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Trip Planner:   USA  /  Utah  /  Canyonlands National Park  /  Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park

Must see · Geologic Formation · Nature / Park
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Mesa Arch (also known as Rotary Arch and Trail Arch) is a pothole arch on the eastern edge of the Island in the Sky mesa in Canyonlands National Park in northern San Juan County, Utah, United States. Mesa Arch is a spectacular natural stone arch perched at the edge of a cliff with vast views of canyons, Monster Tower, Washer Woman Arch, Airport Tower, and the La Sal Mountains in the distance. Access is via a relatively easy hiking trail, just a half-mile long from the park road.
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Mesa Arch reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 5.0
760 reviews
Google
4.8
TripAdvisor
  • My wife and I arrived to the trailhead around 2:30pm. There were only a couple of vehicles in the parking lot. And we only met 2 other people on this hike. 2 young guys who were at the Arch. We... 
    My wife and I arrived to the trailhead around 2:30pm. There were only a couple of vehicles in the parking lot. And we only met 2 other people on this hike. 2 young guys who were at the Arch. We...  more »
  • Mesa Arch is one of the headliners within Canyonlands National Park. It is located in the Islands in the Sky district a few miles past the visitor center. A short hike leads to the arch and the... 
    Mesa Arch is one of the headliners within Canyonlands National Park. It is located in the Islands in the Sky district a few miles past the visitor center. A short hike leads to the arch and the...  more »
  • It is impossible to take a bad photo of this arch. There's a short hike to the arch with some ups and downs. Be sure to follow the trail closely because it is easy to lose in a few places. I saw... 
    It is impossible to take a bad photo of this arch. There's a short hike to the arch with some ups and downs. Be sure to follow the trail closely because it is easy to lose in a few places. I saw...  more »
Google
  • This is gorgeous. This is the most famous attraction in the canyonlands national park. This is very famous for sunrise viewing. However, we went later on the day, and it’s not less gorgeous. The hike was not difficult, took me 15-20 minutes o guess to reach. The final view point is a massive arch at the cliff. The view from there is incredible. Don’t miss if you are around.
  • Sooooo gorgeous! We went at sunrise. It’s an easy 10 minute hike from parking lot. The arch is beautiful and the landscape all around is very pretty. There were about 50 people there but everyone kinda spread out. There was a group standing in front of the arch but you could still get great photos. Best part of my Utah trip for sure!
  • Charming stop within Canyonlands National Park. We enjoyed the views and the weather on a cool November morning at around 9:00AM. The arch and the surrounding area are still quite impressive even during "off-peak" daylight hours. The trail was fairly easy (we made it a loop), but of course, it's not for strollers or wheelchairs.
  • Mesa Arch is a beautiful formation in Canyonlands National Park. It's an easy hike from the turnout, with a breathtaking view of the canyons below. It wasn't very busy when we went there, so there were plenty of good spots for both landscape photos and taking pictures with friends and family. Just be sure that you have a ample amount of gas in your vehicle and lots of water in your bottle and you'll have a good time. Kids also tend to get caught up in playing with the sand on the way to the arch because of the nature of the trail, so give yourself time to get there.
  • Gorgeous at sunrise. 0.5 mile walk to mesa arch, and there's also a parking lot right at the trail head which makes it really easy to get to. If you do choose to do a sunrise hike to mesa, don't expect to be alone. It's a busy place! It's totally worth doing once though, trust me.

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