The trail to see Delicate Arch up close and personal is 3 miles (4.8 km) roundtrip and climbs 480 feet (146m). Along this steadily uphill trail, you'll also pass the Wolfe Ranch cabin and a wall of Ute Indian petroglyphs.
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Wolfe Ranch Parking LotWolfe Ranch is located 13 miles (21 km) from the park entrance. The three-mile roundtrip hike (4.8 km) to Delicate Arch begins here. A short walk to Wolfe Ranch and a nearby ancient rock markings panel also begins here.
There is a long section of open slickrock about halfway into the hike. There are cairns that guide the way up to Delicate Arch. Do be aware that when you get close to the Arch there is a 4 or 5 foot wide ledge with a significant drop-off. If you have a fear of heights that part of the hike can be scary.
Conclusion – You Can Hike the Delicate Arch Trail with KidsThe views along the way are phenomenal and I would recommend this hike to everyone visiting the Arches. If you do one hike in the park, make it this one – it's probably the most beautiful hike of the Arches National Park.
| Updated: Nov. 30, 2019, 8:07 a.m. A man and a woman died Friday morning when they fell into the bowl-area near Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. A younger man also fell and was injured.
Delicate Arch is the busiest destination in the park. If you plan to hike the trail between noon and sunset, expect to share the trail with many other hikers. For a less crowded experience, we'd recommend visiting the arch during sunrise, or after the sun has set.
For those who aren't up for the hike, there are two other viewing options: The Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint just down the road only requires a 100-yard walk over flat ground to get a fine look at the arch from a mile away.
Yes. A timed entry reservation is required to enter the park even if you have an existing pass. Annual passes cover the payment of entrance fees, so annual or senior pass holders only need to pay the $2 reservation fee.
On geologic timescales, Delicate Arch will exist for only the blink of an eye. But don't despair—although all the famous arches will crumble and collapse within a few thousand years, replacements will continue to be sculpted out of Utah's bedrock for a very long time to come.
While sneakers are an okay option for hiking to Delicate Arch, hiking boots are more comfortable. I wear Merrell Moab hiking boot and Jeremy wears the Oboz Bridger BDRY boot, and we both love our boots.
Visiting Delicate Arch with kids is very doable with a little preparation and determination. To see Delicate Arch up-close you will need to hike 3 miles on Utah red rock. This guide will help your plan your hike to Delicate Arch with kids.
Primitive Trail at Devil's GardenThis is the longest and most challenging continually maintained trail in Arches National Park. After reaching Landscape Arch the trail gets a little more rugged as you climb over sandstone slabs and walk on narrow ledges and exposed fins.
The trail soon reaches Corona Arch, is 140 feet (42.6m) wide by 105 feet (32m) high – making it significantly bigger than Delicate Arch, the largest arch in Arches National Park (which is 46 feet / 14m high and 32 feet / 10m wide).
Without a doubt, Delicate Arch is the most famous natural stone arch in the world. Referred to as The Arch by many arriving visitors for whom it is No. 1 on their must-see lists, Delicate has an allure that is hard to explain but impossible to deny. The light opening beneath Delicate Arch is 46 feet (14 m) high.
Delicate Arch is the busiest destination in the park. If you plan to hike the trail between noon and sunset, expect to share the trail with many other hikers. For a less crowded experience, we'd recommend visiting the arch during sunrise, or after the sun has set.
The best easy hikes in Arches are The Windows, Landscape Arch, Double Arch, Sand Dune Arch, and Park Avenue. My name is Ash, and I'm a former park ranger.
Devils Garden Loop TrailIt's one of the most popular parts of the park as it offers many different hikes, camping, and stargazing. Within this 8-mile loop, you can pick an easy hike to an extremely advanced hike (looking at you – primitive trail). Hikes such as landscape arch, double o arch, and more.
Sand Dune Arch TrailAt just 0.3 miles, it doesn't take more than 20 minutes to get there and back unless you take tons of photos once you get to the arch. Because this arch trail is short, not many people do it, making it somewhat of a hidden gem.