Devil's Garden Primitive Trail Loop

Since it was supposed to be very hot again, we set off for the starting point at 6:00 a.m. this time, so we could start walking around 7:00 a.m. The tour turned out to be a bit challenging, with many steep climbs over almost smooth sandstone cliffs and rain-filled waterholes. By the time we finished the loop, the temperature had risen again to a whopping 36°C. This was our last tour in the beautiful national parks of Utah 🇺🇸.

The complete circular hiking trail including the Primitive Trail is demanding with many climbing passages, steep passages and you are several times at high altitude with steep slopes on the right and left. 🫣 Definitely not suitable for people afraid of heights. Otherwise a highly recommended hike, which is best done in a clockwise direction. Just hike towards Landscape Arch and then continue hiking on the Primitive Trail. For us, together with the Fiery Furnace Tour, one of the most beautiful hikes in Arches National Park, Utah. 👍 It is advisable to download the offline tour from Komoot beforehand, as there is hardly any internet reception in Arches National Park!!!!

Today we went hiking through Arches National Park again. Arches National Park in Utah is famous for its over two thousand natural sandstone arches, of which the Delicate Arch is probably the most famous. The park covers an area of about three hundred square kilometers and is located in the eastern part of the state, near the city of Moab. The area is a true paradise for geology enthusiasts and hiking enthusiasts. The spectacular rock formations are the result of millions of years of erosion, which has given the soft sandstone its current shape. In addition to the arches, there are also other fascinating rock structures, such as the so-called "balancing rocks" or towers that seem to stretch unnaturally upwards. The hike was really great, but you shouldn't be afraid of heights, as the path partly led over narrow rock paths.

This hike was planned for this vacation from the beginning :) I did it once in 2016 and loved it so much that it was essential to repeat it ;) It was quite strenuous, especially since there was little shade here and the power of the sun should not be underestimated, even at "only" 24 degrees. The trail is so much fun! It goes over rocks, through red, soft sand and it runs like an adventure trail. Mandatory program in Arches NP :) The Arches are worth every lookout!

After the first hike to Delicate Arche, here I am for the big part of the day with this loop passing by numerous arches and other fantastic rocks, via the "primitive trail" which is at times quite technical and dizzying, I had a blast. There were a few people on the first part, then when it gets technical, there aren't many people anymore. The wind picked up at the very end of the course but didn't bother me too much. Magnificent loop!

Extremely beautiful hike with short scrambling sections. A head for heights helpful. However, no extremely exposed areas. In May, a large part of the route, especially the Primitive Trail, was hardly used.

It had rained overnight and the temperature had dropped from 30 degrees the day before to 8 degrees in the morning. That was one argument for getting up early. All that remained was that you don't need a reservation for the park before 7:00 and there might be no potential crowds. So the alarm went off at 5:00. A handful of cars were already parked in the parking lot when we arrived. There was a cold wind and the sky suggested or feared all sorts of things. So off we went. At first, the path is well prepared, typical of the USA. This ends abruptly and turns into a wonderful sandy path. You immediately feel at one with the surroundings. Wonderful sandy and rocky paths, not always easy to recognize, lead to two completely different arches in two detours. Back on the actual circular tour, it gets increasingly rocky. We mainly walk along the rounded rocks that are typical here until we reach a huge, wide ridge that is rounded at the top and is so wide that it can be managed even by those who are afraid of heights, but it still gives a great feeling to walk along it and look out at this stunning nature. But that's not all, we continue to find our way over various rock formations to the Double-O-Arch. From here we continue to a huge black obelisk, the Dark Angel. What follows will stay in my memory for a long time. We are led almost exclusively over rocks, up and down rocks, between gigantic rock faces. Sometimes so steep that we prefer to use our hands or our bottoms. The rock here is also nice and grippy, so that it is mostly possible without them if you have enough confidence in your shoes. We take a few more pictures of hidden objects - once again we are completely fascinated by the dimensions of this huge playground for adults. At some point, the ground is sandy again and there are these wonderfully gnarled trees whose trunks look so tattered that you wonder how these trees can survive. You slowly get used to the fact that the adventure is coming to an end, the landscape opens up, you only walk on sand and finally you get back to the original, well-prepared path. We also make two more detours to two arches. Yes, nice... but what is that compared to the climbing fun we have just experienced. A perfect ending to our vacation here. Tomorrow morning we'll go back to the airport in Denver. We'll remember all these different experiences for a long time, but first we're incredibly excited to see our furry friend.

Very beautiful and very demanding hike from the middle