Trail Name: Juanita Arch Trail
Best Use: Hiking
Best Time for Use: Hiking – All-Year with Winter, Spring and Fall being the best.
Difficulty: Hiking – Intermediate
Length: 4.5 miles (7.2 km) out and back from the trailhead
Start Elevation: 4,700 ft (1,432 m)
Maximum Elev Gain and Loss from Start Elev: 580 ft, (177 m) gain – 0 ft. (0 m)loss
Trail Surface and Use: A rarely used, abandoned pack trail, that dates from the early 1900’s Trail Head Access: Suitable for 2WD auto, will need to park on the side of the highway Trail Head Coordinates: 681,645E; 4,269,735N UTM WGS84 Zone12
Best Feature: Access to a beautiful hidden arch created by a canyon creek cutting through a sandstone gooseneck.
Caution: Wading across the Dolores River is best done at times of low water, otherwise use a floatation device (canoe, innertube, etc). Some care is required on the trail where it crosses steep slopes.

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Description: From the trailhead, cross the highway fence and descend the small drainage to the river. Cross with a floation device or consider traveling downstream to a shallow ford about 400 ft (120 m) downstream. This ford is on unmarked private land. After crossing start up the dry drainage at the head of the ford or follow the GPS track until the drainage is intercepted further up. Follow the drainage upstream, looking for traces of the pack trail. In the lower part of the drainage, the GPS track is accurate. At about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) the trail crosses the drainage for the last time and then remains on the north side. Gradually it ascends and then forks left to stay in the main drainage. Follow the trail/drainage upstream until you encounter the arch at mile 2.25 (3.6 km). GPS tracks are less accurate in the walled canyon. The pack trail, which served as a supply route for historic mines upstream, continues for several additional miles.