Visiting Wilson Arch in Moab, Utah

Wilson Arch is a large, roadside rock formation located just 25 miles south of Moab, Utah. So in case you didn’t get your fill of natural arches and bridges in nearby Arches National Park, you’ll have yet another arch to view. I don’t think photographing natural arches ever gets old, so even after a few days in Moab, I still wanted to pull over and photograph Wilson Arch. Likewise, if you’re heading north to Arches National Park for the first time, Wilson Arch makes a great preview of what you’re about to see on your road trip through the national park.

Location of Wilson Arch

Wilson Arch is located on a roadside pullout along US Highway 191, about 20 minutes south of Moab, Utah.

Wilson Arch in Moab Utah – Details

Cost: Free! Wilson Arch is located on public land, managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management).

Time commitment: About 5-10 minutes. You’ll need a little extra time if you want to walk up to the arch.

Amenities: Interpretive sign, pit toilets in the parking lot

Visiting Wilson Arch

There’s plenty of parking at this quick roadside natural arch, as people are coming and going all the time. We visited in the morning after checking out of our cabin in Moab – we were en route to Monument Valley, which takes us down US Highway 191, right past Wilson Arch.

There is a half mile trail that lead all the way up to the arch, where you can climb around inside of the arch. We just took photos from the bottom of the trail; we didn’t feel it was necessary to climb all over the formation.

As you can see from my photos, we visited on an overcast day and the photos are a little disappointing. On cloudy days, the red rocks of the arch just don’t have that fantastic contrast as it would when photographed against a bright blue sky. I’d imagine that Wilson Arch would be a photographers dream during sunrise or sunset. Granted, it’s not as iconic as Delicate Arch, but it’s still a nice looking arch that takes very little effort to see.

All in all, Wilson Arch in Moab is a great 5-10 minute photo op on your Southwestern USA road trip!

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