Photographer's Guide to Capturing Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a stunning landscape known for its unique rock formations and striking red sandstone arches.
With over 2,000 natural arches, spires, and fins, Arches is known to be one of the most breathtaking places in the American west. With so many things to see, it may feel overwhelming to plan out where you want to go. After visiting this park several times, I have created a short list of my favorite spots to take photos, so pack your camera for a photography adventure!
1. Delicate Arch
If you’re going to Arches, you cannot miss this world famous landmark!
Delicate Arch has become one of the most widely recognized symbols for the state of Utah, and one of the most popular places to visit. With this being said, it will be packed with tourists, making it difficult to get photos without people in them. There is almost always a line of people waiting to take photos under the arch, so just be patient as you wait to get your shot.
You may have to use your photoshop skills to remove some people out of the photos, or try to visit at sunrise or in the offseason.
2. Park Avenue
Park Avenue is a great area to get some wide open shots of the red rocks and spires.
The sunset is really nice here, as the pink sky reflects off of the rocks, creating a really nice color scheme for photos. Also, this is a great spot for stargazing and night photography, so bring a tripod to practice your long exposure photography skills!
3. Double Arch
No hiking is required to get to this unique rock structure, Double Arch.
Double Arch is a great place to practice your composition skills and think about all of the different angles you can shoot from. You can try shooting from underneath the arches, and you can climb up some rocks to find new angles. There tends to be a lot of people in this area so most of your shots will likely be shot upwards.
Bonus Tip: Try to go out and shoot early in the morning or in the evening when the sunlight isn’t so harsh and there aren’t as many people out.
4. Landscape Arch
Landscape Arch is the fifth longest natural arch in the entire world, measuring 290 feet!
Make sure you have a wide angle lens for this one! It can be a little bit hard to fit the whole arch in the frame, so try to use a lens that is wider than 20mm. To get here, it is just an easy 1.8 mile out and back hike. If you continue on the Devil’s Garden trail, you can find tons of other arches to photograph nearby.
5. Sand Dune Arch
Sand Dune Arch is one of my favorite spots to hike and take photos.
The .4 mile long trail enters a unique rock formation where the floor is entirely red sand. Kids love to explore here, and people love to get instagram photos here. The arch is tucked into the large rocks, blocking out some sunlight, which helps for photo exposure.
6. Turret Arch
Closer to the entrance of the park, you’ll find the windows and turret arch.
The harsh sunlight can make it really hard to shoot here, so I would definitely come here when the sun isn’t so bright. If you come for the moonrise, I have seen some really cool compositions of moon inside the arches. It’s another spot where you can get creative with your compositions.
Arches National Park is full of endless photography opportunities. I have never seen so many arches all in one area, and I had the best time exploring and photographing them. If you’re planning a trip to this beautiful national park, be sure to add some of these spots to your list!
Note: Just remember that the sun is very harsh here, and it makes taking photos really difficult, and it will dehydrate you quickly. Make sure you have plenty of water, and try to go out for photos early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the harsh sunlight.
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