Druid Arch

Druid Arch is a sandstone arch at the headwaters of Elephant Canyon in The Needles, with two tall openings in a wall of red and pale rock. Keep it for a full hiking day: the route is 10.8 miles round trip, rated strenuous, and the arch comes late. Visitors love the payoff, but the sandy return is work.

From Elephant Hill Trailhead, the route follows the first part of the Chesler Park Trail, then branches into Elephant Canyon. Much of the final two miles follows the dry, sandy wash. Along the way, sandstone steps, narrow cracks, towers and varnish-streaked walls make the approach interesting even before the arch appears.

The final 1.25 miles are steep, with a six-foot steel ladder and some scrambling. The arch is a late reveal, so this is a poor fit if ladder exposure or scrambling is a deal-breaker. The trail is not wheelchair accessible, and dogs are not allowed.

The National Park Service estimates five to seven hours and recommends one liter of water per person per hour. There is no drinking water along the route, so carry your water and food from the trailhead. Sturdy shoes and a map are useful for the rough rock and sandy sections.

The last three miles to the trailhead are on an unpaved road with blind corners; take it slowly. Elephant Hill has a large parking lot and pit toilets. A park entrance pass is required.

The United States Geological Survey describes Druid Arch as weathered from a massive fin of Cedar Mesa Sandstone. That same sculpted rock shapes the canyon walls and towers along the way.

The arch’s stacked-stone profile reportedly reminded early explorers of Stonehenge; the name Druid Arch was officially adopted in 1963.

At the arch, take in the view back down Elephant Canyon as well as the two openings overhead. The surrounding towers and varnish-streaked walls are especially beautiful in early morning light; the best light on the arch itself is less certain.