Nathan Fields

Looking through Tower Arch

The Marching Men

• No dogs, inside the national park
• Do not attempt in wet weather, the road will be impassable
• Usually not a busy trail
• There is a west trailhead alternative

• Best shooting for the Marching Men is in the early morning or late afternoon sun to bring out the color and texture of the large rock fins and arches
• Tower Arch faces to the west, so sunset lights up the face, at sunrise the sun will be behind it and blocked by the higher rock fins directly behind the arch
• The Marching men run in a line northeast to southwest and are most photogenic from the north side where the hiking trail is located

Getting to the different trailheads

East Trailhead

• Once you enter the park from the main gate take the Arches National Park Road 17 miles. 
• Turn left onto Salt Valley Road at ( 38.768345, -109.588557 ), continue for 7.3 miles. 
• Turn left onto the 2nd dirt road at ( 38.796088, -109.658857 ), continue 1.0 mile to the tailhead parking area.

West Trailhead – Option 1

• Once you enter the park from the main gate take the Arches National Park Road 17 miles 
• Turn left onto Salt Valley Road at ( 38.768345, -109.588557 ), continue for 7.2 miles. 
• Turn left on the first dirt road at ( 38.795344, -109.658063 ) (350 feet before the 2nd road that takes you to the East Trailhead), this road has deep sand and gets very rough with a steep ascent. In 2.0 miles you will come to a spot where you can stop and do the short hike to Anniversary Arch located just minutes south of the road. Afterward, continue north 1.0 miles to the trailhead parking area.
  

West Trailhead – Option 2

• Is coming via 4×4 roads from Highway 191 and the west side of the Klondike Bluffs. This is quite an adventure, you will see dinosaur footprints and an old abandoned copper mine along the way, be able to hike to Anniversary Arch along the way also, however, the route requires off-road vehicles and skills. If you don’t have the right vehicle, you could rent one from the many suppliers in Moab or hire a private off-road tour company to take you on this unique route. 
• Take Highway 191 north out of Moab for about 13.8 miles 
• Take a right off of Highway 191 at ( 38.740678, -109.734352 ) on to the Klondike Bluff Road 
• Continue for 2.9 miles to the Klondike Bluffs Parking area ( 38.773712, -109.712454 ) 
• Head north on Copper Ridge Safari Route for 0.8 miles 
• You will come to the trailhead for the Dino Flow mountain bike trail, turn right onto the Klondike Road Trail at ( 38.773712, -109.712454 ) 

• The trail will eventually break out of the wash in 0.8 miles and you will be at the base of the long section of slickrock with the trail indicated by white paint marks on the slickrock. 
  

• The slickrock continues uphill for 1.3 miles, in the first quarter mile there are many dinosaur tracks always on your left, most of them surrounded by rings of stones so they are easy to see. (These are the dinosaur tracks you will see on the Klondike Bluffs Dinosaur track hike)
  

• At the top of the slickrock you will continue for about 0.5 miles on a sandy trail to the junction at (38.81089, -109.70447 ) where a spur trail to the right takes you out and back to the remains of the Brontosaur Copper Mine and a short hike to a view of the Klondike Bluffs inside Arches National Park.  
  

• Once your return back to the main trail and continue in the same direction you were heading before, you will now be on the Baby Steps Trail for 0.6 miles and climb to a ridge with a view of Salt Valley, the final descent down into the valley is rough and difficult, it is narrowed and steep with rocks and boulders. 
• From here it is an easy sandy road for 0.6 miles to the junction with Salt Wash Road at ( 38.81605, -109.68722 ) turn right onto Salt Wash Road heading south 
• In 2.0 miles you come to the turn off to your right for the Tower Arch Trailhead (East), which you will not take, but continue 350 feet to take the next right turn. 
• Continue down this sandy road for 2.0 miles, eventually, the Marching men formation will be to your right. 
• Stop at ( 38.775655, -109.682196 ) and hike south to Anniversary Arch (0.3 miles out and back) 
• Continue 1.0 mile north to the West Trailhead for Tower Arch

Hiking Routes

East Trailhead Route to Tower Arch

• From the parking area, set out on the trail, you will quickly have to ascend a short and steep section of slickrock and jumbled boulders, watch for rock cairns. Most of your elevation gain of the hike is on this section.
• On this ridge you have a nice view over Salt Valley and if you look further east, you can spot the Devils Garden area rock formations.
• The trail descends down through sandy sections and starts to skirt along the north side of another rock formation on your left.
• About a mile into the hike you should start seeing the Marching Men formation to your left, with giant sandstone pillars all in a line.
• Keep a look out for the double Parallel Arch formation at ( 38.788965, -109.687139 ) with one arch behind the other, it should be on your right after descending a short rock spine, it is easy to miss, if you miss it you can try to find it on your way back out as it is easier to see.
  
• In another 100 yards you turn the corner and should see Tower Arch where you can scramble over the slickrock and enter the arch.
• Look for Alex Ringhoffer’s inscription near the arch’s base that celebrates the arch’s discovery. Ringhoffer was a prospector and early explorer of the Klondike Bluffs area and one of the principle advocates for national park designation in the Arches region. Look for two inscriptions, one each on the north and south abutments of the arch. The inscription on the south abutment reads “DISCOV’D BY M. AND MRS. ALEX RINGHOEFFER AND SONS 1922-23.” the inscription has led to some controversy since the name “Ringhoffer” is misspelled and the date 1922-23 is rather strange and cryptic. The Ringhoffer family operated a silver mine in Salt Valley and spent Sundays exploring the surrounding country. The second inscription reads “Minaret Bridge, H.S. Bell 1927.” 

West Trailhead Route to Tower Arch

• From the trail head you walk through beautiful rock fins to eventually come out facing Tower Arch.
• Look for Alex Ringhoffer’s inscription near the arch’s base that celebrates the arch’s discovery. Ringhoffer was a prospector and early explorer of the Klondike Bluffs area and one of the principle advocates for national park designation in the Arches region. Look for two inscriptions, one each on the north and south abutments of the arch. The inscription on the south abutment reads “DISCOV’D BY M. AND MRS. ALEX RINGHOEFFER AND SONS 1922-23.” the inscription has led to some controversy since the name “Ringhoffer” is misspelled and the date 1922-23 is rather strange and cryptic. The Ringhoffer family operated a silver mine in Salt Valley and spent Sundays exploring the surrounding country. The second inscription reads “Minaret Bridge, H.S. Bell 1927.” 
• Continue to Parallel Arch
  
• Continue south to good viewing of the Marching Men, return the way you came