Devils Garden Hiking Trail - Arches National Park

Pictures and  story Submitted Dj Nebula

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Devils Garden Trail takes you past 7 prominent arches in the park. The trail head begins just outside the Devils Garden Campground. As you enter the trail, you hike between two fins that wind up a small hill. There is a fork in the trail, and this is where you split off to go see Tunnel Arch, and Pine Tree Arch. Tunnel Arch is only viewed from a distance, for all the soil at the base is cryptobiotic. One footstep would ruin a thousand years of growth. After photos, I headed down to Pine Tree Arch. This is a really secluded arch, and self evident of why it got its name. A small pine has made its home right in the opening of the arch.

As you continue on the trail, you walk through another fins area, then down a small incline, and off to your left you will see Landscape Arch. This is the biggest arch I saw in the park. It is massive, and they have cut off access to the arch because of a 1991 incident where a large piece of the arch fell. A visitor to the park actually photographed the falling piece. The park now has a set of viewing areas just down from the arch. As you continue up the trail, you pass right underneath a arch that is often missed, called Wall Arch. 

As you make your way up the trail, you climb some slick rock, and then end up at the fins that take you to Double O arch. When you reach the trail fork, you may branch left and visit Partition and Navaho Arches. Partition Arch is quite a ways up on the fins with a great view of the Devils Garden Trail from over head. It has some great photography shots. Continue down this trail, head up and over a little hill, past some rocks that have tiny arches forming in them, and you reach Navaho Arch. This arch is probably the most secluded and unique arch in the park. It has no opening in the back of the rock fin area.  In the middle of the area are some bonsai like pines that make it quite a unique site.

As you continue to hike up on top of the fins you reach some of the highest points of this trail.  After some elevation gain, you reach Double O Arch. This was the best arch to see in the park because of the remote area it is in. The hike back was a race off the fins to get off the trail before dark. Headlamps ready, we made our way back to the car. The stars were crystal clear overhead, and the fins were like big black shadows looming over head. If you are in Arches, do not miss hiking this trail, this hike was my favorite by far.

Trail Stats:
Distance to Double O Arch- 5 miles
Add Distance 0.5 miles for side trails to Pine Tree and Tunnel Arches
Add Distance 0.8 miles for side trails to Partition and Navaho Arches
Hiking Time- 2hrs 20 min

Make Online Campground Reservations For The Devils Garden Campground - Arches National Park. Campground Reservations Provided By Reserve America