Fortress Arch
About
Fortress Arch is a natural arch in Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah, managed by the National Park Service. The nearest town is Monticello, about 25 miles away. The arch sits at roughly 5,500 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 77°F and October highs around 70°F, while July averages about 95°F and January highs sit near 42°F. The Fortress Arch Trail starts just 0.4 miles away, and the Castle Arch Trail is about 0.6 miles off. Angel Arch is roughly 0.9 miles away. For an overnight stay, Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground is about 8 miles from the arch.
Arch Facts
Elevation
5,489 ft
Land manager
National Park Service
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Fortress Arch
Utah
Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 67–77°F and lows of 36–46°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Canyonlands-The Needles, UT weather station, 7.7 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan42° high17° low2 days with snow
- Feb49° high23° low1 days with snow
- Mar59° high30° low1 days with snow
- Apr67° high36° low
- May77° high46° low
- Jun89° high56° low
- Jul95° high63° low
- Aug92° high61° low
- Sep84° high51° low
- Oct70° high38° low
- Nov55° high26° low1 days with snow
- Dec42° high18° low2 days with snow
Where it is
- Canyonlands National Park · National Park Service
- Nearest town
- Monticello, Utah · 25 mi
- Managed by
- National Park Service
Source: NPS Land Resources boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1; USGS GNIS populated places
Conditions
Active alerts for Canyonlands National Park as of Oct 9, 2026:
Trip-planning tips for 2026
Information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: NPS Alerts API
Nearby
- Fortress Arch TrailHiking0.4 mi
- Castle Arch TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Angel ArchHiking0.9 mi
- South SixshooterRock climbing6.4 mi
- Lavender Butte/The Happy SubmarineRock climbing6.7 mi
- Indian CreekCanoeing7.1 mi
- Canyonlands National Park Needles District CampgroundCamping7.8 mi
- Superbowl CampgroundCamping8.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
