The Sand Dune Arch Trail and the Broken Arch Trail are two trails that connect and can be done separately or together, at Arches National Park in Moab, Utah.
Sand Dune Arch Trail
The Sand Dune Arch Trail is an easy .2 mile hike.
The Sand Dune Arch Trail
Most of the trail is loose sand, which makes hiking more arduous, especially in the extreme heat.
The Sand Dune Arch Trail
You will be hiking among sandstone walls and fins and may come across a few dead ends as you explore the area.
The Sand Dune Arch Trail
The arch is easy to find, if you are entering from the first parking lot. Simply follow the trailhead and turn right when it splits. The trail ends at the arch. We were here first thing in the morning, as it was going to be an extremely hot day, and had the arch to ourselves.
Broken Arch Trail
Getting to the Broken Arch, is another story. Instead of turning right, you go left, start scrambling up rocks and hope that you are still on-trail.
Broken Arch Trail
My husband climbed all the way up. I declined, as we had a 2 1/2 hour hike through the Fiery Furnace in an hour, which I knew involved a lot of scrambling and climbing. He actually deserves photo credit for this picture, not me. I am way at the bottom near the entrance.
Broken Arch Trail
He wandered around the interesting landscape for a while. (He deserves credit for this picture, too.)
Broken Arch Trail
After a bit of exploring, and not finding the Broken Arch, he realized he wasn’t sure where the actual trail was at. There are supposed to be cairns marking the trail, but he didn’t notice any. It may be easier to find the Broken Arch if you start from the parking lot at Devil’s Garden Campground. (He should get credit for this one, too. I wasn’t paying attention when I was editing the pictures.)
He hiked back down, and we decided we still had enough time to do the Skyline Arch Trail before heading over for our guided hike of the Fiery Furnace (permit required). We spent around 30 minutes here. If we would have been here in the fall, with cool weather, we would have been sure to find the Broken Arch and complete both trails. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.
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Things To Know Before You Go
- The park currently has a reservation system in place from April 1st – Oct. 31st. You can make reservations at recreation.gov.
- At the beginning of the road into the park is a Visitor Center. It has restrooms, water, souvenirs, maps and a ranger. The summer hours are from 8 am – 6 pm.
- The park is open year round 24 hours a day, with some holiday closures. There is also a limited amount of camping. Check here for closure dates.
- The current entry fee (2024) is $30 per carload. They also accept the America the Beautiful Pass, as well as some others. Veterans are always free. Check here for more information.
- Take the heat warnings seriously – 4 people died in the park in 2023 while hiking.
- There are a good variety of hikes to take, from easy/short to hard/long. Even if you plan to do no hiking, I still recommend visiting the park, as there is so much to see just stopping at all the scenic viewpoints.
- Be sure to have plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and proper footwear. If possible, I’d plan your visit for spring, fall or winter, especially if you would like to do a lot of hiking.
- The park is large, the roads are winding and traffic is generally slow going. Give yourself plenty of time for getting where you need to go.
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Sand Dune Arch Trail
