Fiery Furnace
The only day hike in Arches that needs a permit, and the only one with no trail: a maze of sandstone fins you navigate by reading rock, about five miles of wandering over two to five hours. Both the self guided permit and the ranger tour require an in person orientation at the visitor center first.
Reserve on recreation.gov up to seven days out and expect it to sell out. Self guided permits are $10 per person with a group cap of six; the ranger led tour is $16. Every person in the party has to sit the orientation at the visitor center, an eight minute video plus a five minute ranger talk, so build that into the day. Do not plan on GPS. Between the fins a receiver will happily put you on the wrong side of a wall, and topo lines tell you nothing here; what works is a satellite image base map you can match against the actual walls in front of you. Small directional arrows went in around 2017, but they are subtle, easy to miss, and meant as hints rather than a path. The fins mostly run north to south, which is the structure that keeps the maze from living up to its reputation. Signs reading Dead End are accurate, though something worth seeing often sits just past one, Skull Arch among them. If you cliff out, look for a bypass before committing to a downclimb you cannot reverse. This area generates rescues and more of them could get access restricted, so carry water, leave margin, and if you use a rope anywhere, be certain of where you are before you pull it.
Logistics
| Manager | NPS, Arches National Park |
|---|---|
| Permit | Self guided permit required, $10 per person, purchased via recreation.gov timed entry. A ranger guided hike is also offered at $16 per person. This is the only day hike in the park requiring a permit; there is no official trail. |
| Distance | 5 mi |
| Technical | 0 rappels, longest 0 ft |
| Season | Any;HOT in Summer |
| Vehicle access | Passenger |
| Coordinates | 38.7438, -109.5609 |