![]() The path we took which cuts out the dangerous parts totaled 5.4 miles (8.7km) roundtrip.Įlevation Gain: This hike has some very challenging parts to Hike Statsĭistance: The full distance of this loop hike is 7.2 miles / 11.6 km. We carried the kids back up the hill to save on time. Sadly, the trail becomes difficult and dangerous again shortly after this, so we turned back towards the car. There’s a huge rock which blocks the midday sun near the start of the creekbed, making it a good place to stop for lunch. We saw all kinds of interesting wildlife, including some cute bunnies and even a (non-venomous) Glossy Snake.Īfter 0.6 miles (1 km) the trail descends sharply and starts following a dry creek bed, which you follow through some really fun and beautiful rock formations. The slightly downhill, deep sand trail followed alongside some interesting rock formations on one side, with desert scrub and amazing vistas of distant rock formations on the other. It’s not a well-marked trailhead, so keep your eyes open for the sign. The Primitive Trail begins just south of the Landscape Arch. Even if you can’t do the whole leg, the section that is family-friendly Rates this hike as “most difficult” but we were able to hike another 1.3 reallyĮnjoyable miles (2km) one-way on this leg before we met up with the really hard Not to be defeated, we tried the Primitive Trail and we’re really glad we did – Pretty bummed to have to turn back on the Double O Arch Trail so quickly, but So, we turned back… better to walk away and live to hike it another day! Primitive Trail Without the ability to trust that they would follow through on all the direction we gave them, we couldn’t be certain of a safe passage over these rocks. Our kids are great at scrambling over rocks, but we elected to not go any further.Īt 3 & 5 years old, our kids listening skills are pretty typical for their age (i.e: not good at all). People of moderate athletic ability were doing it without much issue, so Celine climbed up and over to assess the danger level. ![]() We only went 0.3 miles (0.6km) before the trail was blocked by some large boulders which needed to be climbed over, with precarious drop-offs on both sides. At this stage we were holding onto the kids pretty tightly due to a drop-off on one side. It soon begins to climb up some slickrock through a narrow, tall canyon. The trail ceases to be hardpacked and transitions to more natural hiking trail conditions. The hiking trail continues past the Landscape Arch and becomes the Double Arch Trail, which the NPS rates as “difficult”. Not to worry, there are lots of places to stop and enjoy this natural wonder. I expected it to be big, but wow, is it ever big! A 60 foot slab of rock fell from the arch in 1991, leading the NPS to block visitors from getting underneath the arch. The hike remains reasonably easy and eventually comes to the Landscape Arch, one of the largest natural stone arches in the world. It wasn’t the arch itself it was the view through the arch which made it special.įrom here, the hike continues north along some beautiful rock formations. On the other hand, the Pine Tree Arch was really beautiful. ![]() The Tunnel Arch is nice, but won’t be the highlight of your day. You’re in Arches National Park, so you may as well see all the arches you can, right? With towering long domes looming overhead on either side.Ībout halfway to the Landscape Arch is an option to take a short side trail (0.5 miles / 0.8km return) which takes you to see the Pine Tree Arch and the Tunnel Arch. The trail begins with a walk through a narrow canyon The hard packed, flat and easy walking path to the arch is only 0.8 Landscape Arch spans 306 feet (96m), making it one of the world’s largest stone Garden Loop is actually three separate hikes combined into one: Landscape Arch Trail It gives visitors a taste of the exclusive and difficult “Fiery Furnace” hike, which is limited to a very small number of daily hikers. This northern-most part of Arches National Park is very beautiful, with many rock formations, including the famous long, tall, narrow “fin” formations.
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