Sand Dune Arch Trail
in Utah
Hike through deep sand to find this hidden arch between tall sandstone walls. You may also choose to continue across a grassland to Broken Arch, returning via the same trail or making a loop through the campground. Sand Dune Arch Trail Roundtrip Distance: 0.4 mi (0.6 km) Time: 15-30 min Elevation Change: 0 ft (0 m) Difficulty: Easy Hike Description: Hike through deep sand to a secluded arch tucked among sandstone fins.
Do not climb or jump off the arch. Accessibility: While the trail is mostly level, it crosses deep sand and has one very narrow section, which makes it not accessible to wheelchairs. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Service animals are allowed in national parks. What is a service animal? Broken Arch Loop Trail Roundtrip Distance: 2.3 mi (3.7 km) Time: 60 minutes Elevation Change: 59 ft (18 m) Difficulty: Moderate Hike Description: Cross a grassland to an arch perched above a pygmy forest of piñon pine and juniper trees.
- 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/sand-dune-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 Sand Dune 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
Broken 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.