ST. GEORGE — A short distance from Washington City’s Main Street, at the end of a sandy wash, stands an elegant arch carved from red sandstone that looks remarkably similar to an elephant’s head and trunk.
In this episode of “Discover the Desert,” presented by Findlay Subaru St. George, host Sydnee Imlay and her canine co-host Bruno traveled just a smidgen off the beaten path, seeking Elephant Arch.
“This is honestly a really cool hike,” she said. “It’s really sandy and kind of difficult at times, but if this little guy (Bruno) can do it, anybody can.”
The trail, approximately 3.8 miles long, starts at the Mill Creek trailhead on a dirt road about 1 mile north of Washington Parkway above the Brio subdivision in Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.
Visitors should park south of the gate at the trailhead and not attempt to drive through, even if it’s open, Ammon Teare, the reserve’s outreach coordinator, told St. George News.
“Chances are the workers in the area will return and close that gate before you finish your hike, and we don’t want your vehicle stranded on the wrong side of the fence — it’s happened more than once,” he said.
Follow Mill Creek Trail and make a right at the sign for Bone Wash. From there, hikers can follow the power lines into the wash. Then they’ll reach a short sandy incline and a path leading to the arch.
Teare said this is where people tend to get lost. He reminded visitors to look for signs blocking unauthorized routes.
The wash is sandy, which can be difficult for some hikers. A Hiker’s Friend suggests they wear shoes with good traction, especially those specially made for sand. Additionally, the time spent on the trail could be double what’s expected “simply due to (sand’s) unique ability to slow you down.”
“When it’s super dry, this can get a little bit discouraging to walk on … so just keep that in mind when you’re on your way,” Imlay said. “Just keep going — the arch is right there.”
The path to Elephant Arch is exposed to the hot Southern Utah sun, and while the tree and cliffside shadows may provide some relief, there isn’t much shade.
Hikers should keep canine companions leashed to avoid them harming tortoises or encountering rattlesnakes, said Ann McLuckie, a wildlife biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Geological wonders
Adorning the trail is the same Jurassic-aged sandstone made famous by Zion National Park. Approximately 200 million years ago, the Navajo sandstone layer was an enormous sand dune desert covering Utah and parts of neighboring states, said SUU Assistant Professor Casey Webb.
“So you can just picture Utah at this point being a large sea of sand,” he said.
Over time, the sand was buried, compressed and lithified — transformed into stone. The “unique shapes” visible today were carved over time by two distinct processes working in tandem — weathering broke down the rock, and erosion carried it away.
The horizontal lines on the “trunk” and “head” of Elephant Arch show how the sand was deposited in layers. At the top and bottom of the trunk, there are fractures.
The arch likely formed as the rock eroded at weak points, such as fractures. One way this occurs is when water enters pores or fractures and freezes, expanding and breaking the rock apart, Webb said.
Additionally, hikers may see pebble-like knobs on the stone. Webb said these are likely Moqui marbles in the process of forming. Iron, responsible for the area’s unique red hue, is central to this process.
Navajo sandstone is porous and permeable — fluids pass through it well “for a rock,” Webb said. As it does, it dissolves and transports the iron. The mineral is eventually precipitated out — “going from a solution back to a solid.”
It solidifies around a core made of sand grains into its characteristic spherical shape within the existing rock. Then, because iron is more resistant to weathering and erosion, it’s left behind after the surrounding sandstone is gone.
Leaving no trace
The trail to Elephant Arch is in the reserve’s “Lowland Zone” — prime tortoise habitat with sensitive soil, Teare said. So visitors should stay on the trail, even when something catches their eye.
“The soil outside of the wash is particularly loose and prone to degrade easily with just the slightest disturbance,” he said. “Recently, there’s been a lot of habitat destruction and illegal trails popping up in the vicinity of the arch, so we ask the public to be respectful and use the trails we’ve provided to keep the reserve wild and beautiful.”
McLuckie said visitors who go off-trail risk crushing tortoise burrows. Additionally, hikers should remember it’s illegal to pick up wild tortoises. Among other reasons, they could void their bladders, leading to dehydration and death, according to the reserve’s website.
While large groups of cairns — stacks of stones — can be found on the trail, Teare said these are unauthorized. Cairns are meant to guide hikers to a destination, and those built by visitors can confuse others and cause them to become lost.
“They serve as a kind of visual graffiti: evidence of human activity that can detract from the natural scenery,” he said. “I don’t know how to phrase that more delicately, but that’s our sentiment. I’m not saying people that make cairns are bad or even selfish; they probably just see it as a fun exercise or even somewhat artistic. We just ask that visitors Leave No Trace, and that includes stacking rocks.”
Additionally, the National Park Service writes that moving rocks can disturb the soil, make the area more prone to erosion and disrupt fragile vegetation and micro-ecosystems.
Three elephant arches?
Elephant Arch in Bone Wash is one of three similarly named arches in Southern Utah, Teare said. Baby Elephant Arch is near the Dino Cliffs Trailhead west of the water tower on State Trust Land, less than a mile from Mill Creek Trailhead. Its location can be found on Google Maps.
The other arch has several names, including Little Elephant Arch, Paradise Arch and Paradise Canyon Arch, and is a “prominent landmark” on the Turtle Wall Trail, Teare said.
Turtle Wall Trail is about a 30-minute drive from the Mill Creek trailhead. The arch is located near the east end of the trail.
Find online directions to the Mill Creek trailhead and Elephant Arch. As always, remember to take plenty of water, protect yourself from the sun and enjoy public lands responsibly.
And there’s no better way to end a great hike than with a scoop of Handel’s delicious homemade ice cream. Want free ice cream? Leave a comment on social media and tell the Canyon Media crew where we should hike next for your chance to win.
Photo Gallery
Mill Creek Trail leads to Bone Wash and Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News A yucca plant stands against the desert landscape, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Vegetation grows around the sign for Bone Wash, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Sydnee and Bruno hike to Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 21, 2023 | Photo by Aaron Crane, St. George News The view from Bone Wash Trail, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Bone Wash trail follows power lines to the wash leading to Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Weathering and erosion creates unique shapes and patterns in the Navajo sandstone, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Shrubs grow along Bone Wash's sandy path, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Trees and shrubs grow along Bone Wash's sandy path, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News A cactus clings to a carve sandstone cliff, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Water permeates sandstone to create Moqui marbles, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Navajo sandstone lines the sandy path to Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Hikers should watch for signs blocking unauthorized paths, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Unauthorized cairns stand along the trail, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Unauthorized cairns stand along the trail, Washington, Utah, Sept. 17, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Sydnee and Bruno hike to Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 21, 2023 | Photo by Aaron Crane, St. George News Sydnee and Bruno hike to Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 21, 2023 | Photo by Aaron Crane, St. George News Sydnee and Bruno hike to Elephant Arch, Washington, Utah, Sept. 21, 2023 | Photo by Aaron Crane, St. George News Little Elephant Arch can be seen of the Turtle Wall Trail, St. George, Utah, April 15, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News
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