The Broken Arch at Arches National Park

Hiking the Broken Arch trail in Arches National Park in Utah | cb_travel

Broken Arch is one of the quieter natural arches in Arches National Park, reached by a pleasant walk across open grassland and desert terrain near Sand Dune Arch and Devils Garden. Although it receives far less attention than Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, or Double Arch, Broken Arch offers an excellent combination of easy hiking, impressive sandstone scenery, piñon-juniper woodland, and opportunities to explore one of the less crowded corners of the park.

The name is slightly misleading. Broken Arch is not actually broken. The opening remains intact, although fractures and irregularities in the sandstone give the formation an appearance that suggests it might have split apart. Like every arch in the park, however, Broken Arch is temporary on a geological timescale. Weathering continues to weaken the sandstone, and eventually gravity will complete the process that erosion began.

Visitors have several ways to experience the arch. The simplest is an easy 1.2-mile round-trip hike from the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead. Those wanting a little more adventure can complete the 2.3-mile Broken Arch Loop, which passes beneath the arch, continues toward Devils Garden Campground, and includes a section of moderate scrambling before returning.

Broken Arch is therefore an excellent choice for travelers who want more than a roadside viewpoint but do not necessarily want the exposed slickrock, steep climbs, and route-finding challenges found deeper in Devils Garden.

⚡ Broken Arch Fast Facts

Feature	Details
Park	Arches National Park
Formation	Natural sandstone arch
Starting point	Sand Dune Arch Trailhead
Broken Arch out-and-back	1.2 miles round trip
Hiking time	About 30–60 minutes
Elevation change	About 59 feet
Difficulty	Easy
Broken Arch Loop	2.3 miles round trip
Loop hiking time	About 1 hour
Loop difficulty	Moderate
Additional attraction	Sand Dune Arch
Campground connection	Devils Garden Campground
Trail surface	Sand, bedrock and rock ledges
Wheelchair accessible	No
Pets	Not permitted on trail
Best seasons	Spring and fall
Summer concern	Extreme heat and limited shade
Winter concern	Snow and ice

🪨 Is Broken Arch Really Broken?

No—not yet.

Despite its name, Broken Arch remains a complete natural arch. Its opening is still connected across the top by sandstone.

The formation does contain cracks and an uneven shape that can make it appear as though the rock has been damaged or partially separated. That appearance likely contributed to the name.

In geological terms, however, the distinction between an intact arch and a broken one is temporary. Every natural arch eventually collapses as erosion removes more rock than the remaining structure can support.

Broken Arch is simply somewhere along that process.

🌉 How Natural Arches Form

The story of Broken Arch begins long before there was an opening in the sandstone.

Much of the rock in Arches National Park belongs to large sandstone formations deposited when ancient dunes, coastal environments, and other sedimentary systems covered the region.

Deep underground, thick layers of salt were buried beneath younger rock.

Salt behaves differently from rigid sandstone when subjected to pressure. Over time, movement within the salt layers bent and fractured the rock above.

Parallel cracks developed in the sandstone.

Weathering and erosion gradually enlarged those cracks until long, narrow walls of rock known as fins remained.

Broken Arch developed from one of these fins.

💧 How an Opening Develops

Once a sandstone fin exists, water becomes one of the major forces shaping it.

Rain enters fractures and weak zones within the rock.

During freezing conditions, water expands inside cracks and helps push pieces apart. Chemical weathering weakens some of the material binding sand grains together, while gravity removes loosened rock.

Eventually a small opening may develop in the fin.

As that opening grows large enough, it becomes what geologists classify as a natural arch.

The process does not stop once the arch has formed.

Every rainstorm, freeze-thaw cycle, and rockfall continues changing it.

⏳ Broken Arch Will Eventually Collapse

Natural arches can look permanent because they change much more slowly than people do.

They are not permanent.

The same processes that created Broken Arch will eventually destroy it.

Cracks will widen.

Pieces of sandstone will fall.

The opening will enlarge.

At some point, the remaining span will no longer support its own weight and the arch will collapse.

