenna was awesome! Trip was informative, entertaining and fun! Highly recommend! Red River Rocks!

Shane Donnelly
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Shane Donnelly
July 3, 2025

Our guide Emily was funny and awesome. Highly recommend booking with this company.

Sophie Squirrell
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Sophie Squirrell
July 1, 2025

I had a really wonderful time doing a half day rock climbing experience. Carl was an expert guide and explained everything really clearly as I was a beginner. I felt very safe and Carl was a great coach with made me get the most out of the experience. I will never forget the great view from the top. I would highly recommend using red river adventures

Suzie Simon
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Suzie Simon
July 1, 2025

Sam was a great guide!! Would definitely recommend. Would like to have more white water

Elizabeth Chingren NE-Omaha
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Elizabeth Chingren NE-Omaha
July 1, 2025

Our guide Nathan was great! He was so patient with the little boy in our group who was so scared on the big repel. We all made it out alive 😂 He pointed out interesting sites and taught us about the plants along the way.

Kendall Lyons
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Kendall Lyons
June 30, 2025

Awesome company and great river guides! Very satisfied with this company!

L M
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L M
June 30, 2025

Shout out to Sam! She was our guide for the afternoon and we had a blast! She was very professional and informative about the area as well as keeping us all safe. Thank you, Sam and Red River Adventures for a fun river experience. 😃🛶

Renee Anderley
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Renee Anderley
June 30, 2025

We did the Bow and Arrow Canyoneering trip. We had Nathan as our guide and the experience was fantastic. It was a highlight for my 3 teenagers.

Mark Loucks
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Mark Loucks
June 30, 2025

The family and I absolutely had a fabulous time. The folks at Red River Adventures are all friendly, witty, and fun. A big shout out to our guide Jena who made this a wonder morning float, very knowledgeable, professional and fun. we were in good hands. Would recommend Red River to anyone and would definitely do another adventure with them.

Trip Segars
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Trip Segars
June 29, 2025

A relaxing float down the river, with lots of in the water time. Our guide, Jon, made it really enjoyable.

Sean Miller
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Sean Miller
June 29, 2025

The guides were great, engaging, kind, and cute their presentations and directions. Loved our time with Genna, Savannah, Monarch Butterflies, and BIG HORN SHEEP!!

Kelly K
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Kelly K
June 29, 2025

Great staff! Fun, professional, informative. Safe transport. Great driver. Well maintained equipment. Fun experience!

Clare Ashford
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Clare Ashford
June 28, 2025

We had a wonderful time on the Colorado River! Our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Our 10 yr old loved it and said he can’t wait to go back. I would recommend this trip to any families visiting Moab!

Crystal Anderson
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Crystal Anderson
June 27, 2025

This trip was amazing and perfect for our first time river rafting! The guides and other staff were super helpful and pleasantly entertaining!! I would highly recommend Red River Adventures to all ages and am all-around super impressed!

Aris Burcham
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Aris Burcham
June 27, 2025

Sam is an amazing guide and I had a lovely time. Thanks so much for the great afternoon adventure!

Jeremy Lindgren
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Jeremy Lindgren
June 27, 2025

Emily was an amazing guide! Very knowledgeable and super fun! Would definitely recommend!!

Paul Larsen
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Paul Larsen
June 27, 2025

Great rafting trip! Guide was fantastic and knew a ton of interesting facts about the river, wildlife and things to see. Will be back for sure!

Jacque Lake
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Jacque Lake
June 26, 2025

Red river company was wonderful! Zero complaints and the guides were great but the actual route only hit level two and the rapids are far apart. Nothing the company could do to change that and all the team was excellent and respectful, kind, genuine and will make you laugh.

Maureen Rosner
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Maureen Rosner
June 26, 2025

Beautiful rafting trip! Guides were wonderful 😁

Delice Bolotin
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Delice Bolotin
June 24, 2025

Guides were very good about explaining everything and making sure people were safe. Had a great time. Savannah was terrific.

Phoebe Schroeder
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Phoebe Schroeder
June 24, 2025

This was my girls’ (10 & 7) first rafting experience and they’re ready for more! Due to high winds it was the most I’ve ever had to paddle, but that’s obviously no fault of anyone. We did the fisher’s towers half day trip that was recommended on their website for ages 5+. It was very tame and if your kids are adventurous I would consider looking at some other sections. That being said, our guide Jonathon did a wonderful job keeping the kids entertained as he challenged them to a couple of games. They enjoyed sitting on the front of the raft and how much fun they were having was apparent in their similes. Thank you!

