Travel-Curious

Travel Curious

For independent travelers who want to dig deeper

Arsenic Arch

Arsenic Arch Utah
Photo by Marcus Lodwick
 
Hidden inside Poison Spring Canyon is a little-known, rarely visited arch you can have all to yourself.  It is isolated on a small hill near the canyon rim.
 
Getting there
  • From Hanksville head south on UT-95 for 20 miles. 
  • Just opposite the Little Egypt access road, at ( 38.097175, -110.621594 ) turn east onto North Turkey Knob Rd a sandy track normally in good condition in dry weather.
  • There is a rocky wash to traverse after 1/2 mile, but the track becomes good after that.
  • With keen eyes, you can briefly spot the arch on the left-hand side from a hill located at about mile 4.6, just before the signpost for the Sahara Sands. 
 
Parking
There are a few pullouts near mile 5.2. at ( 38.097500, -110.540556 )
 
Photo note
Wide-angle lens help captures the arch close-up with the best time to photograph the arch is at or near sunset. At sunrise, it can take almost 1 1/2 hours for the arch to be lit up. 
 
Route
From where you park, walk north for almost a mile toward the canyon. Follow the rim until you spot the arch, located about 60 feet below the rim. The hike is easy provided you can find your way down the cliffs. The safest spot to descend from the rim is about 0.3 mile southwest of the arch at ( 38.102500, -110.541389 ).  You have to skirt to the right NE around a deep canyon before you can reach the slickrock hill where the arch is located at ( 38.105555, -110.539105 ).
 

Explore Nearby...

Hikes...

Leprechaun Canyon – Hike

A short and fun hike in a non-technical slot canyon with corkscrew narrows, beautiful high-colored walled sections and a final narrow section with just a crack of light that will shine down from above.

Arsenic Arch Utah

Arsenic Arch

A little-known, rarely visited arch you can have all to yourself is hidden inside Poison Spring Canyon.

Hog Springs Utah

Hog Spring – Hike

Hog Springs is a nice rest stop and picnic area next to the highway with a short scenic hike that takes you to a spring-fed pool and the Cleopatra rock art panel is also close by

Scenic Drives...

Hite Crossing Bridge

The bridge marks the upstream limit of Lake Powell and is the only bridge spanning the Colorado River between the bridge 110 miles upstream in Moab and the Glen Canyon Bridge, 185 miles downstream.

Burr point overlooks Utah

Burr Point Overlook

A dirt road runs across the Burr Desert flat lands and takes you to a few clifftop overlooks of the Dirty Devil River, with views across the canyons.

Kathline Rock

Just a quick place to stop along highway 95, there are viewing tubes that are labeled and sight some of the specific surrounding scenery.

Everything Else...

Little Egypt Utah

Little Egypt

A much smaller and less visited version of Goblin Valley State Park, but free and always open

Carl’s Critter Garden

It is worth stopping by this free roadside attraction to see how Carl lovingly turned glass beads, recycled machinery, antique objects, and much more into an art installation

Hollow Mountain

This gas station took 100 cases of dynamite to hollow out the space for the convenience store and has been a tourist attraction ever since.

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