That may happen far beyond any current visitor’s lifetime, or a significant rockfall could alter the formation much sooner.

Landscape Arch elsewhere in the park has lost enormous sections of sandstone within living memory, demonstrating how suddenly these formations can change.

📍 Where Is Broken Arch?

Broken Arch is located in the northern portion of Arches National Park, not far from Devils Garden.

The most common access begins at the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead along the main park road.

This location provides access to both Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch, making the two formations easy to combine into a single outing.

The area is several miles beyond Delicate Arch Road and Fiery Furnace, close to the northern end of the main paved park road.

Visitors driving the full length of Arches can conveniently stop here before continuing toward Devils Garden.

🚗 Getting to the Trailhead

The Sand Dune Arch Trailhead is reached entirely on paved roads.

From the Arches Visitor Center, follow the main park road north through the heart of the park.

You will pass many of Arches’ major landmarks and trailheads before reaching the Sand Dune Arch parking area.

No high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle is necessary under normal conditions.

Parking is available at the trailhead, along with a vault toilet.

Like most popular parking areas in Arches, spaces can fill during busy spring and fall periods.

An early start usually provides the easiest parking and the most comfortable hiking temperatures.

🥾 The Easy Hike to Broken Arch

The straightforward out-and-back hike from the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead is approximately 1.2 miles round trip.

NPS classifies this version as easy.

The route crosses relatively open grassland toward the arch, gaining only around 59 feet of elevation.

Most visitors can complete the hike in about 30 to 60 minutes, although photographers and wildlife watchers may want longer.

The trail feels very different from many Arches hikes because it travels across a relatively broad open area rather than immediately following steep slickrock or enclosed sandstone fins.

Broken Arch appears ahead as you cross the landscape.

🌾 Crossing the Grassland

The open area between the trailhead and Broken Arch provides one of the hike’s most distinctive features.

Visitors accustomed to imagining Arches as nothing but bare red sandstone may be surprised by the amount of vegetation.

Native grasses, shrubs, piñon pine, and Utah juniper form part of the surrounding high-desert ecosystem.

The grassland also creates excellent long views toward sandstone formations.

Instead of discovering the arch suddenly at the end of a canyon, hikers watch it gradually become larger as they approach.

This makes the hike especially enjoyable during early morning and late afternoon, when low light emphasizes the colors and textures of both rock and vegetation.

🌲 Piñon and Juniper Woodland

Broken Arch sits above an area of low woodland dominated by piñon pine and Utah juniper.

These trees are remarkably well adapted to the dry environment.

Utah junipers can survive long periods with little moisture and develop extensive root systems to exploit limited water.

Piñon pines produce nutrient-rich seeds that provide food for wildlife and historically served as an important food source for Indigenous peoples throughout the Colorado Plateau.

Together, piñon and juniper create what is sometimes called a pygmy forest because the trees are generally much shorter than the towering forests found at wetter, higher elevations.

🪨 Approaching Broken Arch

The arch becomes increasingly impressive as the trail draws closer.

From a distance, the irregular sandstone span can appear relatively small against the larger fin.

At close range, its scale becomes much more obvious.

The opening frames patches of sky, trees, and desert beyond, creating excellent opportunities for photography.

The standard trail continues directly toward the arch, and the loop route passes beneath the opening before continuing toward Devils Garden Campground.

Remember that passing beneath an arch on an established trail is different from climbing onto it.

Walking or climbing on top of natural arches is prohibited throughout the park.

🔄 The Broken Arch Loop

Visitors wanting a longer hike can continue beyond the arch to complete the 2.3-mile Broken Arch Loop.

The loop passes beneath Broken Arch and continues toward Devils Garden Campground before returning toward the trailhead.

NPS rates this version as moderate rather than easy.

The difference comes primarily from terrain rather than distance.

The route contains rock ledges, boulders, steps, sandy sections, and an area requiring moderate scrambling.

For active hikers, these features add interest without turning the route into a major backcountry undertaking.

