The Armchair Traveler Ritual
Before we step onto this epic red dirt trail, set the scene: Pour a hot cup of coffee, turn on a space heater to mimic the desert sun, and imagine the gritty feel of red sandstone under your hands. Let's go exploring!
⚡ The Quick Scoop
The Vibe: A fun, interactive obstacle course trail leading to one of the most massive, jaw-dropping arches outside of the National Parks.
Must See: Bow Tie Arch (a cool pothole skylight) and the colossal 140-foot span of Corona Arch.
The Challenge: You'll need to navigate a sturdy metal ladder and a cable section bolted into the slickrock. It looks scary, but it's pure fun!
Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (An epic 5 out of 5 Diamonds!)
Often in life, when a door we were hoping to walk through suddenly closes, a window opens to reveal an opportunity that is even better. That is the perfect way to describe my journey to Corona Arch.
I had driven all the way to Southern Utah with the sole intent of hiking in Arches National Park. But when we arrived, we were met with a closed gate. A government shutdown had completely locked up the park! I was quite shocked. Usually, you can drive into the park even late at night, so being turned away at a locked gate took me a minute to process.
I called Todd, and like a true hero, he reminded me about the Corona Arch trail nearby. I was SO glad he did. It was a brilliant pivot. In fact, I think I ended up enjoying this adventure even more than fighting the crowds inside Arches! It was a powerful reminder that sometimes, the best experiences are the ones we don't plan for.
👇 Choose Your Path
The Drive & The Hidden Tracks
🌟 The Golden Nugget
Don't Miss This: The drive to the trailhead! The journey along Utah Highway 279 (Potash Road), which winds alongside the beautiful Colorado River, is an adventure in itself. Be sure to stop at the large petroglyph panel right next to the road before you get to the trail—it's a fantastic piece of history hiding in plain sight.
Once you start the hike, the surprises keep coming. You are hiking along, looking at red dirt and sagebrush, and then suddenly—BAM—there is a train track! It just appears out of nowhere, cutting a deep, awesome channel straight through the mountain. It surprises you and is so incredibly cool to look at.
The awesome channel cut out of the mountain for the train tracks!
Green Paint & The Obstacle Course
This trail is so unique because they can't easily build traditional rock cairns on the massive expanses of slickrock. Instead, they painted green rectangles directly onto the stone to guide you. It is crazy cool—just follow the green brick road!
🪜 The Adventure Playground
What makes this hike legendary aren't just the arches, but the obstacles! To get up a steep section of slickrock, the trail has a sturdy metal cable wire bolted into the stone for you to pull yourself up. Shortly after, you hit a sturdy metal ladder to climb over a ledge.
Some people get intimidated when they first see it because it looks a bit scary from a distance. But once you actually grab the cable and start, it is just plain fun! It turns a standard hike into an interactive obstacle course.
Left: The safety cable. Right: The famous trail ladder.
Winter Slickrock & Spikes
I hiked this trail in the dead of winter. If you are doing the same, be aware that the shaded sections of slickrock can hold onto ice.
❄️ The Microspike Rule
I had my microspikes ready in my pack, but I only used them for a small section. It is a little hard on the spikes to just keep walking on bare rock, and thankfully, there wasn't that much ice and snow on the sun-facing slopes.
However, it is SO nice to have them in the backpack in winter. The moment it starts feeling slippery, you just throw them on, and the fear is completely gone! You are instantly stable and have great grip—especially if you pair them with a good set of hiking sticks.
The Jaw-Dropping Reveal
As you near the end of the trail, you get a two-for-one deal. First, you pass Bow Tie Arch, an incredible pothole arch that acts like a massive skylight piercing through the ceiling of the cliff.
Looking up through the "skylight" of Bow Tie Arch.
But then, you step around the corner and face Corona Arch. My jaw literally dropped to the ground seeing the massive size of it revealed. Standing under its grandeur is overwhelming and incredible. It is the 6th longest natural rock span in the United States, with a massive opening measuring 140 feet across by 105 feet high!
📸 The Photographer's Struggle
I stood there and watched as so many people tried *so* very hard to back up, contort themselves, and find the perfect place to try and somehow capture the magnificence of it on their standard phone cameras. It’s almost impossible to fit the whole thing in!
Meanwhile, I just happily walked around right underneath it and took shots with my 360° camera. That is the beauty of VR! It is so neat to be under and close to the arch, and when you put a headset on, you actually *feel* how huge it is.
360° VR Explorations
Grab your VR headset (or click and drag on your screen) to walk right underneath the massive span of Corona Arch and look up at the Bow Tie skylight!
Walking Under Corona Arch
Make sure you drag the screen to look UP to see how big this is!
The Front View
🗺️ Pro Tip for Homebound Explorers!
To get the ultimate interactive experience: Click "View on larger map" on the maps above. Then, grab the little yellow dude (Pegman) in the bottom right corner and drag him onto any of the blue dots or blue lines. This drops you right into the 360° view so you can look around freely!
The Explorer's Trail Guide
🗺️ Adventure at a Glance
- 🏞️ Location: Moab, Utah (Off Highway 279 / Potash Road)
- 🥾 Hike Difficulty: Moderate (Includes ladder & cable scrambling)
- 📏 Distance: 3.0 miles round trip
- 📈 Elevation Gain: ~480 feet
- ⭐ Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds)
🎒 Helpful Hints for Your Visit
- The Secret Connection: While there is no official trail, advanced hikers with expert navigation skills can create a longer loop by scrambling cross-country from Corona Arch to the nearby Jeep Arch. (I plan to tackle this in the future!)
- Dog Friendly: Dogs are allowed on this trail (unlike inside Arches NP), but be warned: you will likely have to carry them up the steep ladder and slickrock cable sections!
- Pair it Up: Since you are already driving Potash Road, consider pairing this with a scenic drive down the Shafer Trail switchbacks, or head back towards town for the Grandstaff Canyon stream hike!
✨ Ask the Desert Guide
Curious about the government shutdown pivot, the green painted rectangles, or how to conquer the ladder? Ask our AI Guide!
The Window Always Opens
I am so glad the gates to the national park were locked that day. It forced us to pivot and led us to one of the most incredible, jaw-dropping arches in all of Utah. The next time a door closes in your life, remember that an open window—perhaps one framed in red sandstone—is waiting nearby with an even better opportunity.
🎀 Easter Egg Hunt: Did you spot the hidden Bow Tie emoji in today's story? Tell me where you found it in the comments!
Sending Love and Positive Vibes,
Shauna @ VRGetaway
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