One of the most popular arches in Arches National Park is just a short walk from one of the best less-known arches: Broken Arch. I don’t think its like, a hidden gem arch or a best kept secret in Arches but I don’t hear much about it.
I’ve been to Sand Dune Arch two or three times but I only did the hike to Broken Arch once and I really liked it! I’ll start with Sand Dune Arch though. The parking area here doesn’t have tons of space and in the summer it could easily be full.
Arches has a soft spot in my heart because it was the first national park I ever went to! I was there in 2015 for the first time and apparently only have one picture of Sand Dune Arch from then. The rest are from a later trip which I’ve now made plenty of.
Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

If it is, consider a hike to Landscape Arch then stopping here on your way out. It’s a nice short 0.3 mile hike to Sand Dune Arch (round-trip) but it is pretty sandy. It’s not difficult but it’s loose sand, not packed.
This is a really unique arch because instead of being free-standing or up on a huge canyon wall, it’s tucked away in a bit of a slot canyon so there is a big wall behind you and behind the arch.
I haven’t been here yet without other people around but you can walk up under and behind the arch which is fun for a different perspective of it. People were usually good about taking turns under it and taking pictures here.


You don’t need a whole lot of time if you just want to see this one, but if you want to go over to Broken Arch, too, you’ll want to set aside 30-60 minutes, maybe a little more if you go to Tapestry Arch, too. I haven’t seen that one yet.
Thee trail to Broken Arch branches off of the Sand Dune Arch trail on the left (if you are at the trailhead with the parking behind you.) This trail is more packed down but it is still sand, not slickrock, unless you continue past Broken Arch in some spots.
The trail is pretty straightforward and it’s nice and easy to follow. Next thing you know, you’ll be able to see the arch on your left. You can walk under and around Broken Arch, which I enjoyed.


I really liked the view looking back through the Arch and out at the area you just came from but looking at the arch from both sides is beautiful.
I liked this hike a lot and next time I’m in Arches, I would like to hike to Tapestry Arch, too. This isn’t a long hike, just 1.4 miles round-trip to see both Broken and Sand Dune, and I would definitely recommend it.
There isn’t a whole lot to say about either of these arches and I only have a few pictures of each but I decided I wanted to write about it anyway. It’s a nice hike to fill a spare hour and Broken Arch is a great way to get away from some of the busier areas without having to go far from the main road.

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 National Park journal for all of the NPS sites (400+!) to keep track of your travels!
- 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 the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead?
The Sand Dune Arch Trailhead is just about halfway between Fiery Furnace and Devils Garden and it is 16 miles from the visitor center. The parking area isn’t too big so you may have to back track if there isn’t room.
How long is the Sand Dune and Broken Arch hike?
If you just hike to Sand Dune Arch, it’s 0.3 miles round-trip. If you hike to Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch from the Sand Dune Arch trailhead, it’s 1.4 miles round-trip.
If you hike to Broken Arch from the Devils Garden Campground, it is a 1.7 mile loop to Tapestry Arch and Broken Arch, not including Sand Dune Arch which shouldn’t add too much to the mileage.
Do I have to go to both arches?
Of course not, but you should! It’s easy to get to both of them and Broken Arch isn’t as busy as Sand Dune Arch. If you want a slightly long hike, you could continue from Broken Arch to Tapestry Arch and back out.

Is the Broken Arch hike worth it?
Yes! I like both a lot but we didn’t see anyone else at Broken Arch when we went. Sand Dune Arch has always had other people there when I’ve seen it.
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Have you hiked to Sand Dune and Broken Arches? What did you think of them? Which did you like better? Did you see Tapestry Arch?