The Transforming Power of Water 

The Devils Garden Trail leads you between 

sheer sandstone walls, called fins, to discover 

arches and views not visible from the 

trailhead. The long geologic story behind 

this landscape testifies to the absolute power 

of water.

Stone arches may only last a few thousand 

years, but the events that led to their creation 

here began about 300 million years ago, 

when seas periodically covered this area. 

The seas became trapped in low-lying areas 

and then evaporated, leaving salt beds that 

were up to 5,000 feet (1,524 m) thick in some 

places. 

Over the following millions of years, as 

nearby mountains eroded, layers of sand, 

silt, and clay accumulated on top of the 

salt deposits and became rock. The uneven 

weight and pressure of these overlying rock 

layers squeezed the salt into a domed ridge, 

what geologists call an anticline. Where 

rock bulged upward, vertical cracks formed 

that allowed rainwater to trickle down and, 

eventually, dissolve the salt away. As the 

salt receded, the overlying dome of rock 

collapsed. Arches’ Salt Valley is an example 

of the resulting landform. 

In some places, weak zones in fins may be 

dissolved by naturally occurring acids in 

rainwater or wedged apart by freezing and 

thawing water, and openings develop. These 

openings may evolve into the varied and 

splendid arches that capture our attention.

Landscape Arch, one of the world’s longest 

stone spans, stretches 306 feet (93 m), yet is 

only about 11 feet (3.3 m) thick at its center. 

Arches can erode at any time, such as in 

September 1991 when a 60-foot-long 

(18 m) slab of rock dropped 

from the underside of the 

arch’s thinnest section. 

Some of the large 

boulders on the slope 

beneath Landscape 

Arch are remnants 

of this event, and 

reminders why it is 

best not to linger 

too long beneath an 

arch.

The power of water to transform a landscape 

is still evident at Arches today. Rain 

and snow soak into vertical 

cracks, dissolving 

cementing minerals 

within the rock and 

loosening grains 

of sand. Running 

water carries this 

material away, 

most dramatically 

during summer 

thunderstorms, when 

normally dry streambeds 

surge toward the Colorado 

River. The water is so loaded with sediment 

that it becomes the same color as the rocks. 

Where parallel cracks widen enough, tall fins 

of rock may remain standing between them, 

such as those at Devils Garden.

When we peer through arch openings or 

observe a distant thunderstorm, we are 

reminded of the dynamic nature of our 

Earth. Some of the sand beneath your feet 

could have been a majestic arch long ago. 

In time, today’s familiar arches, buttes, 

and spires will return to shifting sand and 

perhaps one day become the ingredients for 

another awe-inspiring landscape.

ARCH FORMATION

Landscape Arch in the 1950s. Oval indicates area from which rock fell in 1991. Compare this photograph with the slope under the arch 

today. Notice the numerous foot paths under the arch in the photo, caused by people walking off the trail. These “social trails” kill vegetation and invite erosion of the desert landscape. Since the trail under the arch has been closed, the vegetation is slowly recovering.

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Arches National Park

2282 Resource Blvd.

Moab, UT 84532

www.nps.gov/arches

435-719-2299 phone

435-719-2305 fax

Published by Canyonlands Natural History Association

Map by Jim Stiles

Quote from The Dynamic Earth: An Introduction to 

Physical Geology, by Brian J. Skinner and Stephen C. 

Porter, copyright 1989, 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

Used with permission.

11/15 15m

Devils

Garden

TRAIL GUIDE

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
Trail Information

To Landscape Arch: The trail is graveled 

and graded; it winds among tall fins to a 

spectacular view of Landscape Arch. 

From Landscape Arch to Double O Arch, 

the trail becomes more difficult. Expect 

steep, sloping surfaces and close proximity 

to drop-offs. Sandstone is often called 

slickrock and can be slippery even when dry.

The primitive trail is most difficult. Expect 

difficult route finding, steep slopes, narrow 

drop-offs, and rock scrambling. Hiking the 

primitive loop requires crossing a pool that 

may contain water. We don’t recommend 

hiking the primitive trail when snow or ice 

cover the routes. 

We have marked trails 

with signs and piles of 

rock called cairns. Follow 

cairns to find your way. 

Do not tamper with 

existing cairns, and do 

not build your own.

Distances:

To Landscape Arch and back: .. 1.6 miles (2.6 km)

To Double O Arch and back: ..... 4.2 miles (6.7 km)

To Dark Angel and back: ...... 5 miles (8 km)

To Dark Angel and return via Primitive Loop: .......5.9 miles (9.5 km)

Trail to Pine Tree and Tunnel arches: .............. add 0.5 miles (0.8 km)

Trails to Navajo and Partition arches: ............. add 0.8 miles (1.3 km)

Total distance, all trails: ..........................................7.2 miles (11.5 km)

Stay on the trail to protect fragile desert soils and 

biological soil crusts.

Carry and drink plenty of water: at least 1 quart (1 L) 

for every two miles that you hike.

Main trail to Landscape Arch (Easy)—Trail is a hardened surface, with gently rolling hills.

Side trails to Pine Tree, Tunnel, Navajo, and Partition arches (Easy)—Trails are hard packed with gravel, sand, or rock. 

Main trail to Double O Arch (Difficult)—Requires rock scrambling, climbing, and descending steep slopes near dropoffs.

Primitive trail (Most Difficult)—Hikers should expect steep slopes, exposure to heights and dropoffs, rock scrambling, 

sandy conditions, and a pool of water to cross.

TUNNEL

ARCH

PINE TREE

ARCH

LANDSCAPE ARCH

NAVAJO

ARCH

PARTITION ARCH

DOUBLE O ARCH

PRIVATE

ARCH

DARK

ANGEL

PRIMITIVE TRAIL

the primitive trail passes

through a pool that

may contain water. 

crossing can be difficult.

to Visitor Center

to Campground

Trailhead

Parking

The Transforming Power of People

“Each and every one of us plays a part in the changes that ceaselessly work to 

maintain the balance of the Earth. . . .Our individual contributions are tiny but 

the sum of all human activities is large.” -Brian J. Skinner and Stephen C. Porter

Park managers face the challenging task of preserving the park from the impacts 

of rapidly increasing numbers of visitors. Your choices can make this task harder 

or easier. People who choose to help care for this special place (by walking only on 

trails, leaving no litter or graffiti, and respecting park regulations) are critical to its 

preservation for the enjoyment of future visitors. 

The Hidden Garden

A huge garden grows in this part of the 

Southwest. It is a living crust that covers 

much of the soil of a 130,000-square-mile 

area. Biological soil crusts are made up of a 

community of tiny organisms: cyanobacteria, 

algae, moss, fungi, and lichen. These crusts are 

essential to the health of the desert ecosystem. 

They hold the grains of sandy soil together, 

retain moisture, and make nutrients available 

to vascular plants.

Biological soil crust needs five to ten years of 

undisturbed growth before it even becomes 

visible as an irregular, dark mat on the soil 

surface. A single footprint left by a careless 

hiker can destroy decades of growth. Please 

stay on marked trails. If you must leave the 

trail, walk on bare rock or in dry streambeds. 

These are the only places you can walk without 

damaging this vital resource.