🧗 Moderate Scrambling

The scrambling on the Broken Arch Loop is modest compared with difficult routes deeper in Devils Garden, but it still requires use of hands and careful foot placement in places.

Hikers uncomfortable with climbing over rock obstacles may prefer to visit Broken Arch as an out-and-back hike.

Good shoes make the loop much easier.

Sand and loose material can reduce traction, while rock ledges create awkward steps for people wearing smooth-soled casual shoes.

Families should consider the abilities of younger hikers before committing to the entire loop.

Turning around at Broken Arch remains an excellent option.

🏕️ Devils Garden Campground

The loop passes through part of Devils Garden Campground, the only developed campground inside Arches National Park.

The campground sits among sandstone formations, piñon-juniper vegetation, and open desert terrain near the northern end of the park road.

For campers staying there, Broken Arch becomes especially convenient.

NPS lists the out-and-back distance from the campground to Broken Arch at approximately 1.4 miles round trip.

This makes the arch an excellent early-morning or evening walk for campers who want to explore before or after peak daytime visitation.

🏜️ Connecting Broken Arch and Devils Garden

Although Broken Arch and the famous Devils Garden trail system are separate hiking experiences, they occupy the same general portion of the park.

Devils Garden lies farther north and contains Landscape Arch, Double O Arch, Partition Arch, Navajo Arch, and the Primitive Trail.

Broken Arch offers a substantially easier alternative.

Visitors could easily spend an entire day in this northern section of Arches by hiking Broken Arch in the morning and then exploring part of Devils Garden later.

The two hikes complement each other well because they show different sides of the park’s sandstone landscape.

🏖️ Add Sand Dune Arch

One of the best reasons to choose the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead is the opportunity to see two arches during the same stop.

Sand Dune Arch requires only about a 0.4-mile round-trip walk from the parking area.

The route enters a narrow passage between tall sandstone fins before reaching a secluded arch surrounded by deep sand.

The environment feels completely different from Broken Arch.

Sand Dune Arch is enclosed, shady, and intimate.

Broken Arch is approached across open grassland with broad sky overhead.

Seeing both creates an excellent contrast.

🏜️ Sand Dune Arch

Sand Dune Arch is particularly appealing during hot weather because the surrounding fins provide more shade than the open trail toward Broken Arch.

Deep orange sand covers much of the ground around the formation.

Children often enjoy the soft sand, although climbing or jumping from the arch itself is prohibited.

The narrow entrance and sandy floor also create striking photography conditions.

Because the hike is so short, there is little reason to skip Sand Dune Arch when visiting Broken Arch unless time is extremely limited.

🚶 A Good Two-Hour Outing

NPS specifically recommends combining Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch as a good option for visitors with roughly two hours available.

Begin with Sand Dune Arch.

Return toward the junction and cross the open landscape to Broken Arch.

From there, either retrace your route to the parking lot or continue through the campground to complete the loop.

Adding time for photographs, wildlife watching, and exploring the scenery makes this an excellent leisurely outing rather than simply a quick hike.

🌞 Broken Arch in Summer

Summer requires extra caution.

Temperatures in Arches regularly exceed 100°F, particularly in July and August.

Much of the Broken Arch route crosses exposed terrain with very little shade.

The distance is short, but that should not create false confidence.

Heat illness can develop quickly in the desert, especially for visitors arriving from cooler climates.

Hike early in the morning or later in the evening.

Avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest portion of the day.

Bring water even if you expect to be gone for less than an hour.

💧 How Much Water?

For frontcountry hiking in Arches, NPS recommends carrying substantial water—often around 2 to 3 liters per person depending on conditions and duration.

The short Broken Arch hike may not require as much as a long Devils Garden excursion, but every hiker should still carry water.

Dry desert air causes sweat to evaporate rapidly.

You may be losing fluid without feeling drenched in perspiration.

Drink when thirsty and bring salty snacks during longer outings.

Never begin a desert hike already dehydrated.

🌅 Early Morning

Early morning is one of the best times to visit Broken Arch.

Temperatures are cooler, parking is usually easier, and fewer people occupy the trail.

