Introduction
If you’re looking for a stunning place to Elope in Utah, look no further than Arches National Park! Located in Utah, Arches is renowned for its dramatic red rock formations and over 2,000 natural stone arches. The park’s vast desert vistas and soaring pinnacles create a breathtaking backdrop for unforgettable elopements. Iconic locations like Double Arch provide a striking setting for intimate ceremonies, while the Windows Section offers expansive arches and panoramic views.. Choosing Arches National Park for your elopement ensures a unique and magical experience with unparalleled beauty, making your special day truly memorable. Let’s unpack everything you need to know about getting married in Arches National Park, Utah!
Table of Contents
- Where is Arches National Park
- Why you should elope in Arches National Park
- FAQ’s about getting married in Arches National Park
- Arches National Park Wedding and Elopement Permits
- Arches National Park Wedding Locations
- The Best Time of Year to Visit Arches
- Where to Stay in Moab
- Arches National Park Elopement Photographer
- Arches National Park Elopement Packages
- Other Moab Elopement Locations
- Outdoorsy Elopement Activity Ideas
- Final Tips for Eloping in Arches
- More Resources for Eloping around Moab
1: Where is Arches National Park?
One of the most iconic national parks, and probably the most well known in Utah is Arches National Park! Located just south of I70 and about 4 hours from Salt Lake, Arches sits just outside of Moab, the main town in the area.
Closest Major Cities/Towns:
Arches is not a bad drive, but it is a little ways away from Salt Lake City, the closest major city to Moab.
- Driving Time From Moab: 10min
- Driving Time From Salt Lake City: 4 hours
- Driving Time From Grand Junction: 2 hours
How to Get to Moab
Closest Major Airports:
The most popular airport people fly into is Salt Lake International. From there, most people will rent a car and make the 4 hour drive to Moab. Moab also has a small airport you can fly into, but the planes are tiny and only a few commercial flights come in on a daily basis.
- Salt Lake International Airport: 4 hour drive
- Moab Regional Airport: 25 min drive
How to Drive to Arches:
Arches is an easy to access park, one of the reasons why it’s so popular! When you’re driving south into Moab, take a left into the main park road. You’ll take a small road to the toll booth before you can stop at the visitor center or make your way up the switchbacks into the park.
2: Why Should You Elope at Arches National Park?
Arches is perfect for people wanting to get married in a red rock dream! Obviously it’s full of red rock arches that are perfect for framing you in photos, but there are also locations that are full of just huge red walls, views of the La Salle mountain range, and vast desert landscapes. Arches has a bunch of easy hikes or walks that makes the park pretty accessible and easy to find a good view! Just outside of Arches National Park is the city of Moab. Moab has a ton of hotels or Airbnbs to stay in, restaurants to celebrate your marriage, and lots of tour guide companies so you can make a fun trip out of it! While Arches can be a bit crowded, weekdays in the shoulder season is a great time to go!
3: FAQ’s About Eloping at Arches National Park
Do you need a timed entry for Aches National Park?
You will need a timed entry reservation from April 1st through October 31st between the hours of 7am-4pm.
Can you get married in Arches National Park?
Yes! You need a permit for a ceremony, and there are group size restrictions for certain locations.
What is an intimate wedding?
An intimate wedding is a small wedding with 40 guests or less.
Can I get married at Delicate Arch?
You can not have a wedding ceremony at Delicate Arch, but if you want wedding portraits (just the photographer and couple) you can do that!
What’s the best month to get married in Arches National Park?
May or October for less crowds and nicer weather!
Can you elope in Moab?
Eloping in Moab is a great option for those who love red rocks! You can elope in Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse State Park, or BLM land.
How many witnesses do you need to get married in Utah?
You need two witnesses in Utah to get married. As a photographer, I’ve signed off as a witness and you can also ask fellow hikers!
Do I need a permit to take photos in Arches National Park?
Wedding ceremonies require a permit, but for portraits of just the couple or a subject and the photographer you do not need a permit. If you are bringing sets, lights, or interrupting normal park flow, reach out to Arches about a commercial use permit.
4: Arches National Park Wedding & Elopement Permits
National Parks vary with their permit processes, but Arches is pretty straight forward! If you’re going in to just take portraits or formal photos, no permit is needed. If you’re having your ceremony in the park, you will need to apply for a permit with 30 days notice. National parks do revisit these rules, so reaching out to the park is always the best bet since things may have changed since I wrote this blog!
Arches Wedding Special Use Permit
Here’s a breakdown of wedding permits in Arches National Park
- The couple needs to apply for the permit and allow 4 weeks for the park to process the permit
- Locations are limited on your group size
- You do not have exclusive access to the area, even with a permit
- You have one hour for the ceremony, but no time limit or location restrictions when it comes to taking formal photos with your photographer
- Bouquets can not contain dry flowers
- Permits cost $185
- Your entrance fee is not covered by the permit.
For the most up to date information about weddings in Arches National Park, check out this link on the NPS page!
Arches National Park Entry Fees and Passes
Arches accepts “American the Beautiful” passes (annual National Park Pass.) If you’re looking for a one time entry, it’s $30 per car!
Arches National Park Timed Entry
Arches recently implemented a time entry program to limit the amount of visitors during peak seasons and hours. This helps make the park more enjoyable by limiting the amount of visitors that can come in. (Arches is actually a pretty small park compared to something like Yosemite.)
Timed entries are required from April 1st to October 31st between the hours of 7am to 4pm. If you’re entering the park before or after that time, a pass is not required.
