Best Photo Spots For Sunrise at Arches National Park

There are many locations to watch sunrise at Arches National Park. Keep in mind the best sunrise photography at Arches happens when the stone structures glow from the golden hour light.

Use this list of sunrise tips and photo spots along with our Arches National Park travel guide to plan your vacation itinerary.

sunrise photo spots at Arches National Park

Check out this list of the best places for Arches National Park sunrise photography, camera gear you’ll need to pack, and recommended places to stay near Arches.

Arches National Park photo spots checklist optin
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Camera Gear for Arches National Park Photography

We have a printed Camera Gear Checklist to help us pack all the equipment we need – that way we don’t forget anything!

  • Cameras for Landscape Photography
  • Lightweight Travel Tripods
  • Camera Backpack: Protecting your camera from the sand and dust in Arches is essential. Using a camera backpack is so nice for hiking too.  
  • Graduated neutral density filter: There can be extreme differences in light around the various rock structures. To compensate for this variance of light you’ll need to use a GND filter. 
  • Camera cleaning kit: You’ll want to remove dust that WILL get on your lens – this is NOT for cleaning the sensor.  
  • Memory cards
  • External hard drive: Don’t forget to copy the photos to a portable external hard drive ‘just in case’.  
  • Headlamp with a red lightFor the best sunrise, sunset or night sky shots, you’ll be navigating in the dark. Use a headlamp to light your way from the parking lot to your spot. Wearing a headlamp allows you to set up your equipment without having to hold a flashlight. Remember to use the red light setting and keep the beam pointed on the ground in front of you to avoid disrupting other photographers in the area taking long exposure shots.

Camera Gear at B&H Photo

camera accessories

A Photo Tour of Arches National Park

Take a visual tour through Arches National Park to see the stunning landscapes you’ll see when you visit!

Arches National Park Photo Spots Map

Here’s a handy Arches National Park photo spots map to use to navigate to each location.

Check out our list, images, and tips for all the Arches National Park photo spots in the park!

Arches Photo Spots Map

Tips for Taking Arches Sunrise Photos

Here are a few sunrise photography tips to help you capture amazing images at Arches:

  1. Take advantage of the compositions provided by moving to different viewpoints of the formations.  
  2. Use a sturdy tripod to maximize clarity and sharpness, and to expand creative possibilities.

Settings:

  1. From a tripod: ISO 100, Aperture F/11 – F/13, adjust shutter speed to accommodate changing light conditions. 
  2. Handheld: set shutter speed to twice the value of your lens focal length (ex. Lens focal length of 24mm = 1/50 shutter speed). Aperture F/11 – F/13, adjust ISO to accommodate shutter speed.
  3. Expose for the bright sunlit areas.

Check out these awesome SUNRISE AND SUNSET PRESETS at ETSY!

sunrise and sunset presets at Etsy

Sunrise Spots in Arches National Park

Check out our Arches & Canyonlands Itinerary and Photography Guide with tips and best times to take pictures at each viewpoint!

Arches National Park sunrise at Turret Arch

Turret Arch at Sunrise

Turret Arch is one of the best sunrise spots in Arches National Park to capture the red-orange glow on the North Window and Turret Arch.

To access this spot to see the arch through the window takes a bit of scrambling up a rock wall to a small ledge.

Turret Arch at sunrise

Walk around the area and try a variety of basic photography techniques to photograph the arch.

One example is to capture the contrast of shadow and light you get in the morning at this location.

Double Arch photo at Arches National Park

Double Arch at Sunrise

When you’re done photographing Turret Arch and the North and South Window, head across the parking lot to Double Arch.

This location is best photographed in the morning once the sun is a bit higher in the sky to reduce the shadows. And it’s the best time to take pictures without a lot of people scrambling on the rocks.

Double Arch photo at Arches National Park

This is a good location to get a wide angle photo to show the landscape around the arch.

And definitely move around the area to capture different angles and perspectives.

