The Ultimate Scenic Drive and Finding My Limits Hiking at Arches National Park

I entered Arches National Park with a single mantra playing on loop: expect the crowds and go with the flow. Having driven from Capitol Reef that morning, and arriving to Arches in the late morning, I was ready to let the park decide our hiking options for the day. I had a list of 'must-see' hikes tucked in my pocket, but I knew that, like any park, when you arrive later in the day, your itinerary is decided by the mercy of the parking lots.

Incredible Scenic National Park Drive

While the trailheads and parking lots were filled to the brim, and a bike race was filling the roadways headed in the opposite direction, driving into the park and along the scenic drive was relatively open. And the drive provided sprawling desert views that I can easily call one of the most beautiful desert scenic drives I’ve ever experienced. The scale of this landscape is hard to capture in words. Massive, vibrant red rock formations surrounding the road and running in every direction beyond the eye can see, with the snow-capped Manti-La Sal National Forest in the distance to the southeast. This western extension of the Rocky Mountains continuously grabbed my attention, not just because of the draw mountains and snowy terrain have on me, but because of the stark contrast they play with the surrounding desert landscape. Whether staring toward the mountains or the far off distance of desert views, the open land stretching out in all directions is that reminder of how small you are in the world.

As expected, our destinations and hiking options were much determined by parking availability and we enjoyed the first half of the park including views of the Parade of Elephants, the Windows, Double Arch and Balanced Rock from the truck as we navigated a haunted line of traffic on the smaller roads and parking lots. With those options off the table, we headed to the main attraction I had researched prior to our visit with the hopes of an incredible hike and stunning views away from the majority of the crowds.

Facing the Devil’s Garden and Reaching Limits Hiking at Arches National Park

By the time we reached the Devils Garden trailhead, parking was much like our previous stops: non-existent. Determined to enjoy a hike and running on a bit of frustration and sheer stubbornness, after two laps, I left the full parking lot and headed to a nearby pullout a mile up the road. Adding extra snacks into our bag, we walked the mile back up the road just to reach the start of the trail. Our plan was ambitious: either hike to Dark Angel and back or tackle the full 7.9-mile loop. Loaded with snacks and water, we were prepared for the distance, but we were also prepared to let the crowds and trail conditions dictate our ultimate turnaround point.

The journey started off spectacularly. A well-maintained trail of packed sand wound through impressive red rock formations and deeper into the desert. After a short incline, we witnessed the dramatic ribbon of red rock over the horizon forming Landscape Arch. Spanning over 300 feet, this thin stone arch was truly impressive. Once we moved past this arch is when the trail transformed into something far more demanding.

I knew the Devils Garden Trail would be difficult, but "difficult" doesn't quite capture the visceral feeling of scrambling up near-vertical rock faces with steep drop-offs at your heels. The intensity was amplified by groups of people pushing past in both directions, often without much consideration of anyone trying to find their footing. Refusing to overthink the challenge, I quickly began trekking up the sandstone before I could lose my nerve. Luckily, as we approached  the narrowest ledges of the main climb, a courteous hiker paused so we could each pass in our respective directions without additional obstacles. The moment we reached the top Jason and I both looked at each other with an unspoken discomfort resting between us and the hope that we would be able to complete the full loop specifically to avoid backtracking down that rock face.

Pushing forward we navigated the uncertain terrain, connecting small trail markers like breadcrumbs with assistance of our onX Backcountry offline maps. The weather was perfect and the beautiful desert views stretched in every direction, but the hike felt less like a trail and more like a backcountry navigation exercise, leaving point A and having only sheer determination and ingenuity to get to point B. Climbing up onto the spine of a red sandstone formation led us to pause and continuously question the trail. Checking and rechecking our offline maps regardless of seeing people ahead in the same direction.

As we stepped onto the sandstone which was now leading us down a narrowing ridge, each of my steps became intentional. My breaths became more about calming my nerves than actual oxygen flow. We reached a section where you have to step over cracks where rock ridges join, gaps where you can see straight down to the desert below. With drop-offs on either side, my heart raced with each step. We approached a second break in the rock, looking ahead at the ridge as it continued to taper. Without hesitation, we looked at each other and reached the verdict: this was our limit. While these gaps and trail width would likely be an easy step on flat ground, in these conditions, they were a wall. I’ve always been proud of the fact that I don’t turn down a hiking challenge; I usually set aside fear to reach the destination. But my anxiety was through the roof, and I knew that if my mind wasn’t fully focused, it was not the time to push limits, especially with a desert abyss on either side.

Climbing off the ridge, I felt a confusing mix of relief and frustration. I was disappointed and mildly upset as I watched people surrounding us continue on, many of whom looked like they hadn't hiked a day in their lives. I kept looking to Jason for reassurance in my bewilderment, and he nodded in agreement. How was it that we had reached our limit, yet were surrounded by people running along the ridges as if it were playground chalk art? Was it stupidity, a complete lack of a sense of mortality, or was I truly missing something?

Either way, I don’t regret turning back. Whether I’ll ever attempt to finish this loop in the future remains to be seen.

Before heading back down the now unavoidable rocky climb that got us this far, we took a detour to try to enjoy some hiking and also to prolong the decent while we could. We saw a sign for Navajo Arch and Partition Arch and both ended up being worth the detour. Navajo Arch was my favorite. You walk through the archway into a quiet, isolated mini-pocket of the canyon. It felt worlds away from the crowds, while Partition Arch had more visitors but the spot offered incredible framed views of the valley below.

Our patience, or rather procrastination, paid off. By the time we headed back to the steep, unnerving section of the trail, the crowds had dispersed and we were able to take our time and navigate the descent without the pressure of a line behind us or people pushing up past us.

As we breathed a sigh of relief back on flat ground, I couldn’t help but classify this trail as a perfect example of the phrase: “just because we can, doesn't mean we should."

Looking Out on Delicate Arch

While we didn’t get in the long hike we had hoped for, we made our way back to the truck and managed to log 5.33 miles. Taking the scenic drive back through the park toward the entrance, we stopped at the trailhead for the Delicate Arch viewpoints, and laughed at the ridiculously steep climb to the top of the paved trail, commenting how this was by far the most inaccessible park we’d been to. Seeing the tiny, minuscule dots of people standing next to Utah’s famous arch in the distance really put the geology of Moab into perspective. Perhaps on a future visit we can be one of the dots standing beside it in awe of its size.

Ending the day after hiking at Arches National Park with the scenic drive out, was a confirmation that this park was by far the best yet for scenic drives. Feeling excited, worn out and a bit relieved we headed into Moab for a well-earned burger and beer at a local brewery and a night in a hotel.

Three parks down on our Mighty Five adventure, two more to go!