Double O Arch Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Several sections cross narrow sandstone fins with unprotected drops of 50 feet or more on both sides. There are no railings or guardrails — a stumble in the wrong spot has serious consequences. Anyone uncomfortable with exposure should turn back at the fin crossings.
The route relies on cairns across open slickrock, and these can be hard to spot in flat light or when shadows disappear at midday. Losing the route here puts you on exposed rock with drop-offs in multiple directions — keep the next cairn in sight before leaving the last one.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Start early to claim parking at Devils Garden trailhead — the lot fills by 9 AM in peak season, and there's no overflow. If you arrive after that, you'll be circling or waiting for someone to leave.
Wear shoes with aggressive tread and stiff soles — you're walking on tilted sandstone fins where smooth-soled trail runners will slide. Approach shoes or hiking boots with sticky rubber are ideal for the scrambling sections.
Continue past Double O to the primitive trail loop that circles back through Fin Canyon. It adds roughly a mile and delivers the most solitude in the entire park — you might not see another person for the whole stretch.
