Arch Trail: a nearby space-spanning rock formation
Tom Garrison
Utah is rightly famous for its natural arches — gravity defying spans of reddish-orange Navajo sandstone arching above a void where rock has eroded away. Arches National Park, in southeast Utah, has more than 2,400 sandstone arches — more arches concentrated in a small area than any other place in the world.
While natural arches can be found in southwest Utah, they are somewhat rare. Fortunately, a very nice arch in a spectacular area is close to St. George. Arch Trail, which leads to Babylon Arch, is located in the Reds Cliffs Desert Reserve near Leeds.
The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is a 62,000-acre scenic wildlife reserve set aside in 1996 to protect the desert tortoise and other sensitive plants and animals. The reserve has more than 130 miles of shared use trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Remember, the reserve is a sensitive area: Stay on the trails and minimize your impact — walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.
Our adventure began in early June. Heading north on Interstate 15, my wife Deb and I took Exit 22 onto Old Highway 91. We continued north approximately 2.2 miles through the town of Leeds. (In Leeds, the highway is also Main Street.) Next we turned right onto unsigned Babylon Road just past the sign for the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. Babylon Road (the primary access to seven trailheads and 13 designated trails) begins as asphalt and soon turns into a dirt road.
At 2.8 miles, we encountered a major (for dirt roads) signed intersection and turned left to the Sand Cove Trailhead. In less than 1/10 mile is a parking area. You can park here and begin hiking or, with a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle, continue to the Sand Cove Primitive Camping Area and the Arch Trailhead. In either case, continue northeast past the Sand Cove Trailhead for 0.2 miles and turn right at the first junction.
Drive or hike on the narrow, rough road for about ½ mile until reaching a wood pole-fenced area, the Sand Cove Primitive Camping Area. Look for the Arch Trailhead sign to the south and begin your hike. I strongly recommend a high-clearance vehicle, even if you park at the Sand Cove Trailhead.
The temperature was in the mid-80s at about 10 a.m. as we began our hike under an awesome blue, Utah sky. The first half of the hike to the arch snakes through a maze/rocky wash with some rock scrambling and photogenic Navajo sandstone pinnacles and ravines. Look closely and you can see a profile of Uncle Bob in the formations. Next to Uncle Bob are layered wave formations.
The next half alternates between rock and sand. The most difficult section of the trail is the approximately 200-yard steep, sandy descent prior to reaching the arch. The sand is loose, and returning up this section is not fun — two steps forward and slide one step back.
The stand-alone arch, through which the trail runs, is eight- to 10-feet tall and about 15 feet wide. (To be officially listed and given an official name, an arch must have an opening of at least three feet.) If you spend some time exploring around the arch, you can find several smaller arches.
The hike to the arch is a less than one mile. We continued on to the Virgin River, about another ½ mile. Although the trail to the river was mostly loose sand, it is well worth the effort. We stopped to enjoy the Virgin River at our feet, highlighted by a green riparian environment with towering red rock formations in the near distance, all topped by amazingly blue sky — don't miss it.
During our hike, we encountered many desert denizens — lizards, birds, rabbits, bugs and a tortoise. The latter was racing along the trail near the Virgin River. We stopped, and the tortoise posed for photos. We did not bother him or her. It is illegal to touch desert tortoises unless they are in immediate danger, such as on a road where they might be run over by a car.
This is a moderately strenuous hike, mostly due to the sandy stretches and rock scrambling, suitable for most adventurers in decent physical shape. As with most of our hikes, we did not encounter other people. There is little better than hiking among colorful rock formations to a space-spanning arch and finishing with your feet in the Virgin River. The entire hike was less than three miles and took 2 ½ hours. I strongly recommend this close-by fun hike.
Email Tom Garrison at tomgarrison98@yahoo.com.