Arches National Park: Eye of the Whale Loop
Find solitude in a geological playground of narrow canyons and pristine red sandstone arches on this rarely visited 4.5-mile loop.
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Trail Facts
- Distance: 7.3
Waypoints
EOW001
Location: 38.6987, -109.622704
From wash entrance, head N, following natural drainage
EOW002
Location: 38.704578, -109.618401
Bear L @ 3-way, passing vibrant red plateau formations
EOW003
Location: 38.706131, -109.613899
Bear L into 2nd canyon, following drainage (which may not be dry); great horned owls and desert cottontails here
EOW004
Location: 38.71109, -109.608002
1st waterfall. Impassable: backtrack along L canyon wall, climb onto slickrock, scramble to flat area past waterfall
EOW005
Location: 38.712421, -109.6073
2nd waterfall. Backtrack along L canyon wall to find passable section; enter redrock piazza. Go straight; as canyon narrows, climb along R wall to top of drainage
EOW006
Location: 38.714649, -109.605301
Option: Go R, scramble to Beckwith Arch top, then trek E to base. Views of snowcapped Mt. Peale and Balanced Rock
EOW007
Location: 38.716259, -109.607101
R @ 3-way along sandstone path to Leaping Arch, then L @ base of cliffs; follow wash and Eye of the Whale path
EOW008
Location: 38.71476, -109.6035
Eye of the Whale Arch; hike through arch and down along R base of redrock cliffs
EOW009
Location: 38.710369, -109.602699
Bear L on slickrock drainage away from Herdina
Park. Go cautiously down natural drainage to Willow Springs Rd.
EOW010
Location: 38.697781, -109.6147
Bear R onto road; continue .5 mi. back to vehicle
