Fiery Furnace
Fiery Furnace
Arches National Park, UT
Image by Don Metz @ www.donmetzphotography.com
Arches National Park is one of the most fascinating National Parks in the American Southwest. In addition to the many natural arches, the entire area is made of red sandstone, which provides a magical red glow during the first and last sunlight of the day.
The Fiery Furnace is one of my favorite locations to photograph the red rocks. This area includes intriguing patterns of colored hoodoos and interesting rock formations. You can capture the glowing red rocks with the picturesque La Sal Mountains in the background by placing yourself in the right location.
This glow only lasts a few moments, so it is important to know where you want to photograph in advance and be ready and in place at the right time.
Photos and location summary by Don Metz.
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The shot was taken about 150 yards from the Fiery Furnace parking lot.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
4,744 ft Elevation
Google Earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the Fiery Furnace parking lot.
From Moab - Drive northwest on US 191 from Moab for approximately 4.5 miles and turn right onto the Arches National Park on Arches Entrance Rd. Go past the visitors' entrance, continue on Arches Scenic Dr. for 14 miles, and take a right onto Fiery Furnace Viewpoint.
From the viewpoint parking area, follow the Fiery Furnace Loop trail to the north for about 400 feet. Hike cross-country down a gap between the fins to an outcropping at the end of the fin. This area consists of multiple fins that can be exploredto find other compositions that enable you to align the colorful rock formations with the La Sal Mountains in the background at different angles.
Photography Tips
The fins create high-contrast shadows during the day that even exposure bracketing will have difficulty resolving into a balanced image. This image was taken a few minutes before sunset, when the sunlight was no longer directly on the foreground rocks and fins but glows from the reflected ambient light on the sandstone, while the sunlight shines on the peaks of the La Sal Mountains.
Best Time of Day to Shoot
The best time to shoot this location is just before sunset. At sunset, the last rays of light on the horizon transform the red rocks of the Fiery Furnace into a florescent red glow, which separates nicely from the snow-covered La Sal mountains in the distance.
The shot above was taken @ 4:56 pm on a day when the stated sunset was 4:59 pm
Best Time of Year
This location is great any time of year. However, in the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring, there is a good chance of snow on the La Sal Mountains. This red-and-white contact makes this scene special.
The above shot was taken on Nov 22nd.
Lens(es) Needed
The image above was taken at 100 mm (equivalent) as a two-shot vertical pano.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 100 mm (equivalent)
Exposure – 10th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Nov 22nd
Time – 4:46 pm
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
The Fiery Furnace is located in the Arches National Park. Even after you have entered the park, a special permit (and fee) is required to hike to the location of this shot. Instructions on obtaining a permit to enter Fiery Furnace are shownbelow. Permits frequently sell out quickly during the busy season.
Fiery Furnace Permits - go to www.recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777.
Once in the website, type fiery furnace in the search bar and select the Self-Guided Fiery Furnace Exploration-Arches option. There are 150 tickets available per day, although they are in high demand and sell out quickly.
Your reservation is not a permit; you must pick up your permit at the Arches Visitor Center the day before or the same day of your reservation.
Permits must be reserved online at least two days before the trip date, with a maximum of seven days in advance.
Fiery Furnace permits are valid for a specified date and for day use only (sunrise to sunset).
All members of the hiking party must be present to watch a required educational video and listen to an orientation talk.
Online reserved permits must be picked up either the day before or the day-of only at the Arches Visitor Center during operating hours (Note: the visitor center stops issuing permits one hour prior to closing time).
Self-Guided Fiery Furnace Exploration Permits are for private use only; commercial groups are not permitted in the Fiery Furnace. Traves approved for commercial use are on the Commercial Use Authorizations Conditions page. Read more about commercial use.
The cost of Self-Guided Fiery Furnace Exploration Permits are: $10 per person.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is mainly southeast @ 140°.
Equipment Needed
The above shot was taken with a polarizer to enhance the red glow.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
Arches National Park will have many tourists each day. However, the Fiery Furnace at sunset will most likely have few to no visitors.
Weather
Arches National Park has a high desert climate with temperatures ranging up to 30° to 40° a day. Spring and fall are nice, but summer can reach the high 90s. The monsoon season (in late summer) brings violent but brief thunderstorms, which can be great for photography.
Cell Service
I use Verizon, and there is spotty cell service in Arches National Park. Some parts of the park have decent cell service, and others have none.
Nearby Restaurants
Moab is becoming a trendy hipster town with tons of nice places to eat and enjoy a cold refreshment. You will findsouthwestern / Mexican cuisine, Thai, Italian, and American restaurants. Moab also has a few gourmet-class restaurants, along with 2 brew houses.
There are lots of good choices for breakfast. I normally stop in at either Gloria's or Bonjour Bakery. Love Muffin is popular but a bit trendy for me. A great alternative is a local favorite: Red Rock Bakery & Net Cafe. It's an easygoing place with great coffee and tasty bagels.
For lunch, I will stop at Moab Diner or Dewey's. I also like to grab a pizza or pasta at either Antica Forma or Pasta Jay's. Both make good meals and are simple places to relax. Other places to consider are Horizon View Bar & Grill, Spitfire Smokehouse, Zak's, Desert Bistro, The Spoke, Broken Oar, and The Sultan.
Moab has a good food truck park with several places that stand out. My favorite food trucks are Quesadilla Mobilla, Tacos El Gordo and the Moab Kitchen. Each has simple food with a big taste. There are many, many other good places to eat in Moab. These are just a few names.
Area Guides and Workshops
None