Corona Arch Trail

Corona Arch is one of the most impressive natural arches in the Moab area -- a 140-foot-wide, 105-foot-tall sandstone span that rivals anything in Arches National Park but is free to visit, requires no reservation, and includes adventure elements (a cable traverse and ladder) that make the hike itself as memorable as the destination.

The trail is 3 miles round trip with 400 feet of elevation gain -- moderate difficulty. It begins from a trailhead on Potash Road (Highway 279) along the Colorado River, crosses active railroad tracks, then winds through desert terrain and up onto slickrock. Cairns mark the route across the rock.

Two sections add adventure: a steel cable bolted into the rock that you hold while traversing a steep slickrock slope, and a short metal ladder up a rock face.

The cable section is not technical climbing -- it is a hands-on-cable, feet-on-rock traverse that most kids ages 7+ manage with encouragement. It is the kind of challenge that makes kids feel accomplished. The ladder is straightforward -- about 8 feet up a rock face.

Corona Arch appears suddenly as you crest a ridge -- and the scale is staggering. You walk directly beneath the arch and can touch the rock. Standing under 140 feet of stone suspended overhead with blue sky beyond is genuinely moving. Photos of people under the arch illustrate the scale -- humans look tiny.

The Potash Road approach is scenic in itself. Petroglyphs are visible on cliff faces from roadside pullouts. Dinosaur tracks are embedded in the rock at another marked pullout. The Colorado River runs alongside the road. Combining the drive with the hike makes for a full Moab morning.

Critical safety note: the trail has no shade and the slickrock radiates heat. In summer, hike before 8 AM only. Carry water aggressively. Spring and fall mornings are ideal.