Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Elevation Gain
179.00 ft (54.56 m)
Trail type
Loop
Distance
2.20 mi (3.54 km)
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One of the less crowded trails in Arches National Park is the lovely loop to Broken Arch that starts and returns right in Devils Garden Campground. This moderately easy trail passes some spectacular rock formations and provides a great introduction to slickrock passages, which aren’t as difficult to navigate here as on the Devils Garden Primitive Trail or along the trail to Delicate Arch.

The trail starts across from site 40 in Devils Garden Campground and winds through some flat areas before it travels down between huge sandstone fins to reach the flat desert below. Here there is a side trail to Sand Dune Arch, which is an interesting and worthwhile short hike to a small arch sandwiched between more fins (while the arch is hard to photograph effectively, the fins are very photogenic with a wide angle lens). Backtracking to the loop trail, the hike continues past many rock formations on the left until it reaches Broken Arch. The trail actually passes through the arch (with some slickrock scrambling) and continues back to the campground near site #41. Broken Arch presents many photo opportunities at sunrise and sunset with the La Sal mountains as a backdrop.

Note: This trail can also started at the Sand Dune Arch parking lot, incorporating a visit to that arch before continuing to the Broken Arch Loop Trail, through the campground, and back to Sand Dune Arch.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

National Park Pass

Pros

Convenient access from the campground. Easy hike. Interesting features.

Cons

None.

Trailhead Elevation

5,067.00 ft (1,544.42 m)

Features

Big vistas
Geologically significant

Location

Comments

03/23/2018
I have seen a range of 1 - 2.5 miles of hiking to this arch from the campground. I am trying to get a definitive idea of how long this hike is and how long it will take for a slow walker. Can you please fill me in? I am going there in a few weeks.
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