Hiking Skyline Arch Trail

Posted on June 25, 2025 by by

Tracy Immordino

A quick and easy hike to tackle in Arches National Park is the Skyline Arch Trail.

Skyline Arch Trail

The trail is .4 miles roundtrip. It’s a well-marked, there and back pathway, with an elevation gain of 28 feet.

A tree with a twist

We took 15 minutes from start to finish…would have been faster, but we had to keep stopping to take pictures like this.

Skyline Arch Trail

The arch is located quite a bit above ground level. If you want to get close to an arch without much effort, this is the hike for you.

Skyline Arch Trail

Depending on the time of day, the sandstone walls may offer you some shade when you are nearing the arch. Otherwise, it’s all sunshine! Upon finishing this trail, it was time to head over to the Fiery Furnace for our guided hike. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

(All pictures are available as Fine Art Prints or Digital Downloads for purchase through Alamy. If you see something you like, click on the link. If you are unable to find it, use the Contact Me page and I will make sure the image is available.)

Things To Know Before You Go

The park currently has a reservation system in place from April 1st – Oct. 31st. You can make reservations at recreation.gov.
At the beginning of the road into the park is a Visitor Center. It has restrooms, water, souvenirs, maps and a ranger. The summer hours are from 8 am – 6 pm.
The park is open year-round 24 hours a day, with some holiday closures. There is also a limited amount of camping. Check here for closure dates.
The current entry fee (2024) is $30 per carload. They also accept the America the Beautiful Pass, as well as some others. Veterans are always free. Check here for more information.
Take the heat warnings seriously – 4 people died in the park in 2023 while hiking.
There are a good variety of hikes to take, from easy/short to hard/long. Even if you plan to do no hiking, I still recommend visiting the park, as there is so much to see just stopping at all the scenic viewpoints.
Be sure to have plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and proper footwear. If possible, I’d plan your visit for spring, fall or winter, especially if you would like to do a lot of hiking.
The park is large, the roads are winding and traffic is generally slow going. Give yourself plenty of time for getting where you need to go.