Navajo Arch

Navajo Arch is a thick, ground-level sandstone arch tucked into a shaded alcove on the Devils Garden hike. It’s a more enclosed stop than the big open spans nearby, with junipers and red rock visible through its low opening. I’d take the spur if you like quiet, sheltered places; skip it if you only want the headline arches.

The arch is an optional spur between Landscape Arch and Double O Arch. From Devils Garden Trailhead, the walk to Landscape Arch is 1.9 miles round trip; continuing to Double O is 4.1 miles. The Navajo and Partition spurs add 0.8 mile together, so the full Double O route with both detours is about 4.9 miles round trip. That 0.8-mile figure isn’t broken out for Navajo alone.

Beyond Landscape Arch, the route becomes difficult: steep sandstone fins, narrow ledges, drops and hand-and-foot scrambling. The Navajo spur is short, but getting there means taking on that exposed section. Continue only if you’re comfortable with the footing and exposure. Bring water, and avoid the midday summer heat. Devils Garden is at the end of the park road, about 18 miles and a 45-minute drive from the visitor center; its parking can be very busy in peak season and on holiday weekends.

The low curve makes a natural frame for the junipers and sandstone beyond. Visitors often treat the shady alcove as a quiet place to pause, especially after the busier stops along the trail. For a photo, stand beneath the arch and use its opening to frame the trees and red rock; the view is more interesting than a straight-on shot of the rock alone.

Across Arches, water works into cracks in sandstone and loosens the mineral cement that holds the grains together. Winter freezing pries those cracks wider; walls break into narrow fins, and erosion gradually opens holes through them. Navajo Arch is a low opening in one of those sandstone fins, rather than a tall, freestanding span.