You still need to pay the park entry fee on top of the timed entry.
To reserve a timed entry, head to this website!
5: Best Locations for Your Arches National Park Elopement
These are some of my favorite locations to photograph in the park! Most are really accessible, but if you book your elopement day with me, I send a full, custom location guide that caters to you vision a bit more! These are general locations in Arches that are beautiful and easy to get to!
1. Double Arch
Located in “the windows” section of the park, Double Arch is one of the most iconic arches! There are two red arches that make for an amazing backdrop. You can climb up into the arch as well! It’s a pretty easy walk to the arch from the parking lot.
2. Turett Arch
Turett arch is also in the windows district, and has a cute hole next to the main formation where the sun can peak through if you’re lucky! This is an easy walk to get to, but not wheelchair accessible.
3. The Windows
In the windows district is the North and South window! The sunrise comes up behind these arches and can make for an amazing back lit photo in the morning! This is in the same little loop as Turett Arch!
4. Sand Dune Arch
Sand Dune Arch is a little further into the park and through a little canyon. This is a pretty small, popular spot, so may not be best for ceremonies. The outside of the canyon is super pretty though!
5. Park Avenue
Park Avenue is one of the first stops in the park! Not an arch, but it has a grand view of red rock formations and is a little less crowded than the arches!
6: The Best Time of Year to Get Married at Arches National Park
Arches National Park is beautiful all year round! It is in a desert, so thinking about weather is important, but it doesn’t necessarily change how the environment looks!
Weather
I love going to Arches National Park in shoulder seasons! In summer, temperatures may get miserable with Arches averaging in the low 100s and no shade. Winter can get very cold and wet, occasionally snow. When going in Fall or Spring, you have better odds of reasonable temperatures that making spend all day outside enjoyable!
Crowds
Since Arches is a popular and small park, it does tend to get crowded! Especially during summer, weekends, and holidays. Getting married in Arches during shoulder seasons and on weekdays is the best way to have a more intimate experience.
7: Where to Stay Near Arches National Park
The easiest place to stay is around Moab! It’s the main town near Arches and other big national parks. It’s full of restaurants, shops, and fun things to do. Green River may pop up in your search results, but its about an hour outside of Moab and quite a drive after a long day eloping!
Airbnbs/VRBOs
Hotels, Lodges, & Resorts
Campgrounds
8: Arches National Park Elopement Photographer
Hi! I’m Meghan, an elopement and micro wedding photographer based in Salt Lake City, Utah! Moab is one of my top booked locations, and it gets even more beautiful everytime I come back! I love sharing all my favorite locations with couples in love, helping you plan your day, and give you so many resources to make your day smooth! I love getting creative and giving you photos to look back on and share with future generations.
If you’re interested in booking an elopement photographer in the Moab, Utah area, check out my elopement details page for A-Z about our time together!
9: Arches National Park Elopement Packages
Moab and Arches are one of my favorite spots to shoot in and I know the area well!
Every elopement package includes:
- A 60+ page elopement planning guide, mailed to you with goodies! It covers A-Z how to elope.
- A custom location guide full of places to stay, ceremony locations, timeline examples, and things to do in the area!
- – A sneak gallery of around 100 photos delivered to you within 72 hours!
For full pricing, check out this page!
Most of the couples I work with choose a couple of locations for a full day elopement! We usually start at their Airbnb for getting ready pictures, drive to Arches for a ceremony and some photos around the park, and end the evening with an activity at Dead Horse, Castle Valley, or another beautiful location! These activities can be anything from rock climbing, to a picnic, to horseback riding!
10: Other Moab Elopement Locations
Dead Horse Point State Park
- State park permits are easier to obtain!
- 45 min drive from Moab
- Epic cliffside views!
Canyonlands National Park
- A hidden gem of a national park!
- Less crowds, more cliffs and desert vibes
- There are three districts: Isle of the Sky (most popular), Needles, and The Maze
- Isle of the Sky is about 1 hour from Moab
BLM Land
- The most intimate settings for elopements
- Hikes and distances range from easy to strenuous!
- Popular locations on BLM land include Corona Arch and Castle Valley
11: Outdoorsy Elopement Activity Ideas
If you’re choosing Arches National Park or Moab for your elopement location, odds are you like being outside! Moab is full of really fun hikes, tours, white water rafting, rock climbing, etc!
In my full location guide you get when you book with me, I’ll send a list of fun things to do with links if you need to book a tour!
Fun Moab Elopement Activities
Rock Climbing
Canyoneering
Rafting
Horseback Riding
Rappelling
Jeeping
ATV Tour
For a whole list of elopement activities, check out these 50+ ideas!
12: Final Tips for Eloping at Arches National Park
Arches National Park is such a beautiful place to get married, and you can’t go wrong picking this as your location!
A few important things to remember:
- Get your timed entry early!
- Bring lots of water! Summer is hot, but so are the shoulder seasons and there’s no water throughout the park.
- Cell service is limited in the park. Bring a garmin if you are planning on hiking!
- Beware of snakes!
- Stay on the trail! While it’s easy to think you’re just walking through sand, it’s easy to damage the ecosystem if you start wandering off trail (and snakes)
13: Arches Wedding Inspiration / More Moab Wedding Planning Resources
Moab is one of my favorite spots for elopements! If you’re looking for more resources, or need that last little push to choose this as your location, check out some of my other blogs on this area!
The Ultimate Moab Elopement Guide
[…] their getting ready photos, we drove into Arches National Park for their vow exchange! While Anabelsi and Carson got legally married at the courthouse in their […]