Arches National Park, UT
Get Covert Arch's south-rim view without the scramble.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Arches Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Arches National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Arches audio tourMore stories near here in the app
“I can’t believe how helpful this app is and how interesting the information is for each highlight along the Arches Scenic Drive! This is the first park I’ve used it in.”
Trail guide
Covert Arch Viewpoint Route is an unmarked, roughly 2.2-mile out-and-back to a view of Covert Arch beneath the south rim of Lost Spring Canyon. From an informal roadside pull-off, the route heads northwest, crosses a wash and follows faint cross-country ground for about a mile to the canyon head. A roughly 200-yard walk around the south side reaches the no-scramble viewpoint. Allow about three hours for careful route-finding and time at the view. This route stops at the viewpoint; reaching or scrambling through the arch is a different hike.
There are no signs or maintained tread, and the faint path is easy to lose after the wash. The route-finding is the hard part: use a map or GPS and be ready to turn back if your line leads toward a scramble. The arch is visible under the rim from the canyon head; continue around the south side for the viewpoint described here.
The arch sits in Navajo Sandstone and is described as a shelter arch about 60 feet high with a 32-foot span. The route is exposed with little shade, so cooler weather is more comfortable than hot summer conditions. There is no drinking water or toilet in Lost Spring Canyon; bring what you need for a remote cross-country outing. Pets are not allowed on trails or off-trail in Arches.
Wildlife
14 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
10 sightingsPronghornMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
608 sightingsRavenMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
187 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
51 sightingsPrairie DogMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Arches. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateLost Spring Canyon Route5.2 mi · 3.5 hr · 2.6 mi awayFollow a rough wash past arches to the brushy Covert junction.
EasyLower Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail0 mi · 10 min · 2.8 mi awayA level 200-foot walk to Delicate Arch from across the canyon.
ModerateUpper Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail0.7 mi · 45 min · 2.8 mi awayA short, steep climb to see Delicate Arch across the canyon.
ChallengingDelicate Arch Trail3 mi · 2.5 hr · 3.2 mi awayA steep slickrock climb to Arches’ signature arch.
EasyWolfe Ranch Petroglyph Panel Trail0.5 mi · 30 min · 3.2 mi awayAn easy loop linking Wolfe’s cabin with a striking petroglyph panel.
ChallengingFiery Furnace Loop1.2 mi · 3 hr · 4.7 mi awayA desert maze of squeeze-throughs, scrambles, and sandstone arches
EasySand Dune Arch Trail0.4 mi · 20 min · 5.2 mi awayDeep sand and a shaded arch tucked between the fins.
ModerateBroken Arch Trail1.4 mi · 1 hr · 5.3 mi awayOpen meadow, a sandstone arch, and a scrambly return through fins.
Sight · 2.2 mi awayDelicate ArchA famous arch, reached by a steep, exposed hike.
Sight · 2.6 mi awayUpper Delicate Arch ViewpointA steeper climb for a less obstructed Delicate Arch view.
Sight · 2.8 mi awayLower Delicate Arch ViewpointAn accessible 200-foot round trip to view distant Delicate Arch.
Sight · 3 mi awayWolfe Ranch Petroglyph PanelHorse-and-rider figures make this an easy stop before Delicate Arch.
Sight · 3.1 mi awayWolfe RanchA tiny cabin from a 1,000-head desert cattle ranch.
Sight · 4.7 mi awayFiery Furnace ViewpointSunset can set the sandstone fins aglow like a wood-fired furnace.
Sight · 4.8 mi awayBroken ArchAn easy arch walk with a rougher campground loop beyond it.
Sight · 5.1 mi awaySalt Valley OverlookA quick spur opens onto Salt Valley and the La Sal Mountains.Parkwolf’s Arches ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
