Moab, Arches and Canyonlands

The lone 16-metre arch on Utah's licence plates, perched on the edge of a slickrock amphitheatre facing the La Sal Mountains, reached by a shadeless 4.8 km round trip from Wolfe Ranch.

💡 Go up for sunset, when the arch turns orange, setting off 1 hour 30 minutes beforehand with a head torch for the descent, or at sunrise to avoid the crowds. In summer, never go between 11am and 5pm. Price: included in Arches entry, $30 per vehicle for 7 days, about €26, with no surcharge for non-residents.

A maze of tightly packed red sandstone fins with no marked trail, explored by scrambling and squeezing through narrow passages to hidden arches, with access limited by permit.

💡 Book the self-guided permit on recreation.gov, $10 per person, about €9, then collect it at the visitor centre at a set time, with the whole group, to watch a safety video. Children under 5 are not admitted. The Fiery Furnace viewpoint, on the road, gives an overview without a permit. Price: $10 on top of Arches entry.

The area at the end of the Arches park road, where a trail links eight arches between sandstone fins, including Landscape Arch, one of the longest natural arches in the world.

💡 The trailhead car park is one of the first in the park to fill up, so arrive before 8am. The round trip to Landscape Arch, 3.1 km and almost flat, suits families; the Primitive Trail requires confidence on rock and is not recommended in wet weather. Price: included in Arches entry.

The central section of Arches, where North and South Window, Turret Arch and the twin spans of Double Arch can all be seen in an hour of easy walking.

💡 Come at sunrise: the light shines through North Window and lights up Turret Arch, and the car park is still empty. Behind North Window, an unmarked path leads to a viewpoint where Turret Arch appears framed by the window. Price: included in Arches entry.

A state park on a narrow promontory 600 metres above a horseshoe bend of the Colorado, with red cliffs, turquoise potash ponds and some of the darkest night skies around.

💡 The state park is not covered by the national passes: allow $20 per vehicle for up to 8 people, about €17. The site is certified for its night sky, so stay after sunset for the Milky Way. Price: about $20 per vehicle.

A sandstone arch on the very edge of the cliff at Island in the Sky, whose underside glows bright orange at sunrise above the White Rim, reached by a short loop.

💡 For sunrise, arrive 45 minutes beforehand to find a spot in front of the arch, then carry on to Grand View Point and Green River Overlook. Never climb onto the arch, as it is forbidden and dangerous. Price: included in Canyonlands entry, $30 per vehicle for 7 days, about €26, paid separately from Arches.

The southern tip of Island in the Sky, above the confluence of the Colorado and the Green River, with three tiers of canyon landscape seen from a rim trail.

💡 The rim trail has no railings, so hold on to children. The more adventurous drive down the Shafer Trail, a track of dizzying switchbacks that joins the White Rim, with a high-clearance vehicle and solid off-road driving experience. Price: included in Canyonlands entry.