Double Arch Viewpoint and Trail
in Utah
Visible from the parking loop at The Windows, Double Arch is an impressive feature—the tallest (112 ft/34 m) and second-longest (144 ft/44 m) arch in the park. A gently sloping path leads to its base. Roundtrip Distance: 0.6 mi (1 km) Time: 15-30 min Elevation Change: 30 ft (10 m) Difficulty: Easy Hike Description: This gently sloping trail leads to the base of two giant arch spans that are joined at one end.
Hikers choosing to scramble up the rock beneath the arches should plan their route carefully, as climbing up is often easier than climbing back down. Trail tip: Across from this trailhead, a connector trail climbs stairs to the upper parking lot and the Windows trailhead. Consider parking in one place and walking between the two lots, if you want to see more arches.
Accessibility: This hard-packed trail with a gradual slope is considered barrier-free and may be accessible to wheelchairs with some assistance. Dogs are not allowed on this trail. Service animals are allowed in national parks.
- States
- Utah
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Salt Lake City, UT · 190 mi · ~5 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 38.6883°, -109.5384°
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/double-arch.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 Double Arch Viewpoint and 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
Balanced Rock Viewpoint and Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail
5 miles from this trail's centroid
Broken Arch Trail
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Sand Dune Arch Trail
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Courthouse Wash Panel Trail
6 miles from this trail's centroid
Skyline Arch Trail
6 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.