Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [22]
Rock Climbing. Technical climbing is permitted in some areas of the park, but only for experienced climbers. In addition, it is prohibited on many of the park's best-known arches, as well as Balanced Rock and a few other locations. Information is available from park rangers.
Camping
INSIDE THE PARK
Located at the north end of the park's scenic drive, Devils Garden Campground is Arches' only developed campground. The sites nestle among rocks, with plenty of pinyon and juniper trees. In the summer, the campground fills early; contact National Recreation Reservation Service (☎ 877/444-6777; www.reserveusa.com; $9 booking fee) to make sure you'll have a site. Reservations are available March through October. Summer campers who haven't made reservations should arrive early; sites are available beginning at 7:30am.
NEAR THE PARK
More than a dozen commercial campgrounds are in and around Moab. Located at the junction of U.S. 191 and U.S. 313, Arch View Resort RV Camp Park, U.S. 191 (P.O. Box 938), Moab, UT 84532 (☎ 800/813-6622 or 435/ 259-7854; www.archviewresort.com), offers all the usual RV hookups, showers, and other amenities you'd expect in a first-class commercial RV park, plus great views into the park and trees throughout. Arch View has a grassy tent area, convenience store, swimming pool, and playground, and propane, gasoline, and diesel sales. There are also log cabins and more upscale cottages ($33 and up for two).
Canyonlands Campground & RV Park, 555 S. Main St., Moab, UT 84532 (☎ 800/522-6848 or 435/259-6848; www.canyonlandsrv.com), is surprisingly shady and quiet given its in-town location, and is convenient to Moab's restaurants and shopping. On-site is a convenience store with food and some RV supplies. There are also six cabins ($35 for two).
The Moab KOA, 3225 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (☎ 800/562-0372 for reservations, or 435/259-6682; www.moabkoa.com), about 3 miles south of Moab, has trees and great views of the La Sal Mountains. It has a miniature golf course, game room, two playgrounds, cable TV hookups, wireless Internet, and a convenience store with RV supplies and propane. About half of the sites are for tents only. There are also one- and two-room cabins ($42–$60 double).
On the north side of Moab, near the intersection of U.S. 191 and Utah 128, is Moab Valley RV & Campground, 1773 N. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (☎ 435/ 259-4469; www.moabvalleyrv.com). All sites offer great views of the surrounding rock formations. The park accommodates practically any size RV in its extra-large pull-through sites, and provides
cable television connections on full RV hookups. There are trees and patches of grass for both tenters and RVers. You can refuel at the convenience store, which sells propane, groceries, and RV and camping supplies. Dogs are permitted in RV sites, but not in tent sites or cabins. There are 18 cabins and cottages ($36–$67 for two).
Just south of Moab is Spanish Trail RV Park and Campground, 2980 S. U.S. 191, Moab, UT 84532 (☎ 800/787-2751 or 435/259-2411; www.spanishtrailrv park.com), with spacious sites accommodating big RVs, some shaded sites, and scenic views. It offers cable TV hookups, volleyball, horseshoes, and a convenience store with RV supplies.
You'll also find campgrounds at nearby Canyonlands National Park (see "Camping" in chapter 8) and in areas under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Utah state parks. The Mountain View RV Park in Monticello (included in the campground chart here) is discussed in chapter 8. Also, check at the Moab Information Center or with the Grand Country Travel Council (see "Information," earlier).
Where to Stay
There are no lodging facilities inside the park.
NEAR THE PARK
Moab is the nearest town to Arches (5 miles south; zip code 84532). Room
rates are generally highest from mid-March through October, and sometimes drop by up to half in the winter.
Most visitors are here for the outdoors and don't plan to spend much time