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Home › Utah › Broken Arch Loop
About the Trail
This spectacular hike takes you by 3 large arches and numerous rock fins. Broken Arch is the most impressive of the three. The hike begins at the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead.
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Directions
Description
From the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead, hike the wide trail to a junction with a spur for Sand Dune Arch. Take a right if you want to see Sand Dune Arch first. The spur immediately gets narrow as goes between rock fins and then opens up to a sandy area surrounded by rock fins. Next, the spur appears to split in two with rocks in the middle. After the rocks, look to the right to see Sand Dune Arch. The spur ends here. Retrace your steps back to the first junction and take a right on the Broken Arch Connector Trail. This trail goes across open desert and provides distant views of the fins on both sides of the trail. Next, a junction with the Broken Arch Loop is reached. Stay to the right to see Broken Arch first. There are some scenic rock fins just to the left of the trail. Soon the trail climbs a small rise where there is an excellent view of Broken Arch. After this, the trail descends slightly curving right and ascending a steep area under the arch. At the top, there is an excellent view looking through Broken Arch from the backside. After Broken Arch, the trail follows slickrock and curves to the left below a rock bluff on the right. Next, it ascends on slickrock by an impressive rock tower before descending and curving left. Next, a spur to Tapestry Arch is reached. The spur to Tapestry Arch ascends on slickrock before curving to the right and descending to a wash. The area could be potentially confusing. Once on the other side of the wash the trail ascends to just below Tapestry Arch where a small scramble is needed to get closer to the Tapestry Arch. Retrace the way you came, and take a right. Soon, you will reach a small parking area in the campground where you will take a left. Follow the campground road to campsite 51 where the hike leaves the campground. This part ascend to a high area before descending through rock fins and trees to a junction that you saw earlier. Take a right to get back to the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead.
| Hike Facts | Trailhead Facts | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥾 Trail Features: | Arches, sandstone fins and views | 🥾 Parking: | 🥾Nearest Services | Moab, Utah | |
| 🥾 Milage: | 🥾 Acccess Road: | Paved | 🥾 Nearest Lodging: | Moab has lots of lodging options. | |
| 🥾 Elevation Gain: | 🥾 Trailhead Features: | 🥾 Nearest Camping: | Devils Graden Campground | ||
| 🥾 Trail Use/Surface: | 🥾 Trailhead Elevation: | 5187 ft/ 1581 m | |||
| 🥾 Pets: | No | 🥾 Park Hours: | 24 | ||
| 🥾 Crowds: | Yes | 🥾 Fee: | |||
| 🥾 Bugs: | Minimal | 🥾 Best Season: | All year |
Handicap Acccessibility
No
Tips for a Great Hike
🥾 Carry plenty of water and wear proper footwear
🥾 The Sand Dune Arch Trailhead is the best way to begin your hike to Broken Arch unless you are camping in the campground as the parking lot is much larger than the parking area in the campground.
🥾 If you are hiking the Broken Arch Loop, make sure to hike the spurs to Sand Dune Arch and Tapestry Arch.
🥾 Part of the hike is in the campground. If doing the loop counterclockwise take a left and hike downhill to the campground loop. Stay to the left and look for campsite 52. The loop continues between sites 51 and 52.
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