Drive to Fiery Furnace Viewpoint in Arches National Park and walk from the parking area to the vista point in 0.1 mile (0.2 kilometer). Alternatively don your hiking boots and join a ranger-guided hike through the sandstone labyrinth of fins, spires and arches. The sudden dead ends and narrow, twisting corridors of this sandstone attraction will have you scratching your head, so the only way to explore is via a ranger-led hike. Guided hikes also ensure that visitors stay off the protected native plants and soil.
It is possible to obtain a permit from the visitor center to explore on your own, but the 2.5-hour guided hikes provide the safest Fiery Furnace experience. The hikes are moderately strenuous and require scrambling by hand and foot to get through narrow crevices and move along steep ledges, often in loose sand. You may need to jump across gaps and hold yourself off the ground by pushing against the sandstone walls. Be sure to sign up months ahead of time because the guided hikes are very popular. Wear good hiking shoes and carry water in a backpack so that your hands remain free. Children under age five are not allowed on the hike.
Before or after your Fiery Furnace Viewpoint exploration, visit nearby Delicate Arch, one of the most iconic arch formations in the country. A well-maintained trail takes you to the 60-foot-tall (18-meter) freestanding arch, which is immortalized on the Utah state license plate. Start from the large parking area near Wolfe Ranch, passing the historic ranch buildings as well as a wall of Ute Indian petroglyphs along the 3-mile (5-kilometer) out-and-back trail.
The Fiery Furnace Viewpoint is 5 miles (8 kilometers) north of Balanced Rock on the main park road, just past the turnoff for Delicate Arch. It is 14 miles (23 kilometers) from the main park entrance. Ranger-led hikes through the labyrinth are available spring through fall for a fee. Register online well in advance. If any openings are available, make reservations at the visitor center within seven days of your planned hike. There is a fee to enter the national park.
