Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
This hike is one of the best in Arches National Park along with the hike to Delicate Arch. If you have two days to spend in the park I recommend you spend one of these days exploring the Landscape Arch and Devil’s Garden Hike. The hike offers views of not just Landscape Arch but 8 other arches. The trail itself is incredibly fun to explore and involves som scrambling in a few places.
There is a steep section with some drop offs as you walk along a fin, so if you don’t enjoy heights, you may want to consider skipping this section.
This was the first hike I did with my 3 kids when I visited in April of 2024 and we got an early start to beat the heat even in April.
You can see more about hiking and visiting Arches at the links below:
Overview of the Landscape Arch and Devil’s Garden Hike
There are several ways to do this hike depending on how much you want to see. You can simple hike directly to Landscape Arch and back (about 1.6 miles round trip), you can add on a few small loops to see some extra arches, or you can do the large loop past Landscape Arch which is a total of 7.8 miles.
If you have time and are up to it, we highly recommend doing the full hike as you will see so many arches as well at the stunning views of the canyons past Landscape Arch. This post will describe how to do the full hike, but if you are looking for a shorter option know that you can simply turn around at Landscape Arch.
Distance: 7.8 miles Elevation Gain: 1,350 feet Difficulty: moderate Timing: 4-5 hours
The full trail is a lollipop trail. Hike out about .8 miles to the start of the loop and then hike the loop in either direction. We hiked it clockwise, but it doesn’t really make a difference in our opinion.
Getting to the Trailhead
From the park’s main entrance, located just north of Moab, Utah, off US Highway 191. Follow the park’s main road, Arches Scenic Drive, for approximately 18 miles until you reach the turnoff for the Devils Garden area, clearly marked with signage. Turn left onto this road and continue for about 1.2 miles to the large Devils Garden parking area. The trailhead is well-marked and starts at the north end of the parking lot.
The parking lot is fairly large but can fill up so it’s best to arrive early in the day or later in the afternoon.
Map of the Landscape Arch and Devil’s Garden Hike
Things to Know about Hiking Landscape Arch and Devil’s Garden
Trail Conditions and Difficulty: The hike to Landscape Arch is relatively easy, with a well-marked, maintained trail. However, the full Devils Garden Trail, which extends beyond Landscape Arch, includes more challenging sections with steep inclines, narrow ledges, and scrambling over rocks.
Weather: Arches National Park experiences extreme temperatures, with very hot summers and potentially cold winters. Plan your hike for early morning or late afternoon to avoid the midday heat, especially in the summer. Always check the weather forecast before heading out. We did the hike in late April and were hot even though we hiked first thing in the morning.
Water and Hydration: There is no water available on the trail, so bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Sun Protection: The trail offers very little shade so plan ahead.
Leave No Trace: Preserve the beauty of the park by following Leave No Trace principles. Pack out all trash, stay on marked trails, and do not disturb the natural features or wildlife.
Permits and Fees: There is an entrance fee for Arches National Park and a timed entry system to get into the park.
Description of the Trail
This was the first hike we did when on our most recent visit to Arches National Park and we highly recommend it if you are staying for more than 1/2 a day in the park. It is a long hike if you do the entire loop but there are SO MANY arches and you can also do only part of the trail and still get some epic views if you don’t want to hike the entire distance.
I did this hike with just myself and 3 kids (Hadley and Fin were 15 and Freja was 12 when we did the hike, but it is a good hike with younger kids as well). Since we didn’t have a car reservation, we got into the park around 6 am and pulled over to have breakfast and watch the sunrise. The parking lot still had plenty of space by 7:00 when we started the hike in April.
The trail starts off on a wide, well-maintained path through the red rocks. You will see a few well marked trails leading to the right off the trail to several arches: Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch. We think both these arches are worth the short detours to see them.
Continuing on the main trail, you will reach the split in the trail marking the start of the loop for the Devil’s Garden hike. We took a left and arrived at Landscape Arch almost immediately. This is an impressively long arch and there are several places to view the arch along the trail. If you are just hiking to the Landscape Arch, you will simple turn around here and retrace your steps, otherwise, continue along the trail. The trail become more challenging after this area and there are several section that are steep and involve some scrambling.
From here the trail continues in a loop going clockwise with several offshoots to different arches. We loved every arch on this trail and most of the offshoots are quite short and worth exploring. Here is a quick recap of all the arches you’ll see on the trail:
- Landscape Arch: One of the world’s longest natural arches, spanning over 290 feet, delicately carved from red rock.
- Partition Arch: A smaller arch adjacent to the main trail, offering picturesque views of the surrounding landscape.
- Navajo Arch: A unique formation with a wide opening, showcasing the park’s intricate geological features.
- Double O Arch: Two arches stacked on top of each other, creating a stunning natural spectacle against the desert backdrop.
- Dark Angel: A prominent spire rising from the desert floor, providing a striking contrast to the surrounding rock formations.
- Pine Tree Arch: Named for the juniper tree growing through its center, offering a shady spot along the trail.
- Tunnel Arch: A tunnel-like formation carved through the sandstone, providing a captivating sight along the route.
- Private Arch: A secluded arch set amidst the desert landscape, offering a sense of solitude and tranquility.
- Black Arch: A lesser-known arch with a dark hue, contrasting with the vibrant reds and oranges of the surrounding rock.
- Double Arch (slightly off the main trail): Two massive arches joined at their bases, creating a dramatic and photogenic scene.
There is one stretch on the trail out that traverses a short fin with drop offs on both sides. It is relatively wide and short but there were definintely people who were nervous going across this part. If you are afraid of heights you may consider skipping this section and turning around.
At the far end of the loop, you will reach the start of the primitive trail. We continued on the primitive trail to return but you can also turn around here. The primitive trail does involve some scrambling and the trail is less well marked but not any more difficult than the other trail. We enjoyed many of the views along this trail and there were far fewer people along this stretch of trail.
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