Cobra Arch

The drive in detail: The turnoff from Highway 89 is right at the Paria Outpost. From here the dirt road leads about 8mi in southern direction to the trailhead. During our visit in April 2022, both 4-wheel drive and a decent ground clearance were necessary for the route. There were some sandy spots and a deep wash to cross. To avoid getting lost we recommend to use a GPX track.

The hike in detail: From the trailhead, walk south for about 660feet until you reach the rim. At the rim you walk for about 1.8mi in eastern direction. The longer you walk along the rim, the shorter you have to walk in the sand. When you have walked about 1.8mi you have to find a suitable place to descend from the rim to the plain. There might be some climbing required. Markings on the descent should make it easy to find and manage the way down with a bit of caution. Based on our hike (GPX file above) you can see that there are two ways to Cobra Arch. If you walk at the top, closer to the cliff, the trail is uneven and you have to climb up and down more often. If you hike further down, the trail is more even but sandy and can be a bit strenuous to hike. No matter where you hike, you have hardly any shade on the entire path.