9 Places to Enjoy an Arches National Park Sunset

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Who doesn’t love to catch a breathtaking sunset at the end of a long day of hiking? Whether you’re into photography or just want to capture the perfect mental snapshot, an Arches National Park sunset is not going to disappoint. 

Since the park is open 24 hours a day, there are plenty of spots to sit down and relax as the day comes to an end, but we’ve put together a list of our top 9 places to catch the sunset during your next trip to Arches. 

In order to get the perfect spot before the sun goes down, we recommend getting there 30 or so minutes before sunset. This way, you can find a parking spot and find a good place to relax and enjoy the view. You can even wait and have dinner as you watch the sunset (which is one of our favorite things to do)! 

Let’s dive into our top nine picks to see an Arches National Park sunset. 

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Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock is a great place to watch the sunrise, but it is also just as beautiful at sunset. The great thing about Balanced Rock is it is located relatively close to the park’s entrance making it the perfect spot to catch the sunset while still being able to get out of the park relatively easily. 

One of our favorite things about Balanced Rock is that there is a flat, rocky hill right across the street from the parking lot. We tend to head over there to watch the sunset as it’s normally not crowded at all and gives you the perfect 360-degree view! 

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Panorama Point 

When it comes to the best place to watch the sunset in Arches National Park, Panorama Point is a great option. This spot gives you amazing views of the arches and the La Sal Mountains as the sun goes down. 

Not only that, but Panorama Point is also wheelchair accessible, has a larger parking lot than other spots on this list, has a picnic area and bathroom, and a large area right in the middle with benches. 

If you’re looking to stick around and stargaze, too, you definitely don’t want to miss out on this spot. The benches are perfect for lying down and looking up at the stars, and the overlook itself is on a small hill, so you don’t get as much light from the cars exiting the park while you try to take those long exposure pictures! 

Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch is probably the most well-known arch in all of the park, and while it is a bit of a hike up to it, it is a great place to watch the sunset. Once you get up to the arch, you can sit along the edge of the bowl and take in the amazing views of the park as the day comes to an end. 

You do want to make sure you are prepared if you are going to watch the sunset here. Since you’ll be hiking back down in the dark, you want to make sure you have some sort of flashlight or headlamp and a map of the trail so you don’t get lost! 

Broken Arch

If you are looking for somewhere that is a little less busy, Broken Arch is one of the best Arches National Park sunset spots for you to choose. You will have to hike out to it, and you can get to it from the Sand Dune Arch trailhead. 

What we loved about this hike is that it is relatively flat and easy. You are hiking along some grasslands in the park, making it a bit easier to navigate in the dark than the hike back down from Delicate Arch. 

Since this one is a little less popular, you’ll be able to have a quiet sunset (maybe even entirely alone). You can also hike right up to Broken Arch, so you are sure to get some amazing photos along the way! 

Courthouse Towers/Park Avenue

The Courthouse Towers and Park Ave offer some of the best places for Arches National Park sunset photography. While they may not have 360-degree views like Balanced Rock or Panorama Point, the colors that are created as the setting sun bounces off the rocks is something that you don’t want to miss. 

There is a small paved path leading to a viewpoint of Park Avenue, which is perfect for watching the sunset and getting back without having to navigate difficult terrain in the dark. Park Avenue is also one of the first pull-offs as you enter the park, so if you are in a race to beat the sunset, this is a great place to stop! 

Fiery Furnace

Fiery Furnace is one of the best Arches National Park sunset spots. Keep in mind that the hike itself here requires a ranger guide or an individual permit and isn’t one that you should do in the dark. 

However, there is a viewpoint here that is breathtaking at dusk. As the sun starts to set, it bounces off of the rocks at a lower angle, making it look like a, you guessed it, fiery furnace. This is definitely one spot that you don’t want to miss out on! 

Double Arch

Double Arch is in one of the most popular parts of the park, primarily due to the heavy concentration of arches right around it. While it can be a bit busier here, it is still a great place to catch the sunset. 

If you time it right, you can get some fantastic pictures of the sun reflecting off of the arch, making it even more vibrant and orange than it normally is. It is also a pretty easy hike down to Double Arch, so walking back in the dark shouldn’t cause much of an issue. 

You should, however, be careful if you do choose to climb up the rocks at the bottom of the arch as it can be a bit tricky to get back down those! 

Skyline Arch

Skyline Arch is an excellent option if you are looking for just a short hike to catch the sunset. It’s located at the end of an out-and-back trail that is only about half a mile long and relatively flat. 

The views at sunset here are amazing, and as the sun dips down for the night, it reflects off of the arch and makes it look like it is glowing! 

Turret Arch

Turret Arch is located on the opposite side of the road from Double Arch and is a beautiful spot for an Arches National Park sunset. There are three different arches all in a cluster, Turret Arch, North Windows, and South Windows, which gives you a fantastic backdrop for dusk. 

If you’re looking to capture one of the more popular images of the park, you can hike up to North Window and catch a view of Turret Arch through it for an even more spectacular view!

There you have it, our top picks for a perfect Arches National Park sunset. We hope you enjoy ending your day with these amazing views!