Juan Carlos Millon
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Juan Carlos Millon
June 24, 2025

This was our first time canyoneering and Nate made my daughters and I feel very safe during the entire process. We had some much fun, got over some fears and loved every second. Highlight our our trip to Moab. Thank you Red river adventures.

Brian Kohnlein
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Brian Kohnlein
June 23, 2025

The half day tour was so much fun! The guides were great.

Jessica Mancill
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Jessica Mancill
June 23, 2025

Our guide Savannah was fun and engaging. She was confident in leading us through the rapids. We had a great time!

Allie McIntire
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Allie McIntire
June 23, 2025

I have done the half day rafting trip twice, and have had a great experience both times! The guides know what they are doing and make it super fun!

Carla Richey
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Carla Richey
June 23, 2025

We had a great half day trip rafting! Our guide Anna was friendly and the whole staff was fun and knowledgeable. The half day trip was the right amount for our kids aged 7-15 who had never rafted before.

E J
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E J
June 23, 2025

Had an amazing trip up to the Longbow Arch with Mary as our guide. She was incredibly knowledgeable about rope systems, climbing, and the area’s history. She was very encouraging and helped one of our team fight through her fears and repel 140ft on her first time. Our whole group rated the trip as. 10-10.

Carissa S
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Carissa S
June 23, 2025

Amazing canyoneering trip with our 3 kids! Chase was so helpful & informative, and made our trip a blast.

Amy Norris
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Amy Norris
June 22, 2025

Great day and amazing staff! Was a very fun experience

Colleen Ranieri
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Colleen Ranieri
June 22, 2025

Chase guided my fiancé and I through the Rock of Ages Canyoneering hike and he was a wonderful guide! We were new to rapelling, but we felt safe with him the entire time. He was also very upbeat, polite, and provided us with great recommendations for the area for our visit. Would book again with Chase!

Robert James
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Robert James
June 22, 2025

Chase was a wonderful and informative guide. We had a phenomenal time with the difficult hike, which was a blast. We got excellent coaching throughout the process. A great time, beautiful views, but maybe not so much for the faint of heart!!

Nick Boyce
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Nick Boyce
June 22, 2025

Great family friendly trip, did the 1/2 day morning trip. All the guides were super friendly and helpful.

Bill G
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Bill G
June 21, 2025

Adam was an amazing guide funny, patient, with teaching new repellers and amazing with kids

Sheila Frost
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Sheila Frost
June 21, 2025

Great intro to white water rafting. Our 9 year old had a blast. Staff were friendly and genuine. I highly recommend!

im_maya
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im_maya
June 20, 2025

We had so much fun and our guides were super chill!

MEgan Z
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MEgan Z
June 20, 2025

We had John as our tour guide, he was great! Great attention to details, he made sure we were safe and taken care of! He had a great time talking with him down the river. 10/10 recommend especially for families

Kristy Jones (Smiley)
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Kristy Jones (Smiley)
June 20, 2025

Sebastian was a great guide. We had a blast! It was a perfect first rafting trip for our family.

Stephanie Younger
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Stephanie Younger
June 19, 2025

Nate was our guide was he was amazing! He made us feel safe, comfortable and showed us a great time. He was so patient and kind and we left with having a great experience. Would recommend 100%!

Jeff Routsong
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Jeff Routsong
June 19, 2025

Red River is a smooth professional operation! Their guides are friendly and very knowledgeable. They are well trained and make the trip fun. We did a half day there were 10 souls on the raft and we all survived. The organization. Was good and the put in and take out were efficient. They are a well oiled machine.

Alan Frost
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Alan Frost
June 19, 2025

Savannah was amazing leading our boat of four bonafide nerds and two kids!!!

Jason Wauson
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Jason Wauson
June 19, 2025

Tour was great. Very safe but also some adventure on the Colorado River. Our guide Emily was fantastic. Highly Recommend.

Brian Harper
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Brian Harper
June 17, 2025

Full day white water rafting trip minus the white water, lol, which was not their fault. The guide was friendly, lunch was odd, scenery awesome. We just didn’t have any rapids which meant a fair amount of paddling.

Bruce Marion
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Bruce Marion
June 17, 2025

Great people working here- very nice easy ride down the Colorado river. I would try to figure out a rope ladder or something to make it easy to get folks back into the raft after a swim though.

Rachel Sachs
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Rachel Sachs
June 17, 2025

Our family had a blast rafting down the Colorado. The guides kept us entertained with funny stories and were great with the whole family.

Jennifer Brey
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Jennifer Brey
June 16, 2025

Our guide Sam was great!! She made the trip so interesting and fun for the kids!

Barry Lunt
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Barry Lunt
June 16, 2025

Great personal attention and care; also very friendly.