Deciding between Arches and Joshua Tree? For dogs, Arches rates D and Joshua Tree rates C. Arches has 8 hand-verified trails (0 dog-friendly); Joshua Tree has 9 (2). Here's the full side-by-side, pulled from our own data.
| What matters | Arches | Joshua Tree |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs (pet policy) | D Roads & campgrounds | C A few trails only |
| Trails mapped | 8 | 9 |
| Dog-friendly trails | 0 | 2 |
| Youngest kid trail | age 3+ | age 0+ |
| Timed entry / permits | Permit required, Permit required, Permit required | Permit required |
| Park shuttle | No | No |
| Heat / altitude fueling | Yes | Yes |
| Activities mapped | 5 | 4 |
| Weather now | 67°F · Mostly Clear | 105°F · Sunny |
DATA · NPS + NOAA + HAND-CURATION · VERIFY CLOSURES AT NPS.GOV
Joshua Tree — it grades C on our A–D pet-policy scale (a few trails only), while Arches grades D (roads & campgrounds).
Joshua Tree — its age-rated trails start at 0+, versus 3+ at the other park.
Arches has: permit required. Joshua Tree has: permit required. Details and official booking links are in the table above.