Utah Day 1: Fiery Furnace and Devil's Garden

The Fiery Furnace is a labyrinth of sandstone fins, slot canyons and hidden arches. To hike here, you must reserve a permit and attend a orientation where they talk about the importance of preservation. Rangers ask that you walk only in sandy washes and on bare sandstone to protect the delicate microbial crust which supports life in this harsh environment. They stress the importance of quiet voices and respecting other’s space so everyone could enjoy the solitude of this incredibly special place.

In the orientation, they tell you to expect to get lost. GPS doesn’t work in the canyons. Tiny arrows lead you in a 2-mile loop, but they’re hard to spot and it’s very easy to get lost among the narrow ledges traversing steep chasms, jagged crevices where you must haul yourself up and through, and gaps that must be leapt across to move forward. With only 50 people permitted per day, solitude is much easier to find than the way out. We loved this experience, but there were a few scary moments. Still, I’d recommend it to anyone who doesn’t mind some scrambling. It is truly awe-inspiring.

In the afternoon, we hiked to Landscape Arch, the longest arch in North America (306ft, 93.3 meters). Later, at Sand Dune Arch, the sky darkened and it began hailing. The dramatic weather continued as we crossed a meadow to Broken Arch loop, which is not broken but has a large crack at its apex. Several of the park’s arches have fallen in recent years, a reminder of how lucky we are to witness these geological marvels.