Arches NP Safety

Stay safe

Summer temperatures can reach or exceed 110°F (43°C), so it is important to carry (and consume) enough liquids. One gallon of water per person per day is recommended. When hiking on open rocky areas, be aware that lightning is a danger during storms. Also, the dry sandstone-dominated terrain is susceptible to flash floods during thunderstorms. The most intense thunderstorms occur from July through September, during monsoon season.

Many of the formations within the park are sandstone and can easily crumble when climbing. Many individuals must be rescued each year after they scale a formation and then discover that they cannot easily get back down. Know your limitations, and be aware that it is usually easier to climb up a formation than it is to climb back down.

Please don’t feed wildlife

When visiting, do not, under any circumstances, feed the wildlife or allow wildlife to obtain human food. Animals which obtain food from humans often become aggressive, will sometimes get ill or even die due to a change in diet, and most seriously stop foraging for natural foods and frequently starve to death in winter months when human food is no longer available.