Hiking the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park

My favorite hike, during our short stay at Arches National Park, was The Fiery Furnace.

To hike in this area, you need a permit. The trails are hard to follow, and many people get lost.  

We opted to do a guided hike with a park ranger, as getting lost in 100degree heat was not on our bucket list. 

The hike lasts 2 1/2 hours and is 2 miles long. Hiking boots, or shoes with good grip, are mandatory; no sandals allowed. You are also required to bring water. You will need at least one person in your group to have a backpack, as you need your arms/hands free to get through sections of the trail.

The tour guide stops for water breaks and to give information about the ecosystem, rock formations and general information about the park. During our first stop, I discovered a Black Widow Spider, her webs, and three egg sacs.

We also had plenty of time to explore during our breaks.

There are a couple of slot canyons that you will need to squeeze through. It’s hard to tell, but there is also a step up, about 1/4 way through, of approximately 2 1/2 feet. It’s very awkward, as you are squeezing through sideways and have to get your left leg up that high and sort of pull yourself up, all while staying sideways.

The Fiery Furnace Trail

This hike is rated hard, for good reason. At this spot, we had to sidestep through the slot canyon, on the slanted wall, using the opposite wall to keep ourselves from falling or twisting an ankle. 

This trail is also not for the faint of heart. There are chasms you have to jump across and narrow ledges with drop offs that you sidestep along.

There are spots of shade now and then on the trail, but sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and lots of water are necessary to be comfortable.

I believe I was the most apprehensive at this juncture. The directions were, keep your back against the canyon wall, sidestep down, jump across, put your back against the canyon wall as fast as you can manage, and sidestep down to the end of the canyon. 

Our final stop was an arch inside a slot canyon. It was quite a site. 

This picture is just for scale. The arch is above her; it didn’t fit in the picture.

If you are up for the adventure, I highly recommend this guided hike. I do NOT recommend going in without a guide. We came across two groups of hikers, who had permits, and both were wandering around, pretty much lost. Our ranger offered to lead them out, but the first group, just wanted her to point out the trail, and the second group had split up and didn’t want to leave their companions roaming around looking for them. As we were hiking out, she just shook her head and said, “They are going to end up needing to be rescued.” It’s a beautiful place to visit, but not a good place to get lost!

 

I loved this hike, but boy, oh boy, did the air-conditioned car feel fantastic! We did do one more short hike, after cooling down for 20 minutes, at Devil’s Garden. The next day we were off to Canyonlands National Park. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

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Things To Know Before You Go

1. The park currently has a reservation system in place from April 1st – Oct. 31st. You can make reservations at recreation.gov. 
2. You need a separate reservation for the Fiery Furnace and spots are quite limited. Check here for reservation information. You may only reserve your spot 7 days in advance.
3. Tickets currently cost $16/person, in addition to the entrance fee. 
4. Children under 5 are not allowed. Children between 5 & 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
5. There is no turning back on the trail, as this is a group activity, so make sure you are up for the adventure.
6. I only recommend the guided hike, as the trail is very undefined and everything looks the same once you are deep in the area. Take the warnings about getting lost very seriously.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Take the heat warnings seriously – 4 people died in the park in 2023 while hiking. 
11. Be sure to have plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and proper footwear. If possible, I’d plan your visit for spring, fall or winter, to avoid the most intense heat.
12. 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, if you are not on time for your hike, you forfeit your registration fee. 

More Adventures from our Cross-Country Road Trip

Hiking to Weller Lake in Aspen, Colorado

Visiting Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado

Hiking Skyline Arch Trail

Visiting Canyonlands National Park

 

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