One of the main questions I get asked as a Moab elopement photographer is about the difference between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. While both parks are epic and not far from each other (about a 40-minute distance), they couldn’t be more different! I love recommending these parks and guiding my couples in choosing the best Utah national park for them!
Visiting Utah can involve a lot of decisions. You must figure out where to go, where to stay, and what activities to do when you get there. Each couple has to choose for themselves what they want to prioritize. I’m happy to provide guidance once you know a general direction! My advice is based on your interests and how those align with the season you chose to visit Moab, Utah.
Before we settle on the best Utah national park for you, the following are some general tips that apply to both of these national parks close to Moab:
The spring and the fall are undeniably the best seasons for Moab, Utah weather. Early winter is also a good time of year to visit because the crowds can be completely nonexistent. The summer is brutally hot so I would only recommend doing sunrise elopements during these months.
While I definitely know of secret and lesser-known places in both parks, I would never share those publicly, contributing to the overcrowding of my favorite spots. Let’s talk about your vision and I’ll share my recommendations upon booking!
With its iconic and stunning arches, Arches National Park is one of the most well-known national parks in the country. This means it can get so crowded that at times there isn’t even sufficient parking available. That is why the park decided to implement a timed entry permit during the busy months. It’s for this reason that I only plan for an Arches National Park sunrise session during this time of year so that the restriction doesn’t apply.
You must prepare for a very early morning especially if you plan on having hair and makeup done. Fortunately, Arches is easily accessible from downtown Moab where there are many places to stay.
From my extensive experience in capturing the park at sunrise, I understand how to best avoid the crowds. About an hour after sunrise is when the tour buses arrive and also our signal to move to a less popular spot!
There are many great spots to shoot photos inside of the park. Some of these destinations offer multiple well-known arches within walking distance of each other. The park also includes six different permit sites that have maximum guest counts ranging from 15 to 80.
Even after many years of both living in Moab and photographing the park, watching the sunrise is still one of my favorite things to do! The fact that this remains magical is another reason why Arches is one of the best Utah national parks to visit! It is an excellent sunrise location that provides the iconic red rock arches and desert landscapes.
Since Arches is a guaranteed first on a visitor’s list of Moab Utah things to do, Canyonlands National Park is a great 2nd option! The Colorado and Green Rivers divide Canyonlands into three districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Island in the Sky is a lesser-known spot that I love taking couples to because there are usually fewer people present at any given time of day.
I count Canyonlands as one of the best Utah national parks due to its distant canyon views and unobstructed sunsets! Depending upon your location in the park, you either have an insane view of the Green River or a sweeping canyon view from towering cliff sides. These spots are both east and west facing which provides a good range of lighting options for both sunrise and sunset Moab photography.
It is great for sunset, allowing for a bit more privacy while producing those epic and vast landscape looks. The views inside of the park are simply unbeatable!
While there are three other national parks part of Utah’s Mighty Five, an often overlooked attraction that I point couples to is Dead Horse Point State Park. The park is actually on the same highway as Canyonlands but one turn off sooner coming from Moab.
Boasting similarly epic views as Canyonlands (in my opinion, a bit better!) Dead Horse is an underrated state park. It is an awesome place to tie the knot with less crowds and many different viewpoints all within walking distance of each other.
The park has five different wedding permit sites with guest limits ranging from 5 to 100. I do not recommend hosting 100 guests since parking is very limited and does not accommodate this number well. Two of the sites are east facing, and the others are west facing. This makes it an awesome choice for both sunrise and sunset.
Some couples go for a day-before or day-after session when getting married at The Red Earth Venue since it is nearby. Dead Horse Point also allows dogs, which is an awesome option for dog lovers since they are not allowed in the national parks.
No matter how many times I return, I find that each of these locations serve as the best Utah national park (or state park) option for your day!
Venue | Arches National Park
Venue | Canyonlands National Park
Venue | Dead Horse Point State Park
Photographer | Matt Davidson Photography