The Devils Garden Trail has all of the ingredients for a perfect hike in Arches National Park. If you hike the entire 7.8-mile loop, you get to see eight arches! Along the way, go rock scrambling, hike along fins of sandstone rock, and enjoy some of the best views of the park.
What makes the Devils Garden Trail so great is that you can pick and choose what you want to do. You can simply hike round trip to Landscape Arch (it’s only 1.6 miles round trip). From the main trail there are two spur trails that detour to more arches. Once you get to the end of the main trail, you can hike back the way you came or try out your route finding skills on the Primitive Trail.
If you are visiting Arches as a family or in a group, some people may choose to explore the easier trails at the front of the hike. Those feeling more adventurous can keep going. As you approach Double O Arch, the trail gets more difficult (and more fun) now that you have short sections of rock scrambling. The views from the sandstone fins are unbeatable. And hiking back on the Primitive Trail is a great way to add a little adventure to your day.
We have hiked the Devils Garden Trail multiple times. Here’s how to do it.
Overview of the Devils Garden Trail
Round Trip to Landscape Arch: 1.6 miles, 1 hour
Round Trip to Double O Arch: 4.2 miles, 2 – 2.5 hours
Round Trip to Dark Angel: 5 miles, 2 – 3 hours
To Dark Angel, return on Primitive Trail: 5.9 miles, 2.5 – 3.5 hours
Spur Trail to Pinetree and Tunnel Arches: 0.5 miles, 20 minutes
Spur Trail to Navajo and Partition Arches: 0.8 miles, 30 minutes
Total Distance (Dark Angel, Primitive Trail, all arches): 7.8 miles, 3 – 4 hours
Difficulty: It is an easy hike to Landscape Arch, with a few ups and downs along the trail. Beyond Landscape Arch, the hike is moderately difficult, with several short, steep climbs and some rock scrambling.
Total Ascent: 1,350 feet (for the full loop)
Map of the trail. The main trail is red. The Primitive Trail is blue. The yellow trails are spur trails and the purple trail goes to Dark Angel.
Devils Garden Trail Elevation Profile
Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.
How to Hike the Devils Garden Trail
Step-By-Step Trail Guide
Park in the enormous parking lot at the end of Devils Garden Road. The trailhead is well marked and there are restrooms here if you need them.
Trail to Pinetree and Tunnel Arches
The main trail is well graded and relatively flat until you get to Landscape Arch. Along the way, you will walk through sandstone fins, just like these at the very start of the hike.
About 10 minutes into the hike you have the option to take the spur trail to the right. This takes you to two arches. This short trail is 0.5 miles round trip and adds 15 to 20 minutes to your hike.
Tunnel Arch
The first arch is Tunnel Arch. You can only view it from a distance but it’s worth a quick look.
Pinetree Arch
Pinetree Arch is better, in my opinion. You get to see it up close and if there aren’t too many people here, you can take photos in the arch.
Take the spur trail back to the main trail and continue the walk to Landscape Arch. Here is the view along the way.
Landscape Arch
Follow the main trail until you get to Landscape Arch. This arch has one of the world’s longest spans. It stretches 306 feet but it is only 11 feet wide in its narrowest section. In 1991, a portion of the arch fell and this is all that remains. At some point, hopefully not too soon, the rest of the arch will fall.
There are several different viewpoints here so have fun photographing the arch.
You can turn around here or keep hiking to Double O Arch. This is when the hike really starts to get fun.
Trail to Navajo and Partition Arches
From Landscape Arch, hike up the sandstone fins. Enjoy the spectacular view back over the main trail.
It does not take long to reach the spur trail to Navajo and Partition Arches. If you choose to take this trail, it adds 0.8 miles round trip and it takes about 30 minutes to visit both arches.
The spur trail splits and you can visit these arches in either order.
Partition Arch
From Partition Arch, enjoy the view of Arches National Park and the landscape of Devils Garden through “the window.”
Navajo Arch
This wide, low arch looks and feels more like a cave than an arch.
On the Trail to Double O Arch
As you hike towards Double O Arch, the scenery keeps getting better and the trail gets less crowded.
Follow the signs for Double O Arch. The trail is well marked until you get to one large, sandstone fin. Shown in the photo below, you climb up onto the fin and then turn right to walk on top of it. The views from here are incredible on one of my favorites in Arches National Park.
Black Arch Overlook
Before you get to Double O Arch, you will see a sign for Black Arch Overlook. This 2-minute detour is well worth it. Not only can you see the Black Arch, way off in the distance, but the landscape is amazing here.
Double O Arch
A little bit of rock scrambling over the sandstone fins and finally you are at Double O Arch. This looks like a smaller version of Double Arch at the front of the park.
From here, you can walk back to your car or continue the adventure.
Dark Angel
Dark Angel is a giant pillar of sandstone rock. To get here, take the trail from Double O Arch. This detour adds 0.8 miles to the hike.
If you skip one arch/landmark on this hike, Dark Angel would be the one. It’s not nearly as interesting as the other arches and rock formations on the Devils Garden Trail, and you can see it off in the distance as you hike to Double O Arch, so there’s no need to hike right up to it.
The view of Double O Arch on the hike back from Dark Angel.
Once you visit Dark Angel, you can return to your car on the main trail or take the Primitive Trail.
The Primitive Trail
The Primitive Trail is a poorly marked trail but it takes you through some of the best scenery in Arches National Park. Expect sections of rock scrambling and a few short, strenuous climbs. For part of the hike, you are walking in a wash (a dry riverbed), so there may be small pools of water that you have to jump over.
