Fiery Furnace Arches National Park
The Fiery Furnace is a natural labyrinth of narrow passages between towering sandstone walls. To enter the Fiery Furnace, visitors must accompany a ranger-guided tour or obtain a hiking permit at the visitor center. The Fiery Furnace earns its name from the deep red and orange glow of the sandstone fins that, when lit by the setting sun, resemble a ‘fiery furnace’.
There are no trails, signs, or cairns in the Fiery Furnace. GPS units do not work well due to the towering sandstone walls. Navigating its complex passages requires physical agility and careful observation. To protect the wildlife and plants that inhabit sand dunes and drainages between the rock walls, visitors must choose their steps wisely. The park encourages first-time visitors to the Fiery Furnace to join a ranger-led tour or go with someone who has been before.
Building cairns is not allowed in the Fiery Furnace. If interpretive rangers see any cairns, they will knock them over immediately. Do not rely on self-made cairns for navigation and GPS units may not work in the Fiery Furnace’s deep canyons and slots.
Arial view of the Fiery Furnace from Google Earth.
Admission & Hours
Arches National Park is open year-round, 24 hours a day.
| Fee Type |
Fee
|
| Private Vehicle Valid for 7 days.
|
$25/vehicle |
| Motorcycle Valid for 7 days.
|
$15/motorcycle |
| Per Person Valid for 7 days.
|
$10/person |
Southeast Utah Parks Annual Pass
|
$50 |
| Type of Fiery Furnace Fee | Fee |
| Ranger-led Tour | $16/adult $8/child (age 5-12) |
| Private Permit | $6/adult $3/child (age 5-12) $15/annual permit |
Permits
Anyone who wishes to enter the Fiery Furnace without a ranger must obtain a hiking permit at the Arches Visitor Center during regular business hours. Everyone in your group must be present when the permit is issued to watch a short orientation video. Permits may be obtained up to seven days in advance and are only valid from sunrise to sunset on the date specified. Maximum group size is 25 people per permit. Pets and children under 5 are not allowed.
Permits frequently sell out during the busy season; they may not be reserved or “held” over the phone. The best way to know how many are available is to check in person at Arches Visitor Center.
Fiery Furnace hiking permits cost $6 for adults (ages 13 and over), $3 for children (ages 5 through 12), and $3 for holders of Interagency Senior Passes or Interagency Access Passes. For a fee of $15, visitors may purchase a Fiery Furnace Annual Pass, which waives the permit fee and video-watching requirement for pass holders for one calendar year.
What to Photograph:
Best Time for Photographers:
The only time that you can photography here is during the day, and are only valid from sunrise to sunset. Lighting in the Fiery Furnace can be a challenge, with it being very dark deep in the slot caverns and a very bright sky on a sunny day. Shooting bracketed exposures and combining them into HDR will help capture the full dynamic range.
Getting There:
Driving Directions
From the 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. The GPS coordinate for the trailhead is: N38º 44′ 34″, W109º 33′ 58″.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Facilities
Restrooms are available at the Fiery Furnace Viewpoint, but not inside the Fiery Furnace. Food, gas, lodging and other services are not available in Arches National Park; services are available in the town of Moab.
Location Contact Information:
By Mail
Arches National Park
PO Box 907
Moab, UT 84532-0907
By Phone
Visitor Information
(435) 719-2299
Headquarters
(435) 719-2100
Elsewhere
Facebook
Flickr
Twitter
YouTube
By Email
General Information & Visitor Comments
Educational Fee Waivers
Nearest City or Town:
Moab Utah
Fiery Furnace Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Utah:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
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