We found an awesome new arch in Arches National Park that we’d never heard of called Tapestry Arch. It had a unique look because it was a sort of triple arch etched into the wall.
Tapestry Arch is located near the Devils Garden Campground. In fact, the arch can be accessed by a trail that begins between the restrooms and campsite #39. The trail runs slightly down hill for less than half of a mile. Before you get far, you’ll come to a sign. It sends you left to Tapestry Arch or right to Broken Arch and Sand Dune Arch. Before you go a hundred yards from the sign, Tapestry Arch comes into view. It has a nice center arch with two false arches of similar size and shape on either side. This gives it a patterned look, which gave rise to its name. It really does look like the large design of a tapestry.
You get a great look at Tapestry Arch from this point, but our boys wanted to venture over closer to the arch. There is a little rock scrambling, but nothing that a healthy adult or child couldn’t handle. We crossed the narrow, dry swale and came up right in the bottom of the arch. You can climb a little behind it, but it doesn’t really go anywhere.
Our son discovered the neatest part of Tapestry Arch. If you knock on the wall behind the arch (try right in the middle at about elbow height) there is a hollow sound. It is as if the rock has nothing backing it! We knocked all around the wall, and wondered what was on the other side. Please knock carefully and don’t damage this beautiful arch, though. We want to leave the mystery of the hollow wall for everyone.
After walking back to the sign, there are a few options. You can walk back the way you came. This makes the hike out and back to Tapestry Arch 0.7 miles, a nice, easy hike for families. You can also continue around to Broken Arch and then on to Sand Dune Arch. (This works especially well if you can shuttle or leave a car at the other trailhead.) Broken Arch is beautiful, and most people seem to view the side of it from the road and move on, but it is worth the hike. The total distance on this direction is a little over two miles one way, so if you don’t have that second car, you’ll be walking two miles back.
We opted to see all three arches. Dad walked back and moved the car, and then met us at Broken Arch. Mom and the boys walked the loop. The trail was mostly flat, but be careful and watch for trail markers along the slick rock because it can be an easy place to get off the trail. There were lots of cairns that helped us along the way.
Here are our reviews of the other arches along the way:
Tapestry Arch is our favorite short hike in Arches National Park. Make sure to give it a try if you visit. Be sure to check out our full list of Kid Friendly Hikes in Arches National Park.
