“Is that the trail?” I asked Steve, my old adventure buddy. Not out of frustration or worry. What surprised me most was how this trail was marked, which it barely is. You know, Steve has taken me off trail only once in 10 years over dozens of hikes. He is that Good as a navigator.
“Matt, any ideas?” I asked my other friend, who was with his head down on his GPS app, trying to decipher the meandering mess that was our location in front of the supposed “trail.”
The official ranger-led hike is about two miles, but if you choose to explore on your own, your hike can be much longer.
(Blake Snow)
Before we continue, you should understand that GPS only works within 10 feet of your actual position, which is pretty amazing for triangulating satellites that are thousands of miles away. But it's not surprising enough for those who fear getting lost on one of America's most unique hikes: Utah's Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. One wrong step here and you'll backtrack, scratching your head and wondering disorientedly if you'll ever find your way again in this maze of red rock, slot canyons, towering arches, dividing fins, giant spiers and blue skies.
And that's the fun. Here's what you need to know (what you wish you'd known) before visiting this mostly safe and contained playground for an afternoon or more.
The Fiery Furnace of Utah is located 30 minutes' drive from Moab, Utah. It is one of the only protected wilderness areas in the national park system. Open to just 75 people per day (and no reservations for more than seven days), it's also one of the most difficult park permits to obtain. Compared to other hikes, Fiery Furnace is more of a trip to the moon when it comes to traversing its Martian terrain. “Everyone except the park rangers gets lost,” our guide told us during a pre-hike orientation. “Not even GPS will save you, so it's best to just wander and go with the flow.”
He was right about everything except one thing: Although GPS tracking on the popular AllTrails app failed to keep us on track, it eventually got us out so we could get to our next hike in Arches. But if I could do it over again, I would have taken the guide's advice and planned to spend more time and mindless wandering in this special place in an already special southern Utah.
Be sure to look up, down and around you as you walk through this otherworldly maze.
(Blake Snow)
Speaking of orientation, it is mandatory. After picking up your $10 permit, you'll enter a small conference room and watch a 10-minute video about what the hike requires in terms of water, following so-called trails, and adhering to strict environmental and preservation regulations. They'll even give you a verbal test on what you saw and the rangers won't let you go until you get the right answers.
After that, you will be alone. Literally and figuratively.
During our hike, our group of three encountered only three other groups in the three hours we were inside. We exchanged playful banter and accepted that neither of us knew where we were going. But we did offer helpful advice about where we had been. “There's a cool arch back there… Watch out for the giant gap up ahead… Keep left or you'll come to a dead end on a cliff.”
I say Fiery Furnace is mostly safe because I had to jump over a gap and almost tripped over what would have been a serious injury about 20 or 30 feet below. Oops. It is not necessarily a physically demanding or overly technical experience. But some parts of the oven are complicated and I wouldn't recommend anyone in bad shape go into it. But capable adults and sure-footed children make their way regularly. For everyone else, from the road coming in the opposite direction and from the official viewpoint, there is a stunning view of the oven.
The view on a trip to Fiery Furnace Canyon in Arches National Park, Utah. (Blake Snow)
Blue skies and red rocks within Arches National Park, Utah. (Blake Snow)
The author, center, and his hiking companions made it out of Fiery Furnace in time for their next hike through Utah.
(Blake Snow)
As you walk through the furnace, you can expect several arches, a sea of balanced rocks and mushroom-like fungi, massive cliff walls, incredibly narrow slot canyons, layers upon layers of sandstone fins breaking up the landscape, and even some open spaces. . There are deep canyons, dead ends, panoramic views of distant formations in other parts of the park, and deafening silence.
My friends and I had lunch in the spring shade of Surprise Arch, a natural stone arch sandwiched between two massive rock walls. I have no idea how it got here nor do any of us. But there we were, dining outdoors in this otherworldly place.
If venturing alone into the unknown of Fiery Furnace doesn't appeal to you, park rangers offer guided tours several times a day to authorized guests.
For the lucky few who enter Fiery Furnace, my advice is this: ditch your GPS, at least until you're ready to leave. Plan a few extra hours inside, if not an entire day. Meander. Get lost. By all means, walk, but don't expect your midpoint to be a circular or point-to-point trail. You probably won't see the entire area, and that's a good thing. There are reasons to return and live a completely new experience.
The ranger was right. He just walks in and enjoys the view.
