Not every trip to Arches has to include sweaty climbs and three-mile uphill slogs on slickrock. Maybe you’re traveling with kids, older family members, or you just want to see the highlights without feeling like you joined a CrossFit class which is why these stops to make in Arches National Park if you can’t hike are perfect.. The good news? Arches has plenty of jaw-dropping views that require little more than stepping out of your car—or at most, a very short stroll.
Here are the best stops in Arches if you can’t (or don’t want to) hike. While you're exploring these easy stops, you might also like my list of the Top 5 Epic Views Around Moab—they’re perfect for non-hikers too.
Distance from Car: 1–2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy, paved
Best Time: Morning for glowing canyon walls
This viewpoint gives you the dramatic “sandstone skyscrapers” effect of Park Avenue without hiking into the canyon. The trail does go down if you’re up for it, but the overlook itself is spectacular and accessible.
Distance from Car: Less than 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Early morning
These massive formations stand like stone government buildings. You don’t have to trek far—just pull over and walk a short distance to take in the view.
Trail Length: 0.3 miles (paved loop, optional)
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunrise or golden hour
Balanced Rock looks like it shouldn’t exist, and yet there it is—a giant boulder perched precariously on a pedestal. You can walk the short paved loop if you’d like, but honestly, the view from the parking lot is already incredible.
Distance from Car: Steps from the lot
Difficulty: Easy, uneven ground if you wander further
Best Time: Midday
This isn’t a formal trail, but a pullout where you can wander a few feet for a great panorama of sandstone formations. It feels wild and open without requiring effort.
Lower Viewpoint: 0.2 miles, short but uphill
Upper Viewpoint: 0.5 miles, more difficult
The full Delicate Arch hike is strenuous, but the viewpoints are perfect alternatives. From the lower viewpoint, you’ll see the arch in the distance. If you can manage the short climb to the upper viewpoint, you’ll get a much better angle without committing to the full three-mile trek.
Distance from Car: Immediate, right at the pullout
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunrise or sunset for glowing rock formations
This pullout overlooks Fiery Furnace and the sweeping red rock valley. It’s one of those “don’t skip it” roadside stops.
Trail Length: 0.3 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy (soft sand, shaded)
Best Time: Morning for full shade
This is one of the few arches that feels like a secret hideaway. The trail is short and leads through a sandy slot to a shaded arch. Even though it’s a short walk, it’s very doable—and the cool sand and shade make it a great stop in summer.
Trail Length: 0.4 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Anytime
An easy stroll (or even just a view from the road) takes you to Skyline Arch, a massive window perched high in a sandstone wall.
Trail Length: 1 mile round trip if you do all three (North Window, South Window, Turret Arch), but you can see plenty right from the lot
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Late afternoon into sunset
This area is packed with arches. Even if you don’t do the full loop, you can walk just a few minutes from the parking lot to see North Window and Turret Arch. The formations are huge and impressive without requiring a serious hike. This area offers some of the best stops to make in Arches National Park if you can’t hike.
Trail Length: 0.5 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Anytime
One of my personal favorites. The short, flat path leads to two enormous arches joined at one end. Even if you don’t hike all the way up, the view from the lot is spectacular. If you're building a longer itinerary, check out my Spend a Weekend in Moab: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary for a mix of easy walks and scenic overlooks.
Finish your trip at the visitor center—it’s air-conditioned, has exhibits, and plenty of souvenirs. You can explore interpretive displays, watch the short introductory film, check out the topographic map, or talk to rangers about the park’s geology and wildlife. It’s also a great place to cool off before heading back into Moab, and it’s one of the top stops to make in Arches National Park if you can’t hike.
Arches doesn’t have to mean miles of hiking. With overlooks, short strolls, and easy loops, you can see most of the park’s highlights with minimal effort. From the drama of Park Avenue to the grandeur of Double Arch, you’ll still get the “wow factor” without breaking a sweat.
Whether you’re traveling with family, need a rest day, or just want a more relaxed visit, these stops prove that Arches is just as rewarding even if you keep the hikes short and sweet. These truly are the top stops to make in Arches National Park if you can’t hike. If you want even more inspiration for planning your trip, my Arches National Park: A Complete Guide to Moab’s Most Iconic Landscapes breaks down all the must-see spots.
There’s a version of Gatlinburg that’s all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then there’s the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Here’s everything worth doing downtown, in the order I’d do it: 🏔️
✨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
✨ Walk the strip mid-morning when it’s still manageable
✨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: don’t skip it)
✨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
✨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isn’t your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. It’s more of a “here’s what I’d actually do if I had one solid day” kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. 🔗
If someone told me I’d spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. 😅
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and it’s one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it — longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
✨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
✨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
✨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
✨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. 🔗
I walked into Goo Goo Cluster in downtown Gatlinburg thinking I’d spend five minutes and leave with a small piece of candy. I was wrong on both counts. 😅
You build your own chocolate cluster at a kiosk: caramel, sea salt, pretzels, cocoa pebbles, you name it, and then watch them make it right in front of you. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and costs $15.
The caveat? This is not a snack. This is a full-size brick of chocolate that I was still eating two days later.
If you’re already walking the Gatlinburg strip, this is an easy yes. Especially if you have absolutely no self-control around caramel. (Asking for a friend.) Full experience breakdown linked in bio. 🔗
Your Knoxville Airport survival guide, from someone who’s flown through TYS 100+ times is now up on my blog🛫
Parking, TSA wait times, where to grab food before your flight, rental cars, all of it, from someone who actually knows this airport. No guessing, no googling at the last minute.
TYS is small, easy to navigate, and honestly one of the less stressful airports I’ve been through. You just need to know a few things going in.
Full guide linked in bio. 🔗
Hundreds of motorcycles. Tweed suits. Tennessee roads.🏍️
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a global charity event, classic and vintage bikes, dressed-up riders, raising money for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health. The bikes are stunning. The outfits are even better.
Full guide linked in bio. 🔗 | @gentlemansride
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