Why Arches National Park has an overcrowding problem, causing 3-hour closures almost daily

Posted by Jeff on Oct 4, 2020 @ 6:29 am in Conservation | 0 comments | Last modified: October 3, 2020

Arches National Park has a problem. It’s too popular.

While that may seem like good news, for many people who came to visit the park in September, it’s a major disappointment.

Because of parking lot size, overcrowding and safety concerns, Arches has been forced to turn people away for hours of the day, mostly during weekends.

In September, nearly every weekend — and lately many weekdays — have been met with closures and disappointing turnarounds for visitors in a record-setting month.

It boils down to safety, according to park officials.

If there are too many people in Arches, trails become crowded and overrun, people park in non-designated areas damaging wildlife and ultimately, contentions run high.

There have been fights in parking lots, city-style honking and once, someone called 911 over a parking spot.

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