HIKING ARCHES & CANYONLAND N.P.
April 2008
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK DEVIL's GARDEN LOOP:
The Devils Garden Primitive Loop in Arches National park is a 6.8-mile trail that circles around Landscape Arch and the Dark Angel
spire in the northern end of Arches National Park. It is an extension of the Devils Garden Trail itself, though quite a bit rockier and
rougher than the Devils Garden Trail. This trail will take You past Tunnel and Pine Tree arches and then on to Landscape Arch.
Going clockwise, hikers pass Wall Arch, and then Partition and Navajo Arches, clumped together near Landscape, and then climb
a massive fin to gain access to short spur trails going to Double O Arch and the Dark Angel pinnacle.
Here are the pictures of The Trail and its surrounding areas.
The Devils Garden Primitive Loop in Arches National park is a 6.8-mile trail that circles around Landscape Arch and the Dark Angel
spire in the northern end of Arches National Park. It is an extension of the Devils Garden Trail itself, though quite a bit rockier and
rougher than the Devils Garden Trail. This trail will take You past Tunnel and Pine Tree arches and then on to Landscape Arch.
Going clockwise, hikers pass Wall Arch, and then Partition and Navajo Arches, clumped together near Landscape, and then climb
a massive fin to gain access to short spur trails going to Double O Arch and the Dark Angel pinnacle.
Here are the pictures of The Trail and its surrounding areas.
Bill at the Boulevard
Dirk
Mike&Marie at
Devil's Garden
Devil's Garden
Bil and Alex
Andrew
Petroglyph's
Park Boulevard
The group hiking on top of a
"Fin" field
"Fin" field
Devil's Garden From above Devils Garden from the trail
Balanced rock
Double Arch
The Egyptians
Window Arch
Double Arch
Dedicated Arch
| CANYONLAND MURPHY's LOOP: Hiking the Murphy Trail is an excellent way to gain an appreciation for the wild beauty and expanse of Canyonlands N.P. It is also a good way to sample some of the history of Canyonlands. The trail was built during World War One by the Murphy brothers, who grazed cattle in the area from 1917 until about 1920. The area on and below the Island in the Sky Mesa was used extensively for winter grazing by local cattle ranchers during the first half of this century, and many remnants of their occupation can still be seen. The Island in the Sky district was also an active exploration area for uranium prospectors during the 1950s. Uranium ore is often found in the Chinle geologic formation above the White Rim Plateau, and during the nuclear energy craze of the 1950s prospectors came from all over the country to try their luck in Canyonlands. When the area became a national park in 1964 prospecting was no longer allowed, but 4-wheeling and bicycling on some of the old roads has become very popular. In particular, the 100-mile-long 4-wheel drive White Rim Road, which circles the Island in the Sky has become one of the parks best known attractions. The middle 1.4 miles of this hike, connecting Murphy Hogback to Murphy Wash, is along the White Rim Road. |
Along the Murphy's trail
Dirk on the trail
The starting point of the White
Rim Trail
Rim Trail