Mesa Arch Trail
in Utah
Perched at the edge of the mesa top, this 27-foot-long (8.3 m) arch frames views of the canyon far below and the La Sal Mountains in the distance. The loop hike has slightly more elevation change at the beginning if you travel counter-clockwise. To reduce the number of stairs, walk clockwise to the arch, then retrace your steps.
Roundtrip Distance: 0.6 mi (1 km) Time: 30 min Elevation Change: 56 ft (17 m) Difficulty: Easy Hike Description: A short hike leads to a cliff-edge arch. Mesa Arch is a classic sunrise spot, and has stunning views towards the La Sal Mountains any time of day. Accessibility: This trail can be rough, uneven, and requires walking up and down a rocky hill and stone steps.
It is not accessible to wheelchairs. In winter, there may be snow or icy conditions; we recommend traction devices for hikers. 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 · 196 mi · ~6 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 38.3892°, -109.8682°
About Canyonlands National Park
This trail is inside Canyonlands 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/mesa-arch.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/cany/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 Mesa 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
Wilhite Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Murphy Loop Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Murphy Point Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Alcove Spring Trail
3 miles from this trail's centroid
Whale Rock Trail
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Lathrop Trail
4 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.