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Driving from Las Vegas to Arches National Park

By , About.com Guide

The Sceninc Drive To Arches national Park From Las Vegas
Driving from Las Vegas to Arches National Park

Double Arch at Arches National Park

Photo by Zeke Quezada
When you fly into Las Vegas you get a bird’s eye view of the American Southwest. You look across the desert and you can imagine yourself out there, lost, looking for direction. Take it easy, that rental car of yours probably has a GPS system and the highways are pretty easy to find. So if you feel like you want to see America, Las Vegas is the perfect place to base your adventurous journey.

You’ll check into your posh hotel and then embark on a few days of exploring.

Grab a map, some energy bars and plenty of water because with so many National Parks to see you will find it hard to pick just one.

Arches National Park from Las Vegas
471 miles – 7.5 hours of driving or 523 miles – 8 hours
Driving directions via Google maps

Arches National Park is one of those natural wonders that make you stand, staring with your mouth wide open. The arches set upon the blue skies and the wide open spaces are simply mesmerizing. You feel like you could walk forever or climb forever. Some of the best arches are literally 5 minutes from your car while others are 5 miles, it's that type of place where you can really get a feel for the geology of the American Southwest.

Get more details about Arches National Park from About.com's Guide to National and State Parks, Lauren Himiak

The hikes are numerous and spending some time in Moab, Utah is also worth the 8 hours in the car.

How is the drive from Las Vegas to Arches National Park?
Personally, I like the route that takes me through Capitol Reef National Park and along Escalante Canyon. It is a little longer but you’ll see so much sandstone that you’ll be able to identify the stratigraphic columns of the Kaibab formation…wait, let’s not get technical. You’ll see some amazing rock structures that will fill the memory on your digital camera and leave you seeking long trails and color changing sunsets.

Things To See Driving from Las Vegas to Arches National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Zion National Park
Grand Staircase - Escalante Monument
Moab, Utah
CanyonLands National Park

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