Soft morning light can also create beautiful color on the sandstone.

Wildlife is generally more active during cooler portions of the day.

The open terrain makes sunrise especially appealing because broad views allow light to spread gradually across the grassland and surrounding fins.

If you want solitude, morning is usually the most reliable choice.

🌇 Late Afternoon and Evening

Late afternoon can be equally beautiful.

As the sun drops lower, shadows begin emphasizing fractures and textures in the sandstone.

Temperatures become more comfortable after a hot day, and day visitors gradually begin leaving the park.

Campers at Devils Garden have an obvious advantage because they can walk toward Broken Arch as evening approaches without worrying about a long drive afterward.

Carry a headlamp if there is any chance you will remain out after sunset.

Desert darkness arrives quickly.

🌸 Spring

Spring is one of the most popular seasons at Arches.

Temperatures are generally pleasant, desert vegetation begins producing flowers, and the days are long enough for several hikes.

The downside is crowds.

March, April, and May can bring substantial traffic to the park entrance and busy trailhead parking areas.

Arriving early remains one of the simplest ways to improve the experience.

Spring weather can also include strong winds and rapid temperature changes, so carry an extra layer even when the forecast looks mild.

🍂 Fall

Fall is another excellent season.

September can still feel like summer during the afternoon, but October typically brings cooler temperatures ideal for hiking.

Clear skies and pleasant weather also attract many visitors.

Morning layers may be necessary later in the season, particularly in the exposed northern portion of the park.

Broken Arch’s relatively short distance makes it easy to fit into a larger fall itinerary that also includes Devils Garden or other northern park attractions.

❄️ Winter

Winter brings quiet trails, cold temperatures, and occasional snow.

Red sandstone covered with white snow creates some of the most beautiful scenery in Arches National Park.

The drawback is ice.

Packed snow can make bedrock and rock steps extremely slippery.

Traction devices and trekking poles may be useful after storms.

Snow can also obscure sections of trail.

Even though Broken Arch is relatively short and straightforward, winter conditions can transform an easy hike into a much more serious outing.

⛈️ Thunderstorms

Summer thunderstorms deserve attention throughout Arches National Park.

Lightning, strong wind, heavy rain, and flash flooding can develop quickly.

Broken Arch’s open grassland provides limited protection from lightning.

If thunder is nearby, return toward your vehicle rather than remaining exposed.

Do not shelter beneath isolated trees.

Flash flooding is less obvious on open ground than inside a slot canyon, but washes and low areas can fill rapidly during intense storms.

Never attempt to cross flowing floodwater.

👟 What Shoes Should You Wear?

Ordinary hiking shoes or trail-running shoes with good traction work well for most visitors.

The direct route to Broken Arch is relatively straightforward.

The full loop involves more bedrock, steps, boulders, and scrambling, so supportive footwear becomes more valuable.

Open-toed sandals and smooth casual shoes are less suitable for the moderate route.

After snow or rain, conditions may change significantly.

Sandstone that feels secure when dry can become slippery when wet or icy.

🎒 What to Bring

For the basic Broken Arch hike, carry water, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and comfortable footwear.

During spring, fall, or winter, add layers for rapidly changing temperatures.

Anyone completing the loop may also appreciate a small first-aid kit and trekking poles, although poles must be managed carefully during scrambling.

Carry a headlamp if hiking near sunrise or sunset.

A map is useful when combining the trail with nearby routes, even though the standard hike is relatively easy to follow.

🌱 Biological Soil Crust

The dark, irregular material covering portions of the desert ground may look like ordinary dirt.

It is actually alive.

Biological soil crust is a community containing cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, fungi, algae, and other organisms.

The crust helps bind loose soil, reduces erosion, retains moisture, and contributes nutrients to desert ecosystems.

It develops very slowly.

A single footprint can damage crust that took years or decades to form.

Stay on established trails, bare rock, or durable sandy surfaces instead of cutting across undisturbed ground.

🌿 Desert Vegetation

The Broken Arch area supports a surprising variety of plants.

Utah juniper and piñon pine dominate portions of the woodland.

