From the Arches National Park visitor center, follow the scenice drive 8.8 miles into the park. Just before the Balanced Rock pullout on the right, go left on a well graded dirt road.

The dirt road passes an excellent picnic site. Continue 0.8 miles from the paved road to a junction. The road is good to this junction. Turn right onto the signed jeep road and follow it for an additional 2.0 miles (2.8 miles total from pavement) to the Eye of the Whale signed parking area on the left.

Eye of Whale Arch
The arch is visible from the parking area, and about a 10 minute walk one way to visit. It is impressive, and a great feature to hang out under.

Whale Canyon
From Eye of the Whale Arch, climbers can head due west, climbing a small hand crack up to a tree and then on to the top of the sandstone domes. Once up on the flats, head northeast to the head of the prominent canyon. This is Whale Canyon. Not interested in the climbing moves? Wander south and west around the edge of the sandstone until an easier route up is found.

From the head of the canyon, an easy downclimb leads to a short section of boulders that prove a minor obstacle to pass through. The canyon gradually deepens after the boulders and reaches a minor dryfall. Downclimb this directly, or take the easier ledge bypass on the right.

Shortly below the first dryfall is a second more difficult dryfall. The bypass is on the right here as well. Choose your path carefully; at the corner are a couple of easy but very exposed moves getting around the corner and to easier ground. Experienced scramblers only!

Below the second dryfall the canyon is an easy walk, passing behind a collapsed wall section that creates a small cave before opening out on the west side of Herdina Park onto the open plain.

When convenient, go south up the sand dunes, then head northeast along the edge of Herdina Park back to the trailhead.