Devil's Garden Trail — Attraction in Moab

Hiking Devil’s Garden in Arches National Park is an unforgettable adventure that showcases the raw beauty of Utah’s desert landscape. This trail, located in the northern part of the park, is one of the most popular and diverse hikes in Arches, offering a mix of stunning geological formations, challenging terrain, and breathtaking vistas. I hiked the full Devil’s Garden Loop, including the Primitive Trail, in October 2025, and here’s my take on the experience. Trail Overview
The Devil’s Garden Trail system offers options for hikers of varying skill levels. The main trail is a 7.9-mile loop (including the Primitive Trail), though shorter out-and-back segments are available for those seeking a less strenuous experience. The main attractions are the eight natural arches along the route, including the iconic Landscape Arch, Tunnel Arch, Pine Tree Arch, Double O Arch, and others. Rated as moderate to strenuous, the full loop involves some scrambling, narrow ledges, and sandy sections, with a total elevation gain of about 1,000 feet. The Experience
Starting early in the morning from the Devil’s Garden trailhead, I was immediately struck by the dramatic red rock scenery. The first mile is well-maintained and accessible, leading to Landscape Arch, one of the longest natural arches in the world at over 300 feet. Its delicate span is awe-inspiring, though signs warn of its fragility after past rockfalls. This section is great for families or casual hikers, as it’s relatively flat and wide. Continuing past Landscape Arch, the trail gets more adventurous. The path to Double O Arch involves climbing over slickrock and navigating some exposed sections, which add a thrill but require caution, especially in windy conditions. The views from Double O Arch are worth the effort—two stacked arches framed against the vast desert expanse. I also took short spurs to Navajo Arch and Partition Arch, both offering quieter spots to soak in the scenery. Navajo Arch, in particular, feels like a hidden gem with its shaded, almost cave-like setting. The Primitive Trail, which completes the loop, is where things get wild. This less-traveled section is rugged, with uneven terrain, sandy washes, and some route-finding required. Cairns mark the way, but you’ll need to pay attention. I loved the solitude and the sense of exploration, but it’s not for everyone—proper hiking boots and plenty of water (at least 2-3 liters per person) are essential. The trail loops back through a mix of desert scrub and rock fins, offering a different perspective of the park’s geology. Devil’s Garden is a must-do for hikers visiting Arches National Park. The trail’s mix of iconic arches, rugged beauty, and varied terrain makes it one of the park’s crown jewels. Whether you stick to the easier out-and-back to Landscape Arch or tackle the full loop, you’re in for a visual feast. For me, the Primitive Trail’s sense of adventure and the sheer scale of the arches made this a 5-star hike. Just come prepared, respect the desert environment, and you’ll leave with memories of one of America’s most spectacular...

The Devil's Garden hike is the best way to see some of the most spectacular scenery at Arches. We hiked the trail in early April. If you take the entire trail, like we did, expect some pretty difficult hiking. There are very steep climbs up rocks, walking along the top of high up ridges, crawling off of rock shelves, sand in some spots, etc. I would not recommend taking small children, although I saw some people that did. Do not take this hike if heights bother you! I am an overweight middle aged woman in decent shape with tendonitis in one foot, and I managed the hike, but it was definitely hard. It was so worth it though. I'm not sure I've ever seen such spectacular scenery. We took 6 1/2 hours to hike the whole thing clockwise, mostly due to my slow pace and stopping to eat lunch along the way. My kids were age 11 and up and did great with the hike. We had some trouble staying on the trail from time to time, so I would recommend having the trail map uploaded. Other hikers were very helpful to us in finding where to go. I'm very glad we went in early April. It was the perfect time of year to enjoy Arches- not too hot,...

This probably has to be the most exciting trail in the park next to the firey furnace trail. But you don't need a permit or guide for this one.

The first part of the trail is on a maintained path and is an easy hike. Once you get to landscape arch is where the fun and challenging part of the trail begins. After a short hike through a beachy section, you have to traverse a steep rock ledge. While not difficult, you do need to watch your footing as it is a long way down on both sides.

Once you pass the steep rock gate as we called it, the upper part of the trail offers some fun rock scrambling and some easy walking trails to the upper arches. The highlight of the trail was what we called the spine section. This 100-yard or so section of trail has you walk along a rock top with steep drop-offs on either side. Again, it's not hard, but don't look down if you get vertigo.

The rest of the trail to double o arches is a mix of trail types and rock scrambling. If you plan on going to private arch or dark angle, you will have to trek on primitive trails to find your way...