Rabbitbrush, blackbrush, Mormon tea, yucca, prickly pear, and numerous grasses and wildflowers occupy different soils and moisture conditions.

These plants survive dramatic temperature differences, intense sunlight, low humidity, and unreliable rainfall.

Some reduce water loss through small leaves.

Others store water or develop extensive roots.

What initially appears to be empty desert is actually a highly specialized biological community.

🐦 Wildlife Around Broken Arch

Open grassland and quieter trails can provide good wildlife-watching opportunities.

Ravens are common throughout Arches.

Mule deer may appear during cooler morning and evening periods.

Cottontails, rodents, lizards, snakes, and numerous bird species use the grassland and piñon-juniper woodland.

Many desert animals are extremely good at remaining hidden.

Rather than constantly moving, try sitting quietly for several minutes.

An area that initially appears empty may gradually reveal birds, insects, or mammals that remained motionless while you approached.

🐍 Snakes

Snakes are part of the natural desert ecosystem.

Most prefer avoiding people and will move away when given enough space.

Watch where you step, especially around vegetation and rocks.

Never put your hands into cracks or beneath stones you cannot see around.

If you encounter a snake, stop and give it room.

Do not attempt to catch, move, or provoke it for photographs.

The safest wildlife encounter is one in which the animal does not need to change its behavior because of you.

🐕 Are Dogs Allowed?

No.

Pets are not permitted on hiking trails in Arches National Park, including the Broken Arch and Sand Dune Arch trails.

Pets are permitted in certain developed locations such as campgrounds, established roads, parking areas, and picnic areas when properly leashed.

Do not leave a pet in a parked vehicle during warm weather.

Even relatively mild air temperatures can produce dangerously hot conditions inside a vehicle, and summer temperatures at Arches make the risk especially severe.

♿ Accessibility

Broken Arch Trail is not wheelchair accessible.

The route includes sand, bedrock, rock ledges, boulders, steps, and uneven terrain.

Even the shorter Sand Dune Arch Trail includes deep sand and a very narrow passage that prevents standard wheelchair accessibility.

Travelers with mobility needs can still enjoy numerous scenic viewpoints throughout Arches, and current accessibility information can help identify routes with firmer surfaces and lower grades.

🚫 Do Not Climb on Broken Arch

Arches National Park prohibits climbing, scrambling, walking, standing, or rappelling on natural arches.

That includes Broken Arch.

The rule protects both the formations and visitors.

Sandstone can fracture without warning, and arches are inherently weakened structures shaped by erosion.

Enjoy the view from the established trail.

Passing beneath Broken Arch where the official route travels is permitted; climbing onto the arch is not.

🪨 Leave the Rocks Alone

Do not carve names, initials, symbols, or messages into sandstone.

Graffiti permanently damages natural surfaces and cultural resources.

Do not build unnecessary rock piles either.

Official cairns are carefully placed to mark trails in certain parts of Arches, and unofficial piles can confuse hikers.

The best way to leave a mark on Broken Arch is through photographs and memories rather than altering the landscape itself.

📷 Photographing Broken Arch

Broken Arch provides several interesting compositions because the trail approaches it across open terrain.

From a distance, use the grassland and low trees to provide scale.

Closer to the arch, frame the sky and distant landscape through the opening.

A person standing legally on the trail nearby can help demonstrate the size of the sandstone formation.

Morning and evening light generally creates richer colors and deeper shadows than midday.

If photographing during bright afternoon conditions, look for contrasts between the illuminated sandstone and darker vegetation.

🏖️ Photographing Sand Dune Arch

If combining both arches, Sand Dune Arch requires a completely different approach.

The narrow sandstone corridor produces strong reflected light and soft orange tones.

Deep sand creates leading lines toward the arch.

Because the environment is enclosed, even midday light can sometimes work well when sunlight reflects from surrounding sandstone walls.

Respect other visitors when composing photographs.

Do not monopolize the narrow passage or ask people to climb onto protected formations for scale.

👨‍👩‍👧 Is Broken Arch Good for Families?

