Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Permit Required
This hike requires a permit or fee. Check current rules before you go: recreation.gov or the managing agency.
Why Hike This
This is the only place in Arches where you need a permit just to walk in, and the reason is that people get genuinely lost. The Park Service warns of dead ends, and GPS units do not work well down between the towering sandstone walls. Expect to jump gaps, squeeze into narrow places and pull yourself up through them, and push against opposing walls to hold yourself off the ground. Group size is capped at six, children under five are not allowed, and everyone who enters has to complete the route.
The Trail
Permit-only labyrinth of fins and secret arches. Ranger tour recommended first time.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Hard)
3 liters water or hydration pack, hiking boots, layers, headlamp, trail mix and jerky, trekking poles, first-aid kit.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Devils Garden Campground (Camping, 3 mi) · Big Bend Campground (Camping, 8 mi) · Ken's Lake Campground (Camping, 20 mi) · Kayenta Campground (Dead Horse Point) (Camping, 20 mi)
More hikes nearby: Sand Dune Arch (Hike, 2 mi) · Delicate Arch (Hike, 3 mi) · Devils Garden to Landscape Arch (Hike, 4 mi) · The Windows & Turret Arch (Hike, 4 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Fiery Furnace hike?
- 2.1 miles round trip with 328 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Fiery Furnace?
- Hard. Kid rating: 2 out of 5.
- When should I hike Fiery Furnace?
- Best season: Spring & Fall.
- Why hike Fiery Furnace?
- You go for a maze of sandstone fins and hidden arches that almost nobody else in the park gets to walk through. Access comes two ways: a ranger-guided hike, or a self-guided exploration permit booked online. Self-guided visitors must watch a required video and attend an orientation at the visitor center before entering.