Landscape Arch Trail

Landscape Arch dazzles in morning sunlight.

NPS/Veronica Verdin

Quick Facts

Location:

Arches National Park

Significance:

geologic formation, trail

Amenities

6 listed

Bicycle - Rack, Parking - Auto, Toilet - Vault/Composting, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Water - Drinking/Potable

Landscape Arch is in Devils Garden: a region at the northern end of the park, 18 miles (28 km) from the park entrance. Toilets at the trailhead are open year-round. Drinking water is available spring through fall. This trailhead offers a range of hiking experiences, from easy to strenuous. Three options are listed below.

To Landscape Arch

• Roundtrip Distance: 1.8 mi (2.9 km) 

• Time: 30-60 min 

• Elevation Change: 40 ft (12 m) 

• Difficulty: Easy 

• Hike Description: A hard-packed trail leads to a spectacular ribbon of rock. Spur trails lead to Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch. 

• Accessibility: While the trail is considered barrier free, just before Landscape Arch the trail has steep slopes that may require assistance. 

• Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal?

To Double O Arch 

• Roundtrip Distance: 4.0 mi (2.9 km) 

• Time: 2-3 hours 

• Elevation Change: 275 ft (84 m) 

• Difficulty: Strenuous 

• Hike Description: Past Landscape Arch, the trail climbs steeply over sandstone slabs. There are uneven surfaces and narrow ledges with steep drop-offs. Spur trails lead to more arches. Dark Angel is 0.4 miles (0.6 km) beyond Double O Arch. 

• Bring: Bring at least 2 quarts (2 L) of water per person. Avoid wearing shoes with open toes, high heels, or slick soles. 

• Accessibility: Beyond Landscape Arch, this trail is not accessible to wheelchairs. 

• Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal?

Entire Devils Garden Trail 

• Roundtrip Distance: 7.9 mi (12.7 km) 

• Time: 3-5 hours 

• Elevation Change: 286 ft (87 m) 

• Difficulty: Strenuous 

• Hike Description: The full Devils Garden Trail includes Landscape Arch, Double O Arch, Dark Angel, and the primitive trail. This challenging hike involves narrow ledges, steep exposures, uneven surfaces, rock scrambling, and few trail markers. Avoid when rock is wet or icy.  

• Bring: Bring at least 3 quarts (3 L) of water per person and a headlamp and light jacket in case your return is after sundown. Avoid wearing shoes with open toes, high heels, or slick soles.  

• Accessibility: Beyond Landscape Arch, this trail is not accessible to wheelchairs. 

• Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal?

Adventure waits for sightseers, hikers, and thrill-seekers in Devils Garden. Here you’ll find arches, spires, and a large concentration of narrow rock walls called “fins.” Fins form when rainwater erodes parallel fractures caused by the uplift of salt deposits below the surface. Fins eventually erode and give way to the formation of arches like Landscape Arch, the crown jewel of Devils Garden. 

Landscape Arch is the longest arch in North America with a light opening of 306 feet (93.3 meters). This awe-inspiring expanse is only 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter at its narrowest. Large segments of the arch came crashing down in the 1990s – proof that the park’s landscape can change dramatically in a instant. Although other arches have fallen, Landscape Arch still hangs on by a very thin thread.