You will need to do a bit of route finding to stay on the trail. For most of the way, the trail is marked with cairns, stacked stones that serve as trail markers. However, these cairns are few and far between in some spots, so they can be difficult to spot.
It is very easy to lose the trail. The first time we hiked Devils Garden, we lost the trail and wandered around for a little bit. We saw several other groups of people wandering around, lost as well. There are numerous “false trails.” These are trails that were formed by other hikers who stumbled off the main trail, creating short, dead-end trails. They can be very misleading.
The second time around, we did a lot better. We never lost the trail, taking the time to spot the rock cairns, and cheating a little bit, by following the map on our Garmin Fenix watches.
If you don’t have a GPS device, my advice is to hike to one cairn and then look for the next one. You can also cache the trail map on your phone and use this to double check your location. On our most recent visit, we had a weak cellular signal, but I wouldn’t depend on this as a navigation tool.
While on the Primitive Trail, you can add on the short detour to Private Arch. It’s a small, low arch and you may it all to yourself.
On the Primitive Trail
On the spur trail to Private Arch
Private Arch
Beyond the spur trail for Private Arch, the trail gets a little harder to follow. It is very important that you keep spotting those rock cairns. The trail will make a sharp turn to the left, climb up and over a fin of sandstone, and then turn right again. This is the section where most people lose the trail.
This is the trickiest section. The arrow is pointing to one of the few rock cairns. They can be hard to spot since they really blend in with the landscape.
After climbing up and over numerous fins of rock, it is a long, somewhat boring hike on a sandy trail until you get back to the main trail. The Primitive Trail meets up with the main trail near Landscape Arch. From here, it is about a 30-minute walk to the parking lot.
Shorter Variation of the Devils Garden Trail
So, what if you want to hike the best sections of the Devils Garden Trail without going all 7.8 miles? There is a way you can do it.
Hike to Landscape Arch and continue to Double O Arch. In my opinion, the section of trail between Landscape Arch and Double O Arch is the best of the hike. Skip Navajo and Partition Arches. They are nice but they add almost 1 mile and 30 minutes of hiking. Don’t bother going out to Dark Angel. It’s not all that exciting and you can actually see it in the distance as you hike to Double O Arch. The quickest way back to your car is to retrace your steps (4.5 miles round-trip), but if you like the idea of route-finding and a little more adventure, return on the Primitive Trail (5 miles round-trip).
Finally, you have the option to add in Tunnel Arch and Pinetree Arch (0.5 miles extra) before you get back to the parking lot.
Tips to Have the Best Experience
Cache maps before you go. You might have a weak cellular signal on the Devils Garden Trail but I wouldn’t depend on it. However, you can still use the GPS on your phone to get your location on the hike.
Bring sunscreen. There is very little shade on the trail.
Bring plenty of water. In the warmer months, plan on bringing at least 2 to 3 liters of water per person, especially if you plan to hike the entire loop.
Hiking with Kids. This is a great trail for kids. Younger kids should be able to handle the trail to Landscape Arch. Older, more adventurous kids will love the hike between Landscape Arch and Double O Arch. There are drop-offs while walking on the fins, so keep an eye on young kids here. If you feel confident in your route finding skills, consider taking older kids on the Primitive Trail.
About Our Experiences
We have hiked this trail twice.
The first time was on December 27, 2018. During the Christmas holiday season, the parking lots were usually full but the park didn’t feel too crowded. The clouds in the sky were from a storm that was dropping snow in nearby Canyonlands National Park. Too bad it didn’t snow during our visit to Arches. That would have been a treat!
Here are a few photos from our first hike, and a little bit of snow on the ground.
More recently, we visited Arches National Park in November 2020. We had crystal clear skies and low crowds, lower than you would see during the winter holiday season. November is a great time to visit Arches National Park, since crowd levels tend to be low. Just be prepared for chilly temperatures and a small chance of snow.
If you are new to hiking or are curious about what you should bring on a hike, check out our Essential Hiking Gear Guide. Find out what we carry in our day packs and what we wear on the trails.
Are you planning a trip to Arches National Park? If you have any questions about this hike or the park, comment below!
More Information about Utah
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: If you are short on time, check out our One Day in Arches National Park to learn the best way to spend your time here.
CANYONLANDS: Exploring the Island in the Sky district is one of the best things to do in Canyonlands. For the full list, read our article Best Things to Do in Canyonlands National Park.
HIKES IN CAPITOL REEF: Capitol Reef has a long list of hiking trails, including Cassidy Arch and Navajo Knobs. Get the full list in our Capitol Reef Hiking Guide.
GOBLIN VALLEY: Goblin Valley is a small state park packed with unique rock formations that’s a fun place to explore, especially for kids. Nearby you can also hike through Little Wild Horse slot canyon.
ZION NATIONAL PARK: Check out our Zion National Park Travel Guide for important travel planning tips, sample itineraries, advice on when to go, where to stay, and more.
MORE GREAT HIKES IN THE NATIONAL PARKS: From hikes to the tallest peaks to beautiful coast trails, read our Guide to the Best Day Hikes in the US National Parks. If you prefer to keep your hikes short and sweet, read our guide to the Best Short Hikes in the National Parks.
NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries.
Read all of our articles about Utah in our Utah Travel Guide and the United States in our United States Travel Guide.
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