Fiery Furnace - Arches National Park

Fiery Furnace

Arches National Park
Canyoneering

The Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park is a labyrinth of narrow sandstone canyons and fins. The route requires minor scrambling and squeezing through tight spaces. This relatively small area is one of the most incredible and spectacular places in the park. The Fiery Furnace has restrictions on access and requires that you sign up for a ranger guided tour or obtain a special permit.

General Information:
The Fiery Furnace is a mazelike labyrinth of narrow sandstone canyons. Unless you have been in before or are going with someone who knows their way around you will be wasting your time. If you are new to the Fiery Furnace it is best to sign up for the ranger guided hike until you learn your way around. There is no trail and you are encouraged to accompany a ranger both for your safety and to diminish impacts on the natural system.

The ranger guided hike is suitable for all healthy adults and older children. The loop hike is 2 miles around and will require 2 1/2 to 3 hours to complete. The hike winds through terrain that occasionally requires the use of hands and feet to scramble up and through narrows cracks and along narrow ledges above drop-offs.

Navigation for this route is easy with a ranger and extremely difficult without one. A GPS is useless in this deep canyon maze. The USGS 7.5' Maps titled "The Windows Section" and "Mollie Hogans" show the Fiery Furnace. All waypoints and maps for this route use the WGS84 datum. This route is rated 1A II using the Canyon Rating System.

Shauna, Stormy and Sierra under Surprise Arch

Permit:
Every visitor entering the Fiery Furnace must obtain a ticket for the ranger-guided hike or a hiking permit at the visitor center. Guided hikes are offered daily (April through October) through this trail-less area. Reservations are required and tickets must be purchased in person at the visitor center (up to seven days in advance). These popular hikes may fill up one to two days in advance. Group size is limited to ten people. If there are more than ten in your group, you may request a special walk. It is recommended that such requests be made four weeks in advance.

Fees charged for the popular ranger-guided Fiery Furnace walk go directly to supporting the program. The cost as of 2007 is $10 for adults and $5 for children six to twelve years old.

Trailhead Information:
Follow the main road into Arches National Park and do not turn off until told to do so. From Arches National Park Visitor Center drive into the park for 14.0 miles to the signed "Fiery Furnace Viewpoint" turn-off. Turn south (right) into the Fiery Furnace Viewpoint and find a place to park (N38º 44' 34", W109º 33' 58"). The trailhead is identified by a large paved parking lot that will accommodate many vehicles. There is a pit toilet located at the trailhead. The trailhead is accessible to all vehicles in all conditions.