Phipps Arch from Escalante River

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Features Birding · Cave · Fall Colors · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This off-the-beaten path hike that doesn't follow a real trail, but follows a riverbed to a dry wash, then a cross-country scramble to see an obscure natural arch. Expect to get wet feet, sandy shoes, a great workout, and a little sun exposure on this proper desert adventure.

The trailhead for Phipps Arch is on the east side of the Highway 12, just beside the bridge over the Escalante River. There is private property nearby, so be sure to observe the signs and stick to the trail, which is easy to follow down to the river.

The first part of the hike is through the river canyon for about a mile and a half. You can walk on sandy paths for the most part, but you'll need to cross the river at least once where it makes a bend up against the canyon wall. There are also a few more spots where you might have to get wet or muddy, but this depends on the river level and the vegetation. Sandals or a change of shoes are good to have if you don't like hiking with wet feet.

Even though the terrain is mostly flat, expect slow going because of the sandy/muddy trail and negotiating the water crossings. Luckily the shade of cottonwood trees and cliff walls make this a downright pleasant place to be, and you can always cool off in the stream if the day is a hot one.

Keep an eye out for the trail junction that comes at about 1.5 miles from the trailhead. This is where you'll turn right to enter Phipps Wash. You'll soon leave the gentle splashing of the Escalante River for the drier and even sandier terrain in this side canyon.

At about 2.2 miles from the trailhead, another tributary canyon comes in from the right (if you're looking upstream). This wash is home to another natural rock formation, Maverick Natural Bridge, which you can go find if you're feeling extra adventurous.

Heading up Phipps Wash, you'll continue weaving in and out of vegetation that is thick at times. Keep a close eye to avoid losing the trail. At about 2.75 total miles from the start, it's time to leave the bottom of the wash to scramble up sandstone cliffs toward the arch. You might spot a cairn that marks the spot, but pay attention to your GPS for extra help.

Getting through the cliffs can be tricky if you aren't too experienced with rock climbing, but take it slow and you should be ok. Look for more cairns that mark the route, or just generally try to follow the path of least resistance upward. It requires some high-steps and light use of your hands to get over rock ledges, plus some steep walking on the grippy sandstone.

Eventually, you'll get to a large flat bowl area at the top. Here you'll see three deep alcoves in a nearby cliff, and just up around the corner is the arch. Phipps Arch is quite a huge span, estimated at 100 feet across and 30 feet tall in its opening.

You can hike around the slickrock slopes to view all different angles of the arch. When you're ready to descend, use extra care on the steep parts going down, as it's likely to feel more treacherous than coming up.

This area was home to the Ancestral Pueblo and Fremont Indian cultures many hundreds (and thousands) of years ago. Please be respectful of ruins and rock art, avoid touching them, and take only pictures.