by Alex Gugel , all rights reserved
![]() | ArchesDevils Garden Trail Guide |
The Devils Garden Trail leads you between sheer sandstone walls, called fins, to discover arches and views not visible from the trailhead. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
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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.
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.
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
Devils
Garden
T R A I L
G U I D E
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
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 FORMATION
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
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.
7/18 10m
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. There
are fewer trail markers to follow. Expect
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.
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.
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 trail beyond Landscape Arch is DIFFICULT, especially
in hot weather.
The Hidden Garden
Main trail to Landscape Arch (Easy)—Trail is a hardened surface, with gently rolling hills.
Piles of rocks called cairns
mark the trail to help you
find your way. Do not
tamper with existing cairns,
and do not build your own.
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.
DARK
ANGEL
DOUBLE O ARCH
NAVAJO
ARCH
to Visitor Center
PARTITION ARCH
PRIVATE
ARCH
LANDSCAPE ARCH
to Campground
Trailhead
Parking
TUNNEL
ARCH
PR
PINE TREE
ARCH
IM
ITI
VE
TR
AIL
the primitive trail passes
through a pool that
may contain water.
crossing can be difficult.
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.