Yes.

The 1.2-mile out-and-back route is one of the better choices for families wanting a genuine hike without a major climb.

Children often enjoy adding Sand Dune Arch because of the deep sand and narrow sandstone passage.

The full Broken Arch Loop requires more judgment.

Moderate scrambling and rock obstacles may be exciting for active older children but frustrating for very young hikers.

Families can simply turn around at Broken Arch if the terrain ahead looks uncomfortable.

There is no need to complete the loop to experience the best part of the hike.

🆚 Broken Arch vs. Landscape Arch

Landscape Arch is much larger and more famous.

At roughly 306 feet across its opening, it is one of the extraordinary geological features of Arches National Park.

Broken Arch provides a more modest formation but often a quieter overall experience.

The approach crosses open grassland instead of following the heavily traveled Devils Garden corridor.

For a first visit, Landscape Arch probably deserves priority.

If you have enough time, however, Broken Arch offers an excellent complement because the setting and trail feel substantially different.

🆚 Broken Arch vs. Sand Dune Arch

These two arches are close enough that choosing between them usually makes little sense.

See both.

Sand Dune Arch is much easier and faster to reach, requiring only a short walk into a shaded sandstone corridor.

Broken Arch requires a longer walk across exposed terrain.

Sand Dune feels enclosed and intimate.

Broken Arch feels open and expansive.

Together, they create one of the easiest two-arch combinations in the park.

🗓️ A Great Broken Arch Itinerary

Begin early at the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead.

Walk first to Sand Dune Arch while the narrow corridor is relatively quiet.

Return to the junction and continue across the grassland toward Broken Arch.

After reaching the arch, decide how the group feels.

For an easy outing, retrace the route directly to the parking lot.

For more adventure, continue beneath Broken Arch toward Devils Garden Campground and complete the loop.

After returning to the vehicle, drive north to Devils Garden and hike to Landscape Arch if temperatures and energy levels remain comfortable.

This creates an excellent half-day exploration of the northern park.

🚧 Current 2026 Planning Notes

Broken Arch Trail is currently listed by the National Park Service as an active hiking route, with the trail information most recently updated in August 2026.

The direct hike from the Sand Dune Arch Trailhead is listed at 1.2 miles round trip, while the full loop is 2.3 miles.

Arches National Park is open year-round under normal conditions, although extremely busy periods can lead to temporary delays at the entrance or full trailhead parking lots.

For 2026, advance timed-entry reservations are not required to enter Arches National Park.

Reservations are still required for certain activities and facilities, including Devils Garden Campground during its reservation season and Fiery Furnace access where applicable.

Always check current park alerts before traveling because weather, road work, emergencies, or resource-protection measures can temporarily change access.

⭐ Is Broken Arch Worth Visiting?

Yes, especially if you want an enjoyable Arches hike without the intensity or crowds associated with some of the park’s marquee destinations.

Broken Arch is not the park’s largest arch.

It is not the most famous.

It does not require a difficult summit climb or exposed ridge walk.

Those qualities are part of its appeal.

The trail allows you to cross open grassland, see piñon and juniper woodland, explore sandstone formations, add a second arch with almost no extra effort, and choose between an easy out-and-back walk and a more adventurous loop.

The formation itself also captures something fundamental about Arches National Park.

Broken Arch is not broken, but it is breaking.

So is every arch.

The park’s sandstone spans exist because erosion removed rock, and that same erosion continues removing it today. Their beauty comes partly from the fact that they are temporary.

Walk beneath Broken Arch and look closely at the fractures in the sandstone.

Look across the grassland toward the surrounding fins.

Notice the low piñon and juniper trees surviving in dry soil and the patches of living biological soil crust between them.

Then consider how different the landscape will eventually become.

Some existing arches will collapse.

Other openings will enlarge.

Fins will become towers.

Rockfalls will reshape familiar landmarks.

Broken Arch offers an easy hike, but it also provides one of the clearest lessons in Arches National Park: stone landscapes are not still.

They are simply changing much more slowly than we are.