The Windows and Turret Arch Loop (Arches) Hiking Guide
The Windows Section packs North Window, South Window, Turret Arch and Double Arch into just over two square miles, and a short loop from one parking lot reaches the first three. It's the best return on effort in Arches and works for nearly any group. Double Arch, a separate walk from the same lot, adds a fourth.
Permit: You need an Arches entrance pass to reach the Windows: $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle (7 days) or $15 per person on foot or bike (16 and older), or the $55 Southeast Utah annual pass or an America the Beautiful pass. Card payment only at the gate. There is no timed-entry reservation requirement in 2026.
The Loop
AllTrails maps the Windows Loop with the Turret Arch spur at 1.1 miles and 98 feet of gain, an easy half hour to an hour. The first 100 yards are flat, hard-packed and rated barrier-free by the park; after that come stone steps, uneven surfaces and short climbs to the base of North and South Window, with a side path over to Turret Arch. The park names Garden of Eden, Elephant Butte and the Parade of Elephants among the other formations you can pick out from the loop's high points.
Double Arch Across the Lot
Double Arch starts from the same parking area. AllTrails lists it at 0.6 miles round trip with 45 feet of gain, and the park rates it barrier-free on a hard-packed surface, with some slope and sand near the end. Two arches share one end, and you stand almost underneath the larger span. Doing both walks makes a relaxed two-hour visit.
Timing a Visit
AllTrails puts the Windows trailhead just over nine miles up the main park road from the visitor center, and it is one of the busiest stops in Arches. The park suggests driving in before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m., since waits at the entrance between March and October can run past an hour. Those same early and late hours are when the sandstone glows; Arches is also an International Dark Sky Park, and the park lists stargazing among the things to do in the Windows Section.
Entry Without a Reservation
For 2026 Arches is not requiring timed-entry reservations, which means you can arrive whenever you like, but you can also be held at the gate on the busiest days until traffic clears. The fee is $30 per vehicle, payable by card only, or $15 for a cyclist or walker. Annual pass holders for the four Southeast Utah parks and America the Beautiful pass holders go through on their pass.
Weather on an Easy Trail
Even this short loop deserves water in summer, when the park often sees highs over 100 and recommends carrying at least 2 liters per person for any hike. Fall and spring highs land in the 60s to 80s. A dusting of snow makes the stone steps slick, so winter visitors should bring traction devices.
Hiking tips for The Windows and Turret Arch Loop (Arches)
- Stay on the marked trail and bare rock; the dark, knobby soil crust beside the path is a living groundcover the park asks every hiker to protect.
- Add Double Arch from the same lot; it's flat and only 0.6 miles round trip.
- Come at sunrise or late afternoon for softer light and an easier parking space.
- Use the barrier-free first stretch for strollers or wheelchairs, then expect steps beyond it.
- Admire the windows from below; Arches forbids climbing, scrambling or walking on its arches.
Nearby trails to explore
- Delicate Arch Trail
- Devils Garden Primitive Loop (Arches)
- Park Avenue Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The Windows are an easy first-day stop for a mixed group. Use TrailMates to find Moab hikers pairing the Windows with Double Arch. Download the TrailMates app to connect.