Broken Arch Trail
in Utah
Hike across grasslands to a stone arch that isn't actually broken -- yet. You can just hike out and back to the arch, make it a loop, or add on a side trip to Sand Dune Arch. Broken Arch (from Sand Dune Arch Trailhead) Roundtrip Distance: 1.2 mi (1.9 km) Time: 30-60 minutes Elevation Change: 59 ft (18 m) Difficulty: Easy Accessibility: This trail is not accessible to wheelchairs.
Broken Arch Loop Trail Roundtrip Distance: 2.3 mi (3.7 km) Time: 1 hour Elevation Change: 59 ft (18 m) Difficulty: Moderate Hike Description: The loop trail passes beneath Broken Arch and continues to the campground, then returns via a section with moderate scrambling. Just hiking to Broken Arch from the campground is 1.4 mi (2.3 km) roundtrip Accessibility: This trail is not accessible to wheelchairs. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal? Grasslands and quiet trails can be good places to spot wildlife. Many desert animals are good at not being seen. Try sitting still and silently for ten minutes or more.
- States
- Utah
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Salt Lake City, UT · 184 mi · ~5 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 38.7647°, -109.5835°
About Arches National Park
This trail is inside Arches National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/broken-arch-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Broken Arch Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Sand Dune Arch Trail
0 miles from this trail's centroid
Skyline Arch Trail
1 miles from this trail's centroid
Balanced Rock Viewpoint and Trail
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Tower Arch Trail
5 miles from this trail's centroid
Double Arch Viewpoint and Trail
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail
10 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.