Travel: From Moab travel north on US 191. Turn left on Potash Road, Utah 279, 1.5 miles north of the junction with Utah 128. Travel south beside the Colorado River for 3.9 miles. Turn right into the Jaycee Park Recreation Site. There is no fee for parking. Pit toilet, no water. The Jaycee Park Campground (fee) has seven shaded, walk-in tent sites.
Distance and Elevation Gain: 9.3 miles; 1,700 feet of climbing
Total Time: 4:00 to 5:30
Difficulty: Trail, off-trail; navigation moderate; mild exposure between Portal Overlook and Poison Spider Trail; carry all the water you will need and avoid on hot summer days.
Map: Moab, Utah 7.5' USGS Quad
Latest Date Hiked: October 21, 2019
Quote: I can only tell where I feel most at home, which is in the erosional landscape of the red rock desert of southern Utah, where the Colorado River cuts through sandstone and the geologic history of the Earth is exposed. Terry Tempest Williams
A Moab old-timer bikes out Kane Creek and looks up at Little Arch every day. "How big is the opening? Is it this big?" He stretched out long arms. "Oh much bigger than that! Why, it's got to be 20, maybe even 30 feet across," I replied. The Portal Overlook Trail is 700 feet below the arch rising with the tilted bedding planes of Kayenta Formation. This photo was shot from the Moab Rim Trailhead.
Route: Hike northeast on the Portal Overlook Trail, gaining elevation quickly to the Overlook. Stay on the single-track walking northwest to the junction with Poison Spider Trail. Walk southwest and then southeast across Poison Spider Mesa to Little Arch. There are multiple tracks and considerable leeway for creating your own hike once you are on the mesa. Retrace your steps on Poison Spider to the 4X4 track heading northeast to Barney's Overlook. From there, walk off-trail northwest on or near the rim and intersect the Portal Overlook Trail.
Portal Overlook Trail
From the trailhead, elevation 3,960 feet, walk briefly through a riparian woodland of cottonwood, tamarisk, oak, and juniper. Confined between the cliff and river road, the path barges through impressive piles of water-polished cobbles.
The trail register is at 0.5 mile where a shortcut comes up from the road. Throughout the Colorado Plateau ancient footpaths are found on the ledge forming Kayenta Formation. Watch for historic chiseling. On this most recent hike, I saw a lot of mountain bike tracks but had the trail to myself.
The trail makes a sharp switchback at 1.3 miles. I have seen a number people miss the turn and wander out on an appealing looking bench below the trail.
The Overlook is located where the rim pivots northwest at 1.5 miles, elevation 4,860 feet, after 900 feet of climbing. Stand comfortably on a solid slab while taking in the imponderable view. In the image below, the opposite wall of the Colorado River portal is in the shade. The highest peak in the La Sal Mountains is Mount Peale, 12,721', in the south block (image-right).
See skylight streaming through Turret Arch in the Windows Section of Arches National Park.
The trail continues northwest for one mile where it gains the top of the rim and links with the Poison Spider Trail. For the next half mile the platform is good but the cliff exposure is huge with a 1,000 foot drop. At the upper end, the BLM has posted a sign for mountain bikers that reads, "Dismount now, narrow, dangerous trail ahead. Riders have died here." That same sign was posted on my first hike here in 2002 and they mean it. In short, the Overlook should be the turn-around for hikers who are uncomfortable on ledge trails. The image below looks back at the Overlook from the narrow shelf.
The treadway comes very close to the rim crest and then continues north. Note: this is where our off-trail trek on the rim from Barney's Overlook meets back up with the Portal Overlook Trail.
The trail expands to a two-track and at 2.5 miles, 5,060 feet, ends at the junction with Poison Spider Trail, shown, and Gold Bar Rim. The technical Gold Bar 4X4 and mountain bike route continues north to Gemini Bridges.
Poison Spider Trail
Turn left onto the 4X4 track. There are intermittent intervals of deep sand and bedrock.
There is a major junction at 3.1 miles; take the left fork. Five roads intersect at 3.7 miles. Stay on Poison Spider. Now the journey crosses expansive sheets of desert pavement, the hallmark and bliss of Poison Spider Mesa. Follow the white hash marks to stay on route. Peak 5,245', shown, is a prominent feature seen from all over Moab. I searched all over for a non-technical route but it was too steeply pitched to friction climb. Barney's Overlook is located right at the base of the north ridge, image-center. For now, pass the signed junction for Barney's, staying on Poison Spider.
Periodic signs will help keep you on route. Cylindrical weathering pits are characteristic of Navajo Sandstone and the track swings by a moderately sized one. They are carved by aeolian (wind-abraded) activity. Be wary of pothole suck. The pits typically have a rounded lip and then a vertical fall.
Little Arch, 4720'
Descend softly to Little Arch. I had a lot of company at first but soon I was alone with the perfect structure that isn't so little after all.
The arch is 4.8 miles into the hike. Once in a flash flood event, I saw it function as a natural bridge with water gushing through the hole and free-falling onto Potash Road. From one angle you can look through the window to the Moab Rim Trailhead.
I have gone to considerable effort and risk to stand on arches. This is among the easiest with a manageable friction descent to the top of the span. However, it is not trivial. Do not attempt when it is windy or the rock is wet. Wear sticky soled shoes.
Look down on the Portal Overlook Trail, Colorado River, Moab Rim Trail making the most of Kayenta shelving, and the whimsical shapes in "Finlandia," Behind The Rocks (off-image).
In 2002, I did a much bigger loop that long distance enthusiasts may wish to replicate. I took the Portal Overlook Trail to the rim and then kept going north on Gold Bar Rim. I transitioned to Golden Spike, did an out-and-back to the arch on Poison Spider, and then went southwest to the Poison Spider Trailhead on Potash Road. I walked back to Jaycee Park on the road with its mind-bending juxtaposition of rock art and Wall Street climbers.
Barney's Overlook
Still hoping to climb Peak 5,245', I launched off-trail from the arch attempting to stay near the rim but I was foiled by prickly vegetation. So, from the arch, retrace your steps on Poison Spider to the junction with Barney's Overlook Trail at 5.8 miles and turn right. Knowing nothing in advance about Barney's, I noticed was that the track was bearing northeast, right where I wanted to go. The 4X4 climbs a steep slickrock ramp aiming for the sky.
I am dumbfounded that the vehicle track rises up and up and then terminates in thin air at the cliff edge. There is no warning for drivers. Barney's is located right on the rim just north of Peak 5,245' at 6.5 miles. It is clearly visible from Moab now that you know where to look. The Portal Overlook Trail is only 100 feet below but there is no safe way down from here.
Rim to Portal Overlook Trail
When I headed north from Barney's I had no idea whether it would work but, in fact, it is simple to stay on or near the rim for the half mile back to the trail. Looking at the image above, there is a short wall north of Barney's so back up west about 100 feet to a social trail heading north. It disappears when you get on the rock and there are no cairns.
From Point 5,048' the trail system can be seen off in the distance. Reconnect with the Portal Overlook Trail where it first contacts the rim at 7.0 miles, 4,980 feet. This alternate route is not only quick, it is quiet.
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