Arch Rock Trail

Arch Rock Trail is a lollipop walk from Twin Tanks to a small loop through rounded granite boulders, with the arch itself as the payoff. Published estimates range from 1.3 to 1.4 miles round trip; allow about an hour either way. You walk a sandy approach, explore the rocky loop, then retrace the same approach to the lot. It is an easy outing for a short desert walk, but the rocks make it feel more like a hike than a flat roadside stop.

From the Twin Tanks trailhead, the route heads across open desert, briefly follows the California Riding and Hiking Trail, and crosses Pinto Basin Road at the marked crossing before turning toward Arch Rock. Keep an eye out for the Arch Rock signs at the junction; the longer route continues beyond the turn. When you reach the short loop, walk it counterclockwise. That direction makes the arch easier to spot, roughly a tenth of a mile into the loop. The loop reconnects with the approach, which you follow back to the same parking lot.

Arch Rock is a broad granite span, about 30 feet across, tucked among other rounded formations. The loop has geology wayside signs that help make sense of the boulder field, and Whale Rock is another formation you can see from the route. A short side detour leads toward Heart Rock, but that is extra wandering beyond the route mapped here. If you want a photograph, a side view shows the arch’s shape better than standing directly beneath it; a few steps off the path take you below the span if the rocks feel comfortable underfoot.

The approach is mostly sand. Around the loop the ground shifts between deep sand, hard-packed dirt and uneven rock, with some narrow sections, so take your time when choosing a line through the boulders. The climb is modest; the main effort is the soft footing and picking out the route in the rock field. This is not a boardwalk or a smooth, step-free path. The optional few steps below the arch are rougher than the main trail and are easy to skip.

Start at the Twin Tanks / Arch Rock Trailhead parking lot along Pinto Basin Road, about a mile south of Belle Campground. It has parking, a restroom and a hiker register. Parking can be difficult on busy days, so arriving early is useful. There is no food or running water at the trailhead or along the walk. A separate, shorter route begins inside White Tank Campground and reaches the same rock; that is a different access option, not this Twin Tanks hike.