![]() Boulders from the fallen sections can be seen covering the old trail below the arch. A wooden fence keeps visitors a safe distance from the fragile arch, while still offering impressive views. The arch’s existence would throw the entire notion of gravity into question, were it not for three pieces of the arch that have broken off in the last two decades.Ī trail that once ran below the arch was closed after a 180-ton block fell from Landscape Arch in 1991. The arch is so long and so thin, it’s hard to believe it can stand. The mirage-like Landscape Arch looks entirely under-supported. Follow the track to the left toward the long thin ribbon of rock running along the side of a sandstone wall. However, the trail turns from gravel to sand 0.2 miles before the arch. The longest arch in the world is 3/4 of a mile past the junction. When you finish with the two appetizer arches, continue up the main trail through a landscape of impressive sandstone formations. Visiting these two arches adds half a mile to the total distance of the hike. You can actually stand directly beneath Pine Tree Arch, making it a fun destination. The left fork continues for 0.2 miles to the ground-level Pine Tree Arch. A short track to the right heads closer to Tunnel Arch, perched on the sandstone wall ahead. To explore these fine arches, make a right and take the equally wide trail down to another split. The wide gravel trail is quite level, ascending just 50 feet over the first 0.3 miles, where it comes to a junction with the spur trail to Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. The trail leaves the parking lot and passes between tall sandstone fins to enter an arch-filled wonderland or rocks. Most people never get to see Arches looking like this.To reach Landscape Arch, begin at Devils Garden Trailhead at the very north end of Park Avenue. And as an added bonus, because I was here on a snowy day in winter, everything was frosted with white. So, you get to see some neat formations like this… As the name suggests, there are plenty of “fins” of sandstone lined up, one after another, and the trail passes by the ends of them. ![]() That put some interesting rock features directly in front of me, as I headed towards a place called Fin Canyon. While the main part of the trail heads northwest, this part of the trail heads almost due north. I knew I wasn’t going to hike the whole thing, but the first part of the trail looked easy, and the snow was un-trampled, so I thought I might get some good pictures. When I reached that split in the trail, I took the turn and headed down the loop for a way. The Devils Garden Loop trail is more of a lollipop shape, which means there’s a loop at the end. So, I turned around.īut, I didn’t head straight back to the car. I decided that I was more interested in a relaxing walk through the snow than a challenging hike uphill. None of the other footprints continued on up the trail. I took a look at the trail that continued on to Double O Arch, and it looked pretty difficult when buried under snow. The trail meanders to a viewpoint that’s pretty close to Landscape arch, allowing you to see some blue sky behind it. The arch blends in with the hill behind it. The other arch mentioned on that sign, Double O Arch, is two miles (one way) from the parking area - although the trail beyond Landscape Arch is more primitive and strenuous.Īs you get close to Landscape Arch, you probably won’t even see it. But, Landscape Arch is just one of seven arches (and probably more unnamed ones) along the longer Devils Garden Loop, which involves 7.5 miles of hiking. It’s about one mile (one way) out to Landscape Arch, and if you hike straight back, you’ll have a two-mile trip. The hike to Landscape Arch is just part of a longer hike through Devils Garden. It was hard to believe I was in one of America’s most popular national parks, and I had it all to myself. ![]() The hike begins at the trailhead at the end of the road and immediately squeezes between some rocky cliffs and sandstone formations.Įverything was nicely frosted with snow, and the sky was still overcast. ![]() There were only a couple of other cars there, and just a few sets of footprints in the snow, so I knew I’d have the hike to Landscape Arch in winter almost entirely to myself. ![]() I ended up at the end of the road, at the north end of Arches National Park, at Devils Garden, just as the snow was turning to flurries. You can see that part of my visit on the Arches in Winter page. I enjoyed a nice drive through the park in the snow while the sky was still dim and blue. The forecast had predicted two or three hours of snow, right around sunrise, and it was exactly right. I arrived in Arches National Park before dawn. ![]()
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