Arches National Park guide · 2 min read
Arches Trails from Short Walks to 7.2 Miles
The trails here range from brief strolls to strenuous climbs over bare rock, so match your route to your stamina and comfort on uneven ground.
Some outings take only minutes, while the Delicate Arch route needs two to three hours.
A 150-foot walk behind the visitor center teaches about native desert plants and the ways people have used them, and it takes about ten minutes. A 0.3-mile loop circles the base of Balanced Rock in 15 to 30 minutes. Part of the loop is paved, which may make it workable for wheelchair users. Parking is limited nearby, and climbing on Balanced Rock is prohibited.
The Delicate Arch Trail covers three miles round trip and gains 538 feet over open slickrock with no shade. The route passes the historic Wolfe Ranch and follows rock cairns. Just before the arch, a narrow rock ledge runs for about 200 yards. Bring at least two quarts of water for each person.
Devils Garden packs several arches into one outing. The path to Landscape Arch is 1.9 miles round trip from the trailhead, starting on pavement and bedrock and ending with rock steps. Side trails to Pine Tree and Tunnel arches add 0.5 miles, and the route continues to Double O Arch, 4.1 miles round trip. Counting every spur, the trail system totals 7.9 miles. Parts of the route demand careful footing, with narrow ledges where you feel exposed, stretches where you scramble over stone, and few markers to guide the way.
Double Arch is an easy, short outing on a firm surface that turns sandy near the end. The Windows is a mile round trip and easy, with views through two openings and Turret Arch. Park Avenue is a moderate route of about a mile one way, from the viewpoint to Courthouse Towers. Climbing or walking on any arch is off limits here and at Canyonlands National Park.
