Moenkopi Arch Loop - 1/25/25

Moenkopi Arch

Las Vegas Strip from lower end of arch Ridge

Small scramble Wash

Bike trail on approach to the arch Ridge

First view of Arch

There are several loop routes you can use to do a hike that includes views of the Moenkopi Arch. This is just one of them. Twelve hikers began at the Moenkopi Road Trailhead and crossed the road to start out a trail that basically paralleled SR 159 for about a mile on our left. Meeting a wash and the hill in front of us, we turned right and followed a trail that paralleled the escarpment hill on our left. Keeping the hill on our left, we made a couple of turns that brought us to an interesting winding bike path through a smaller wash. Soon, we had a view of the Moenkopi Arch ahead of us in the distance. The path brought us to the saddle between the arch ridge and the escarpment where we posed for a photo. We continued to follow the bike trail as it zigzagged down the next hill. It also began a balance on a small ridge. Right after zigzagging one more time, we stopped just before the trail started down another ridge balance. Here, we broke into two subgroups. A small posse of hikers decided to climb up to the top of the ridge and take photos inside the arch. This is no easy task. It is very steep as you get to the top of the ridge. But, they accomplished the task and produced the photo below. Their only remark was that the descent was a lot worse than the ascent!

Trail Approach

Saddle at top end of Ridge

Bike trail balances small Ridge

Close-up of Arch with small posse of Hikers

Climbing the small scramble Wash

Meanwhile, the remaining hikers bushwhacked down to the wash at the bottom of the arch ridge on a diagonal track through the waves of arroyos. We waited on the rocks at the bottom. When the posse of hikers joined us, we continued into the nearby wash and turned right. There is a nice little canyon wash here that is an easy but fun scramble. At the top of the scramble, we found the continuation of a trail turning to the left going up the hill to an arch overlook. A right turn paralleled the small wash below along a traverse of the hill. There were two dips before we veered to the right and passed a very large cairn before junctioning with the trail we had used to approach the arch. Turning left here, we took the second right turn and a following bend to the left. Here, it appears that you are hiking straight to the firehouse below but the trail takes another turn to the right and crosses the desert to meet the initial approach trail. I know this sounds like a lot of twisting and turning but that's the nature of bike trails with no signs. If you study the track maps below, you will understand the simplicity of the loop. It was a cold morning but a friendly and willing group of hikers.

Stats: 5.5 miles; 750' gain; 3 hours

Beautiful small Wash

View on Return

Passing large Cairn

Final leg of Return