A Backdoor into the Arches

I don't know any of you visited some of the popular National parks in 2025-26, due to budget cuts, a lot of the facilities are currently restricted. Many parks, including Arches National Park had "timed entry" in 2025. Thankfully in 2026 it is taken away again, so just like before you can enter the Park at any time in 2026. I was there with my family over the Easter weekend for a short trip. Arches National Park can feel overwhelming at first—crowded entrances, long lines of cars, and packed parking lots. For our recent trip, we decided to do things differently. Instead of joining the line at the main entrance, we rented a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4WD and entered the park through the Willow Springs Trail, a lesser‑known backcountry route. It ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip—especially for our kids.

Willow Springs Trail

One thing worth mentioning upfront is that finding the entrance to Willow Springs Trail is not straightforward anymore. The old, direct access from Highway 191 (to BLM road 378) —which many older maps and blog posts still reference—is now blocked. You can’t simply turn off the highway and drive straight onto Willow Springs Road like you used to.

Today, the only practical way to access Willow Springs Trail is through the newly created Utahraptor State Park entrance. This initially caused some confusion for us, because it feels like you’re entering a state park just to get to the trail.

The good news—and this is important—is that you do not need to pay the Utahraptor State Park fee if you are only transiting through to access Willow Springs Trail. There’s no separate booth for Willow Springs itself, and as long as you’re just driving through to reach the Arches backcountry route, there’s no additional charge. That was a relief to confirm before heading in.

Navigation-wise, signage can still feel a bit sparse, so having an offline map or GPS track helps. Once you’re on the correct dirt road, though, it’s obvious—you’re heading straight into wide‑open desert with sandstone fins rising on both sides.

Trail Details

Willow Springs Trail is not technical off‑roading, but it’s real 4WD driving. Sandy washes, slickrock sections, mild ledges, and washboard surfaces kept things interesting, and the Rubicon handled it effortlessly. For the kids, every bump and dip was a thrill. They called it “desert roller‑coaster mode,” and every sandy section came with laughter and excited commentary from the back seat.

One of the best parts of this route is how quiet it feels. With the windows down, we could hear the wind, the crunch of tires on gravel, and the occasional shout of excitement when the Jeep climbed over rock ledges. We stopped briefly to explore the dinosaur track area along the road—a bonus that added a paleontological layer to the adventure.

There are Dinosaurs footprints to look at along the way. I have been able to show the kids both Theropod and Sauropod prints.

After roughly eight miles, the dirt road suddenly met pavement. Just like that, we popped out near the Balanced Rock parking area, officially inside Arches National Park—without waiting in a single line.

Devils Garden and Landscape Arch

From Balanced Rock, we joined the main park road and drove straight to Devils Garden, knowing it gets busy later in the day. Getting there earlier felt like a small victory after our quiet backcountry entry.

We parked, pulled out our packed lunch, and claimed a shaded picnic table. Eating lunch surrounded by towering sandstone fins and spires is one of those small moments that sticks with you—and it gave the kids a well‑timed energy reset before hiking.

The hike to Landscape Arch is ideal for families. The trail is well maintained, mostly flat, and full of interesting rock formations that kept the kids engaged. They ran ahead, stopped to inspect rocks, and asked a steady stream of questions about how arches form—questions we answered with varying degrees of geological confidence:) Kidding! My wife did her PhD here in the Arches and Canyonlands, and we have many field seasons together here. Kids are often overwhelmed with our constant chatter, in a good way!

Standing beneath Landscape Arch is humbling. The span is unbelievably long and thin, and seeing it in person makes you appreciate just how delicate it really is. We lingered, took photos, and enjoyed one of those rare quiet moments where even the kids paused to stare.

Sunset at Delicate Arch (not quite, but close)

After Devils Garden, we spent the afternoon driving through the heart of the park, stopping at viewpoints before heading toward Delicate Arch later in the day. Timing this hike closer to sunset was intentional—and absolutely worth it.

The Delicate Arch trail is more demanding, especially with kids. There’s steady elevation gain, exposed slickrock, and very little shade. But the trail is visually engaging the entire way, and the anticipation keeps everyone moving.

There are couple of smaller arches nearby along the trail which kids enjoyed at lot more, as they were free of crowds and they could do whatever they wanted over there.

As the sun dropped lower, the colors of the rock deepened—reds shifting to orange, shadows stretching across the bowls and fins. When we finally rounded the last corner and Delicate Arch came into view, the kids nearly forgot how tired they were. We didn't stay up all the way to sunset, which is 7:40pm, because then we would have to get down in the dark. I didn't want to do that with kids, so we left around 6 pm and got down in about 45 min to our car.

Why This Day Worked So Well

Entering Arches via Willow Springs Trail set the tone for the entire visit. It wasn’t just about skipping the lines—it was about turning the drive itself into an adventure. The off‑road experience engaged the kids from the start and made them feel like part of the journey, not just passengers heading to the next stop.

Combining that with iconic hikes—Landscape Arch for awe and ease, Delicate Arch for challenge and drama—made it feel like a perfectly balanced day: adventure, hiking, family time, and unforgettable scenery.

If you’re visiting Arches with kids and want a more memorable, hands‑on experience than the standard park entry, renting a 4WD and using Willow Springs Trail is absolutely worth considering. For us, it turned a crowded national park into a personal adventure—and gave the kids a day that they will remember.