La Sal overlook at sunrise at Arches National Park

La Sal Viewpoint at Sunrise

At this viewpoint you’ll enjoy a 360-degree view of the La Sal Mountains to the east and the formations like Three Gossips, Sheep Rock, and The Organ in the Courthouse Towers area. You’ll also see a distant view of Balanced Rock and the Windows Section along the horizon.

Reflected light at Sunrise at Arches National Park

At this location you will see the sun crossing the horizon, but this Arches sunrise spot is a favorite because of the orange/red glow reflected onto the various formations.

There are many ways to photograph this area so use your creativity in composing the picture.

Continue down the Arches National Park scenic drive to get closer to The Organ, Three Gossips and Sheep structures. Stop at any of the pullouts on the right before you get to the Courthouse parking lot.

The Organ at sunrise in Arches National Park

Be sure to walk around the area to find ways to photograph these subjects.

Three Gossips and Sheep at sunrise at Arches

You can use foliage to create a framing effect which draws the viewer’s eye to the subject in the photograph.

La Sal overlook at Blue Hour at Arches NP

Remember you can capture amazing soft light during the blue hour before sunrise. We recommend you arrive to your sunrise location a good 30 minutes early to get pictures during this amazing time at dawn.

La Sal Overlook is a great spot to photograph reflections if you’re lucky to visit after rain!

Balanced Rock sunrise at Arches

Balanced Rock at Sunrise

We like to visit Balanced Rock after we’ve photographed sunrise at La Sal Overlook and the pullouts along the scenic drive near Courthouse Towers.

Balanced Rock is a popular feature in the park. There is an easy .3 mile round trip trail that makes a full loop around this landmark. Take note at how this rock feature changes as you walk around and see the various perspectives!

Balanced Rock at Arches National Park

FUN FACT: the balanced, upper portion of the rock is as large as three school buses!

Sunburst near Balanced Rock at Arches National Park

Walk the trail and take photos of the balancing rock from different angles, as well as other rock formations in the area.

Balanced Rock at Arches National Park near sunrise

We like this view taken from the pullout just past the parking lot before the turn to The Windows area.

Delicate Arch at sunrise

Delicate Arch at Sunrise

Photographing the iconic Delicate Arch is usually at the top of the list when visiting Arches National Park. The impressive free-standing arch is a famous geologic wonder.

The trail to Delicate Arch is 3 miles roundtrip and climbs 480 feet in elevation. The hike is mostly uphill and takes 1 to 1 ½ hours if you are reasonably fit. If you want to be there in time for sunrise, you’ll need a headlamp for the hike up in the dark.

Delicate Arch at dawn

We like to get there at least 30 minutes before sunrise so we have time to walk around the area and get different viewpoints and perspectives during the soft blue hour light.

Arches sunrise spot Delicate Arch

Sunrise at Delicate Arch isn’t as popular as sunset. At sunrise you can capture a nice sunburst with the arch and enjoy peace and quite.

At sunset, the iconic view above of the arch and the surrounding landscape has a golden glow from the setting sun… but it’s a lot more crowded!

Arches Canyonlands guides and maps

BUY AT AMAZON: Arches and Canyonlands Guides and Maps

Planning an Arches National Park Vacation:

Where to Stay Near Arches National Park:

There are no hotels in Arches so most people stay in the nearby town of Moab. There are all types of lodging in and near Moab from budget-friendly hotels to higher-prices resorts. You’ll also find vacation rentals, a hostel, campgrounds and RV parks.

Here are a few of our favorite places to stay near Arches:

  • Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Moab – we enjoyed our stay and highly recommend this hotel due to its location close to Arches.
  • Purple Sage – our all-time favorite place to stay in Moab – walking distance to shopping, full kitchen, and only 8 units so you don’t feel lost in a large hotel. 
  • Red Cliffs Lodge – rooms up to 6 people – located 17 miles from Moab, this lodge is known for its beautiful location, winery and actiities like horseback riding, fishing and more!
  • Vacation Rentals Near Arches – we really like rentals with a kitchen, washer and dryer and amenities like a swimming pool and hot tub.
Arches and Canyonlands photography guide

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