Fiery Furnace (Arches National Park)

The Fiery Furnace is a collection of narrow sandstone canyons, fins and natural arches located near the center of Arches National Park in Utah, United States. The area is a popular hiking destination that was named for the reddish hue it exhibits in sunset light.[1]

The Fiery Furnace contains a variety of plant species, including one of the largest known concentrations of Canyonlands biscuitroot.[2] Fragile ecological features such as biological soil crust and ephemeral pools are also found within the Fiery Furnace, and are vulnerable to visitor impact.[3] Arches National Park has more than 2,000 cataloged sandstone arches,[4] with some being located in the Fiery Furnace, including Walk Through Arch, Crawl Through Arch, Skull Arch, Kissing Turtles Arch, and Surprise Arch.[5]

Due to the environmental impacts of heavy visitation, the National Park Service initiated a permit system in 1994 to limit access to the Fiery Furnace.[6] Visitors may purchase permits to hike in the Fiery Furnace alone or join a ranger-guided tour.[7] Two trails lead hikers from the parking lot into the Fiery Furnace, but once inside, hikers must navigate the trailless labyrinth of rock formations.[8] To minimize impact on the plant communities, visitors must walk along sandy washes or on sandstone surfaces. During the approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) ranger-guided tour, which lasts about three hours, visitors will encounter uneven terrain, drop-offs, and narrow passages.[9] Rangers describe the history of the area, while noting the most prominent arches and other geologic features.[10] Visitors can also choose to obtain a self-guided permit and hike through the Fiery Furnace on their own; however, they are required to watch an orientation video describing the area and how to minimize their impact.[11]

  • Aerial view with park road along bottom
  • Skull Arch
  • Juniper tree
  • Surprise Arch with tour guide
  • Panorama

References
  1. Schneider, Bill (2017). Hiking Canyonlands and Arches National Park. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 64. ISBN 1493027387.
  2. "Visitor Experience and Resource Protection Implementation Plan" (PDF). Coastal Training Program: Elkhorn Slough. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  3. "Why is the Fiery Furnace So Special?". Fiery Furnace Tour. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  4. "Arches". National Park Service. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  5. Malitz, Jerome; Malitz, Susan (2005). Arches National Park Dayhiker's Guide. Boulder, CO: Big Earth Publishing. ISBN 1555663362. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  6. Schneider, Bill (2017). Hiking Canyonlands and Arches National Park. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 64. ISBN 1493027387.
  7. "Fiery Furnace Hikes: Go With a Ranger". National Park Service. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  8. Malitz, Jerome; Malitz, Susan (2005). Arches National Park Dayhiker's Guide. Boulder, CO: Big Earth Publishing. ISBN 1555663362. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  9. "Fiery Furnace Hikes: Go With a Ranger". National Park Service. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  10. Malitz, Jerome; Malitz, Susan (2005). Arches National Park Dayhiker's Guide. Boulder, CO: Big Earth Publishing. ISBN 1555663362. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  11. "Fiery Furnace Permits: Go on your own". National Park Service. Retrieved 2 November 2019.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.