![]() The Primitive Trail is a 2.1-mile alternative route for getting to Double O Arch (or vice versa). ![]() The best part about opting to explore the Primitive Trail, however, is leaving the crowds behind.īecause the Primitive Trail section adds length and difficulty to the hike, many hikers choose to make the trail to Double O Arch an out-and-back trek rather than a loop. The views of the park are endless, in every direction. The primitive section was hands down, my favorite portion of Devils Garden Trail.Īlong the Primitive Trail, hikers feel fully immersed in all the beauty Arches National Park has to offer. If you are like us and always keen for an off-the-beaten-path adventure, I highly recommend taking the primitive trail. Hikers are faced with a decision once they reach Landscape Arch: continue left towards Double O Arch or take a right to explore the longer, more adventurous, Primitive Trail. The scenery is beautiful in all directions as you make your way through the towering sandstone pinnacles. The trail to Landscape Arch is well maintained with little elevation change. We opted to skip, mainly because it seemed as though that’s where the crowds were headed and we were trying to create distance between us and them. If you’re up for it these detour trails only add about 20 minutes to your total hiking time. ![]() While hiking to Landscape Arch, hikers have the option to explore two spur trails, one to Pine Tree Arch and one to Tunnel Arch. Luckily, many of the hikers we encountered were only hiking to Landscape Arch and back. There are vault toilets and a refillable water station located at the trailhead. The trail clocks in at roughly 7.9 miles if all spur trails are explored along the way.īefore hitting the trail, consider using the bathroom and filling up your water bottle. However, because the trail can be completed in sections, Devils Garden receives quite a bit of foot traffic and attracts hikers of all experience levels. When researching the trail, I saw the long distance for Devils Garden and naturally assumed there would be fewer hikers. To be honest, I was initially taken aback by the number of people congregating near the trail information board. We arrived right at sunrise, found a parking spot, and headed toward the trailhead. While we had an incredible time, we often found ourselves daydreaming of what the park would be like in the winter months. It was not only scorchingly hot but it was also packed. We took our Arizona-Utah road trip in the summer and therefore visited Arches National Park in July. If you want to experience fewer crowds and cooler temperatures, consider visiting in the off, or shoulder, seasons. Especially important if you’re like us and visiting Arches during the peak summer heat. On the plus side, doing so will allow you to witness the desert at its most beautiful time of day, explore the park before the crowds, and beat the heat. Your safest bet to guarantee a day in Arches National Park is arriving before, or at, sunrise. When this happens, the park entrance temporarily restricts access for additional visitors. It’s not uncommon during the busy months for the parking lots to become full by 8:00 a.m. With its small size, the park can fill up quickly. While there are many reasons to hit the trail early, the most important reason, when it comes to Arches National Park, is just ensuring you get in. During our Utah Mighty 5 road trip, we did it all: sunrise hiking, mid-day hiking, sunset hiking, and even starry-night hiking.Īnytime we bit the bullet and set our alarms for the crack of dawn, we had a magical trail experience. Sunrise hiking is always a good idea when exploring southern Utah.
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