Arches National Park hiking guide
Fiery Furnace Loop
A 1.2-mile loop with 490 ft of climbing in Fiery Furnace, rated difficult.
Key facts
- Length
- 1.2 mi (2.0 km)
- Elevation gain
- 490 ft (150 m)
- Route type
- Loop
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Area
- Fiery Furnace
- Highest point
- 4,928 ft
- Lowest point
- 4,635 ft
- Access
- Permit required
About Fiery Furnace Loop
Navigate through a natural labyrinth of sandstone canyons, arches, and rock towers. This area offers a unique, challenging experience with no traditional maintained trails and requires route-finding skills and physical agility. Entry into the Fiery Furnace is allowed only with a ranger-guided hike or a self‑guided exploration permit (permits and ranger hikes are limited and often require reservations). There are small markers for one counter‑clockwise route, but many other possible paths exist and it can be easy to get lost; GPS units do not work well between the towering walls. The terrain is physically demanding and may require walking and climbing on uneven surfaces, squeezing through narrow places, and using hands and feet to move through tight passages.
Route map
This route was checked by Parka editors.
