Arch Canyon

BETA PHOTO: Dreamspeaker from the canyon rim rappel point.

Description 

Arch Canyon is without doubt one of the most beautiful and spectacular canyons in the SW desert. Everywhere you seem to look on its 900' side walls are ancient Indian houses and granaries, some in as perfect condition as the day they were built. There always seems to be water in the stream that flows down the bed of the canyon, providing water for many large trees. Arch Canyon to date has at least eight climbed towers - some have more than one route, and two of the best known are Dreamspeaker and Cathedral Arch Tower. Ten miles up the four wheel drive road a canyon branches off to the left, and this forms Texas Canyon. Two miles up this canyon are two more towers, Lone Star and the massive and famous 800' Texas Tower. A climb in Arch and Texas Canyons is an experience every desert climber should savor.

Getting There 

To reach the towers one has to either rap in from the rim or take the four wheel drive up the canyon bottom. The entrance to Arch canyon bottom is just over 18 miles to the west of Blanding. From Blanding, go 2 miles south on Rt 191 to the junction of Rt 95 (Hanksville, Lake Powell). On Rt 95, drive 14.2 miles to a right turn on a good dirt road up a wide valley. Go 2.5 miles, where one reaches the entrance to Arch. From here the ride up Arch Canyon requires at least a 4x4 short wheel base high clearance truck, or preferably an ATV. About 5 miles up, one will come to Dreamspeaker and Dreamcatcher towers. Its about a total of 9 miles from the entrance to the junction with Texas Canyon (Arch continues to the right), and here is a beatiful camping area. This also is the location of Cathedral Arch Tower and others. This is the end of the road - to reach Texas and Lone Star Towers is about a two mile hike.

A popular way to reach the towers in Arch and Texas is by rapping in via the west rim, leaving fixed lines. Great going in, but tough coming back out! To reach the Rim Road, drive a further 5.2 miles from the valley turn off to a road on the right with BLM signs and a fee station. To rap into Dreamspeaker and Dreamcatcher, drive up this good dirt road (car friendly) for 3.1 miles. The road gets a bit rough here, but this is where one camps. A few minutes walk to the right reaches the rim and fine views of both towers. To reach the area to rap and walk into Texas Canyon, the junction of Arch and Texas Canyons, and the other towers, continue with four wheel drive up the short rough section for a total of about 6.8 miles from Rt 95, and take a short road on the right that leads to the rim and good camping.

More information and descriptions of many of the climbs are available in Desert Rock IV by Eric Bjornstad. There is also information and descriptions of Texas Tower on this site under the area Texas Canyon.

Featured Route For Arch Canyon

South Face 5.11b R  UT : Moab Area : Dreamspeaker

Very cool route on mostly good rock. The leader should be solid since there are definitely 5.10 do not fall sections, though the 5.11 crux is very safe. The approach is heinous - scramble up slabs on the north side to get to the ledge between Dreamspeaker and Dreamcatcher. The route climbs the obvious splitter in the picture.Pitch 1 - traverse easily 10 feet right, and head up an overhanging blocky section with less than perfect rock. This is...[more]

Add Photo Photos of Arch Canyon

BETA PHOTO

BETA PHOTO: Looking into Arch Canyon from the rim with the thi...