Delicate Arch

Grand County, Utah

4.8/5

based on 36 reviews

Save

View all 69 photos

All 69 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

3.18 miles

Elevation Gain

554 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Andy Best

Bask in amazing views and take amazing shots of one of Utah's most iconic arches. Stay once the sun goes down for an unreal view of the night sky and for the crowds to take off.

I headed out to the trailhead because I really wanted to shoot the super moon with the Delicate Arch. It was absolutely fantastic, especially during such a full moon. Everything was bathed in a soft glow, it was like I was on another planet actually. It was amazing to sit in silence and to try to comprehend the power it took to shape the beautiful landscape.

Something to consider...I didn't really need a headlamp, but due to the cliffs everywhere I'd suggest one. Be ready for some crowds, but if you want the place all to yourself stay past sunset and late into the night. Everyone leaves and it's absolutely wonderful!

After you're done, hit up Moab Brewery in town. Get the beer in the can, it's full strength. :)

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Download GPX File

Features

Photography

Hiking

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Scenic

Reviews

Holly Obray

Delicate Arch

07/04/16

Not a very long hike, pretty easy most of the way. There is one park that is steep but it's really not that bad. Great place to take pictures! Cool to stand under!

5.0

Explorer

Brynn Schmidt

Explorer

Delicate Arch

05/31/16

This is an incredibly beautiful hike so everyone is going to be along the trail with you. It is still completely worth it and it was my favorite spot in Arches. Delicate Arch is incredible and there are many options for sunset (and other) photography. The biggest bummer about this hike and photography is that there are so many people there and most of them want their photo in the arch. We stayed clear of that, but it was a bit hard to get great shots without people in the landscape. We still got some though and the hike is incredibly beautiful. We stayed until well after sunset and hiked back down with less people on the trail.

5.0

Bryony Richards

Delicate Arch

05/21/16

An iconic arch that's well worth a short hike to stand under and marvel at these incredible rock formations!

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Fiery Furnace Loop

Arches National Park is an incredible place with a variety of places to explore. One of the great places to explore is the Fiery Furnace. The Fiery Furnace requires a permit, which can be obtained at the Visitor Center after watching a short video. For the most part, they are making sure you are capable of simple navigation and inform you to avoid the microbial crust. Once you have obtained the...

Summit Elephant Butte

Elephant Butte sits at 5653 ft. and is the highest point in Arches National Park. It requires two rappels using a 60m rope. In addition to this, it requires some short sections of low fifth class scrambling that can be difficult on wet rock. The approach starts at Garden of Eden trailhead. Go past Owl Rock aiming for a canyon weakness in the walls ahead on the left that has a small talus ...

Climb Owl Rock in Arches National Park

Owl Rock is a fun, 100' single pitch spire right in the middle of Arches National Park. The approach is minimal, just a few minutes walk from the parking lot, and there's plenty of room at the base to set up for a nice day under the sun. It's a popular spot, so in case there's a short line, bring some snacks and drinks and lizard on the warm rocks until you're up. There's also a decent amount o...

Balanced Rock Loop

Short Hike to Double Arch

The hike to Double Arch is a relatively flat and easy hike of 0.5 miles roundtrip. You can add this to the rest of the quick spots you may want to visit on your visit to Arches.This arch is created by two arches that shares the same stone as the foundation for their outer legs. This arch was formed by downward water erosion as opposed to the more common side-to-side erosion. The good news is t...

Hike the Window Arch Loop

To get to the trailhead: After entering the park, keep driving along the main road until you see signs for The Windows Area (just past the Balanced Rock and a little over 9 miles from the Visitor Center). Follow this road until it ends in a parking lot and you see the arches to your right.The trailhead is obvious and you can decide to either go left or right to begin the hike. I decided to st...

Delicate Arch

Details

Description

Download the Outbound mobile app

Features

Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Fiery Furnace Loop

Summit Elephant Butte

Climb Owl Rock in Arches National Park

Balanced Rock Loop

Short Hike to Double Arch

Hike the Window Arch Loop

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps