4×4 Off-Road ~ Hiking ~ Glen Canyon
Trip Overview
Skylight Arch and Studhorse Hoodoos are both easy to moderate out-and-back hikes near Page, Arizona that lead to an unreal-looking horizontal natural arch and a garden of hoodoo formations. Both hikes require off-road travel. Studhorse Hoodoos can be reached with a two-wheel-drive vehicle, while the Skylight Arch trailhead requires a high-clearance vehicle. If you do not have a high-clearance vehicle, you can park short of the trailhead at the base of the rocky uphill section and add that distance to your hike.
Studhorse Hoodoos
Type of Hike : Out and Back Meander
Length: .25 Miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Sand and Slickrock
Elevation Gain: 20 feet
Dog Friendly: Yes
Park Pass/Permit Required: No
Studhorse Hoodoos Direction to the Trailhead
At mile marker #555.5 on Highway 89, turn off onto a potholed asphalt road and drive about 1/4 mile. Turn right onto Ferry Swale Road, heading west and following the power lines. Continue on Ferry Swale Road for 1.8 miles, then take the right fork onto Blue Pools Road. For 2WD vehicles, turn right onto Studhorse Point Road and then right onto Wildcat Road. For AWD vehicles, turn right onto Wildcat Road, navigating through soft sand and a cattle gate. The Hoodoos are visible off a hill. Park before the hill if you don’t have 4×4.
Studhorse Hoodoos Hike Description
The Studhorse Hoodoos are a captivating sight, easily reached by a short quarter-mile hike. The most challenging part is walking down a small sand dune when leaving your vehicle. These “fairy chimneys,” as they’re often called, are striking rock formations perched on the edge of Studhorse Mesa, overlooking Lake Powell and Grand Staircase National Monument. Shaped by millions of years of weathering and erosion, they feature tall, thin spires of grey sedimentary rock with layers of yellow and brown harder rock on top. The area offers endless photographic opportunities with its changing light and seasonal variations.
Skylight Arch
Type of Hike : Out and Back
Length: 2 Miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Worn dirt, rocks
Elevation Gain: Zero
Dog Friendly: Yes – Leash
Park Pass/Permit Required: No
Skylight Arch Directions to the Trailhead
At mile marker #555.5 on Highway 89, turn off onto a potholed asphalt road and drive about 1/4 mile. Turn right onto Ferry Swale Road, heading west and following the powerlines. Continue for 1.8 miles, then take the right fork onto Blue Pools Road for 1 mile. Next, turn right onto Studhorse Point Road and drive 2.2 miles to the trailhead. This road requires extra clearance due to rocky outcroppings and is unsuitable for 2WD vehicles, which may bottom out on a rocky section before climbing the hill to the mesa. If you lack high clearance, park here and add 0.5 miles (1 mile round trip) to your hike. If you have a suitable vehicle, follow the left path for easier access, avoiding the steep, rocky section straight up the hill, both of which are marked on the map above.
Skylight Arch Hike Description
The trailhead for this fantastic arch is a short distance from the Hoodoos but requires a vehicle with extra clearance to navigate rocky outcroppings. Once there, the two-mile out-and-back trail to the Arch is flat and easy to follow along the mesa edge, offering spectacular views. Unlike typical arches, this one is a hole in the ground created by the earth falling away from an overhanging ledge. It may be tricky to spot at first as it blends with the surrounding rock, but the breathtaking height will give you a sense of vertigo once you see it. Skylight Arch is truly unique.
For more exploration, take the loop road around the mesa, which provides stunning viewpoints of Lake Powell and the Kaiparowits Plateau. On the northwest corner, a short 1/4-mile side road leads to the Sherbet Fingers, narrow sandstone outcroppings with technicolor rock that resembles swirled sherbet ice cream with dark chocolate cap rocks. There is no marked trail here, so navigate carefully around steep drop-offs and brittle ledges