Arches is my favorite desert park. For some outstanding mountain backpacking, the Naturalist Basin in the high Uintas is amazing... snow melts by July so you can hike in, absolutely beautiful high country - many lakes around 10,000 ft. It's an awesome place. Do a google. If you don't want to hike in, check out Mirror or Moon lakes, also in the same general area. Oh, and yes, you can pack a rifle or sidearm, it's nat'l forest, not park.
I was out there last December. The weather was perfect (sunny and cool). I didn't hike all the way out to the big arch (I was on a tight schedule), but hiked to the point where you can see. I definitely want to make it out there again.
For some outstanding mountain backpacking, the Naturalist Basin in the high Uintas is amazing
Thanks for the info. I can't wait to go out to Utah again for my next vacation.