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Natural arch

Forbidden Arch

Arizona

About

Forbidden Arch is a natural arch in Apache County, Arizona, sitting at about 5,014 feet. The nearest town is Dennehotso, roughly 9 miles away, and the land falls within the Navajo Region Fire and Aviation Management unit. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Monument Valley weather station show May highs around 77°F and October highs near 69°F, while July highs climb to about 93°F and January lows dip to about 25°F. For more time outdoors in the area, Chinle Creek is about 9 miles away and offers canoeing.

Arch Facts

Elevation

5,014 ft

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Forbidden Arch

Arizona

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Apr–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 67–77°F and lows of 42–54°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Monument Valley, AZ weather station, 13 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan41° high25° low
  2. Feb48° high29° low
  3. Mar59° high36° low
  4. Apr67° high42° low
  5. May77° high54° low
  6. Jun89° high65° low
  7. Jul93° high68° low
  8. Aug90° high65° low
  9. Sep82° high58° low
  10. Oct69° high45° low
  11. Nov53° high34° low
  12. Dec41° high25° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

  • Navajo Region Fire and Aviation Management · Public land
Nearest town
Dennehotso, Arizona · 9 mi

Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Best time to visit Forbidden Arch

Best months: March–May and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    41° / 25°

  2. Feb

    48° / 29°

  3. Mar

    59° / 36°

  4. Apr

    67° / 42°

  5. May

    77° / 54°

  6. Jun

    89° / 65°

  7. Jul

    93° / 68°

  8. Aug

    90° / 65°

  9. Sep

    82° / 58°

  10. Oct

    69° / 45°

  11. Nov

    53° / 34°

  12. Dec

    41° / 25°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Monument Valley, AZ, 13.3 mi away at 5,501 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.