Fiery Furnace (Arches National Park)

The Fiery Furnace is a collection of narrow sandstone canyons, fins and natural arches located near the center of Arches National Park in Utah, United States.

Pinnacles of the Fiery Furnace

The area is a popular hiking destination that was named for the reddish hue it exhibits in sunset light.^[1] Arches National Park has more than 2,000 cataloged sandstone arches,^[2] with some being located in the Fiery Furnace, including Walk Through Arch, Crawl Through Arch, Skull Arch, Kissing Turtles Arch, and Surprise Arch.^[3]

Ecology

The Fiery Furnace contains a variety of plant species, including one of the largest known concentrations of Canyonlands biscuitroot.^[4] Fragile ecological features such as biological soil crust and ephemeral pools are also found within the Fiery Furnace, and are vulnerable to visitor impact.^[5]

Visitor Access

Due to the environmental impacts of heavy visitation, the National Park Service initiated a permit system in 1994 to limit access to the Fiery Furnace.^[6] Visitors may purchase permits to hike in the Fiery Furnace alone or join a ranger-guided tour.^[7] Two trails lead hikers from the parking lot into the Fiery Furnace, but once inside, hikers must navigate the trailless labyrinth of rock formations.^[8] To minimize impact on the plant communities, visitors must walk along sandy washes or on sandstone surfaces. During the approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) ranger-guided tour, which lasts about three hours, visitors will encounter uneven terrain, drop-offs, and narrow passages.^[9] Rangers describe the history of the area, while noting the most prominent arches and other geologic features.^[10] Visitors can also choose to obtain a self-guided permit and hike through the Fiery Furnace on their own; however, they are required to watch an orientation video describing the area and how to minimize their impact.^[11]

Gallery

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  Aerial view with park road along bottom
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  Skull Arch
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  Juniper tree
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  Surprise Arch with tour guide
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  Panorama