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One of the most iconic arches at Arches National Park, aside from Delicate Arch, is Landscape Arch!  Have you ever read arch more in one sentence?  This is the really long, skinny arch you see on the park maps that you get at the entrance.

I had hiked to Landscape Arch on our winter road trip, but it was a pretty gray and icky day so I wanted to go back when it was sunny and what better time than our four days in Moab!  Plus, it’s just one of those bucket list worthy sights.

Since the park is always super busy, we made sure to get up early and get into the park before 8 AM.  That way there would be a place to park and fewer people on the trail. 

We headed straight to the Devils Garden area and got cozy because it was freezing and only early October.  All bundled up, off we went.

Pretty close to the beginning is the turnoff down to Pine Tree and Tunnel Arches, but we just waited at the top for my dad since I’ve seen them quite a few times. 

We did get to see a deer from the top of the hill though, so that was cool!  I’ve never really seen deer in the desert, just pronghorns.

The trail is pretty easy and made up of packed dirt.  There are a couple of places with small hills, but there isn’t much elevation gain on the trail.  As we went it got a little warmer but not warm enough to take my jacket off. 

Most of the trail to Landscape Arch is pretty straightforward, but once we got down into the fins, closer to the arch, it’s a little confusing.

On the way there we found it fine, but on our way out we took some weird way that may not have actually been a trail.  I think most will get you back to the main trail though, so you should be fine.  Just pay a little more attention than me and you should be fine.

We decided not to go on to Navajo or Double O Arches because the trail gets a lot harder to follow and just harder from there.  I would like to someday, but not that time. 

I would say this is definitely a hike you should do on your next trip to Arches.  It’s not the wildest hike in the park, but it’s really cool to see such a big arch.

The arch is one of the longest in the world stretching 306 feet, but it’s only about 11 feet thick in the center.  You used to be able to hike up under it, but in the 1970’s some people were relaxing under it when a huge slab fell off the side.  Thankfully it didn’t hit them, but they did get pictures and you can see them along the trail.

National Park Goodies

• If you’re planning to visit three or more national parks within a year from your trip, definitely get the America the Beautiful pass. It will save you money in the long run if you’re going to more than three parks in a year. Buy the pass here.
• If you’re planning on doing a lot of hiking on your trip, or even at home, check out AllTrails! This is my favorite app to find, keep track of, and track my hiking activity. And it’s FREE! Sign up here.
• This Ultimate National Park Planning Bundle is a must-have. You get two ebooks and a planner, saving 50% by getting them as a bundle! If you want all the details, this is the bundle for you. Buy the Ultimate bundle here.
• This National Park Planner (one of the ebooks from the bundle above) is perfect if you just want some guidance in your planning. Buy the planner here.
• Get yourself a little National Park notebook to write all about your adventures while you’re on the road. These from Field Notes are all very cute! If you want one for all of the NPS sites (400+!) then this one is for you!
• Before your trip, get some national park apparel for your trip!
• Consider reading some of these books set in national parks before your big trip, on your adventure, or once you get home to take you back to the parks until next time.

Where is Landscape Arch?

Landscape Arch is in the Devil’s Garden area of Arches National Park.  It’s the arch you see on the park map you get at the entrance and the third arch on the Devil’s Garden trail.  It’s a pretty easy hike with a few moderate up and down areas.  There are no major elevation changes, though.

How long is the hike to Landscape Arch?

The hike is 1.6 miles round-trip.  I would plan 2-3 hours for the whole hike, depending on how fast you walk, how much you stop, and if you stop to see Tunnel and Pine Tree Arches on the way. 

It was a little slower going in the snow the first time we hiked to it because the trail was a little slippery and we had to be more careful.  I think two hours should be plenty.

Arches National Park reservations

As of April 1, 2022, you now need a timed entry permit reservation from April 3 to October 3. You need this to enter the park between 6AM and 6PM. Your reservation allows entry in a two hour window. You can go in and out before and after that as the park is open 24/7.

Arches was facing serious overcrowding in the summer and were having to close the entrance by 10AM pretty frequently because parking would fill up. This new system is to help combat that.

The permit is $2 and you will also need to pay the park entrance fee when you get to the park. You can pay the fee or get the national park pass which covers all NPS site entry fees (but not camping, tours, parking, etc.)

If you can’t get a permit in advance, some are set aside for the next day (so April 2 entry permits would be available the evening of April 1). If you can’t get that either, your options are to skip it or enter the park before 6AM or after 6PM.

If you have a camping reservation, a Fiery Furnace permit, or a backcountry permit you do not need a timed entry permit. You also do not need the permit from October 4-April 2. You can find all the details here.

What to bring hiking in Arches

Hiking poles – These will be helpful on longer hikes that are on the steeper side.  They’ll be good if you have bad knees for when you’re going downhill and will give you something to lean on going up the hills.

Water bottle – It’ll be hot and you’ll need to stay hydrated.  Even if it’s not hot you need to stay hydrated.  A Hydro Flask will keep your water ice cold all day long.

Sunscreen – If you plan on being outside, you’ll want sunscreen.  I like the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch a lot AND it’s reef safe! If you’re sensitive to fragrance though, it’s not a good choice. I also like the same one but specifically for your face.

Hat – You’ll want some kind of hat to keep the sun out of your eyes, or a visor.  A baseball hat should be fine but I like my giant sun hat, too.

Sunglasses – This is a must no matter where you are.

Light Jacket – Because you just never know.  Weather can change quickly depending on where you are, time of day, and season.  I usually use my rain jacket for this.

Headlamp – I tend to carry my headlamp around all the time when we’re hiking, just in case. 

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Have you hiked to Landscape Arch?  Do you want to?  What is your favorite arch in the park?