Angel Arch Trail

Angel Arch Trail is a remote out-and-back through Salt Creek to a huge natural arch. From the Cave Spring / Salt Creek Gate, plan on about 27.5 miles round trip: a sandy road walk to Peekaboo, the long canyon approach, and the signed arch branch, then the same way back. This is a multi-day backpacking trip, not a day hike; allow about 20 hours of walking, usually spread over two or three nights. The current park map's longer route gives 8.5 miles from Peekaboo to the Angel Arch junction. A field report measured 7.5 miles by taking the Trail Arch shortcut, so leave room for route choice and wayfinding.

The walk starts with roughly 3.5 miles on the sandy dirt road to Peekaboo. The trail then follows the wash through cottonwoods, reeds and willows before opening onto sagebrush flats. It may be dry, wet, or partly overgrown; seasonal floods and thick plants can hide the tread, and some stretches require careful route-finding between the wash and short cutoffs. Cairns and signs help at junctions, but the small Angel Arch turnoff sits in an overgrown stretch and is easy to pass. Keep a map or GPS handy and confirm the branch before you continue down canyon.

The signed side trail climbs away from the wash to the Angel Arch viewpoint. The last stretch can be faint and brushy; one field account describes roughly 35 minutes to an hour to reach the arch, depending on the line followed. Angel Arch rises above the canyon, with Molar Rock in the foreground. That broad view is the payoff and the best place to stop; the mapped trail continues closer, but the view can be less complete and the footing more awkward. Do not climb on the arch.

Salt Creek is part of a protected archaeological district with evidence of people living and traveling through the canyon for more than 10,000 years. The road approach also passes a natural bridge and a granary tucked beneath a mushroom-shaped rock; Trail Arch and pictographs are nearby optional stops, outside the mapped Angel Arch route. Stay on established paths and leave the sites untouched. The region's open-air and alcove sites are fragile.

Park at Cave Spring / Salt Creek Gate and walk the sandy road to Peekaboo; do not leave a vehicle near Peekaboo or along the Salt Creek / Horse Canyon roads, where flash floods can make the canyon bottoms dangerous. Roads to either end can be impassable or require high-clearance four-wheel drive, so check access before traveling. Reserve a designated campsite or the Salt & Horse Zone for an overnight visit; dispersed camping is not allowed. Water sources are unreliable, so carry all the water you need. Dogs are prohibited on park trails. Mosquitoes and gnats can be troublesome from early summer into autumn.