Soon we were amidst striking vertical sandstone formations called fins. The trail started ascending a sandy hill as we left the valley. They were on our left (to the south) and are hard to miss if you know what you’re looking for. Near the end of the valley area, we finally spotted them based on a picture we saw beforehand. We pointed out every rock formation we saw, and wondered whether it was the Marching Men. We gradually descended into the area over the next half mile, snapping lots of photos on the way. Suddenly we were overlooking a wide open bowl-shaped valley surrounded by rock formations, and it literally took our breath away. ![]() Make sure to avoid stepping on it! Looking east toward the La Sal Mountains, after the initial uphill scrambleĪs we reached a high point in the trail, sweeping views appeared. Tower Arch Trailhead Looking back toward the parking lot The initial uphill hike / scramble Cryptobiotic soil, which helps control erosion and retain water in the desert. ![]() Occasional cairns guided us as we made our way to the arch. Thankfully, it’s easy to do since the trail is primarily on slickrock. Stepping on it will destroy the living crust, and a minimal amount can take up to seven years to reform, so staying on the trail is important. We saw spots of craggy, black cryptobiotic soil, which helps control erosion and retain water in the desert. After the initial scramble, the trail was relatively flat.įrom the top of the ascent, we looked at all the beautiful views around us. ![]() We decided to drop them back at the car, and we were glad because they aren’t needed on this hike. Initially we took our trekking poles, but realized they were getting in our way. We grabbed our gear and started the hike, which begins with a short uphill scramble of 150 feet. The parking lot only has space for about eight cars, but there are overflow areas too. The start of Salt Valley Road, which leads to Klondike Bluffs From Salt Valley Road, we spotted Skyline Arch, which is located in Devils Garden Campground Looking toward the La Sal Mountains from Salt Valley Road After 7.2 miles, we reached the turnoff to the Tower Arch trailhead Tower Arch Trail Parking Lot Tower Arch Trail A mile later, we arrived at the trailhead. ![]() But we wanted to hike to the arch, so we continued 300 feet to the next intersection, and turned left. This road leads almost directly to Tower Arch. The 8-mile drive has scenic views, so we stopped a few times to take photos.Īfter seven miles, we reached an intersection with a 4WD road to the left. We took a 4WD SUV, but you could easily use a 2WD vehicle. Near Devils Garden Campground is a turnoff for Salt Valley Road, a dirt/gravel road that leads to the trailhead. Along the way is a well known rock formation called the Marching Men, which looks exactly like it sounds.Ĭompared with most hikes in the park, this one is more secluded and as a result, less crowded. The 2.5 mile trail is named after the titular Tower Arch at the end. We chose Tower Arch Trail, in Klondike Bluffs, the northwest section of the park. After getting set up at Devils Garden Campground and checking out the visitor center, we went on our first hike in Arches National Park.
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