Salt Valley - Arches National Park, Utah
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 38° 47.710 W 109° 39.478
12S E 616545 N 4294901
Arches National Park is a big draw...but, do crowds usually take away from the beauty of places for you? Then get your 4 wheel drive vehicle, and get off the asphalt pathway of the park.
Waymark Code: WM5TYV
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 02/13/2009
Views: 20
"The most frequently-taken hike into Devil's Garden leaves the Salt Valley road 13 m. east of its junction with US 160, traverses the eastern slope of Salt Valley to the base of the Garden..."
--- Utah. A Guide to the State, 1941
Just north of the Sand Dunes Arch on the road through the park, there is a turnoff onto a gravel/sand road. This is Salt Valley Road, and it will take you down into the Salt Valley, and west across the park. About 7 miles after turning onto Salt valley Road, there is a second turn off on the left, which takes you back to the Klondike Bluffs, and to Tower Arch.
The road then turns to the south, across sand and stone, a rather interesting trail. This trail will take you south through the valley, past Eye of Whale Arch and down to Willow Flats Road, which will take you west out of the park to Highway 191.
The park specifies that the trail may be impassable when wet. Due to really deep soft sand in some areas, I could see many stock 4 wheel drive vehicles getting stuck in those conditions.