Hiking the Delicate Arch Trail in Arches National Park
Distance: 3.4 miles / 5.5 km
The Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is, without a doubt, the most popular natural arch in the world!
For this reason, the Delicate Arch Trail is not only the most popular hike within Arches National Park but in all of the Moab area.
Therefore, navigating the crowds/ deciding on what time of day to visit should, in my opinion, vary depending on the time of the year that you’re visiting Arches. By this, I mean that during the hot summer months, an early morning or even a sunrise hike may be best to avoid the heat and crowds. However, during the off-season, temperatures and crowds can be much more mild, making the hike more enjoyable throughout the day, especially toward sunset!
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
How to Get Milky Way Photos Under the Delicate Arch?
In southern Utah, the core of the Milky Way is visible from March to November, with some variability regarding the best times to view the core, depending on the season. That being said, June–August is generally seen as the best time of year to enjoy the Milky Way in Utah, as it becomes visible shortly after sunset and stays in the sky throughout the night.
This is exactly when the photo below was taken, and after sunset during the summer season, most of the crowds typically begin to dwindle, as they hike back down to the trailhead. Still, there are usually a few groups that stick around after dark for the stars. However, I would say that I’ve been fairly lucky in my experiences, as there have always been few, if any, other photographers shooting astrophotography when I’ve tried for Milky Way photos.
Be that as it may, I could imagine the Delicate Arch being like the Mesa Arch, described in my separate article, with photographers and rude people on the wrong night because there is truly a limited window of time that the Milky Way lines up best through the hole in the arch.
In any case, to get Milky Way photos through the Delicate Arch, follow these steps:
Plan out what time the Milky Way is going to rise. This shot was taken facing southeast between an hour or two after sunset in July. With this in mind, you can use an app like Sky Guide, Google Earth, or PhotoPills to line up the shot.
Get down low and close to the arch. If this shot was framed any higher or further away, I would have gotten the ridge in the background, meaning myself as the subject wouldn’t stand out as much against the sky.
Use a wide lens. I took this shot at 16mm because I was so close to the arch.
Set your camera to infinity focus. This is how most astrophotography shots should be taken. Adjust your focus using a single star for reference, so that the star is in focus.
The settings I used: 16mm, 400 ISO, f/2.8, 20 sec.
Delicate Arch Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Delicate Arch Trail is located in a large, paved parking lot off Delicate Arch Road, about 12.8 miles (20.6 km) away from the visitor center.
As previously mentioned, the Delicate Arch Trail is the most popular hike in Arches National Park, meaning that parking may be difficult during the peak hours of the day but tends to be less busy around sunrise and sunset.
Google Maps Directions: Delicate Arch Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Arches
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Arches National Park.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Delicate Arch Trail
Over the course of 1.6 miles (2.6 km), the Delicate Arch Trail gains about 525 ft. (160 m) from the trailhead to the Delicate Arch.
That being said, the Delicate Arch Trail begins on a relatively flat path, leaving the majority of the elevation gain in the last mile of the hike.
Delicate Arch-Wolfe Ranch Junction
Almost immediately, the Delicate Arch Trail comes to the first of three junctions off the trail, the first being the Wolfe Ranch junction.
Whether on the way up or down, I recommend checking out the Wolfe Ranch and the Petroglyphs, as they only add a few minutes onto the overall adventure.
Delicate Arch-Petroglyphs Loop Junction
This is the first of two junctions for the Petroglyphs Loop off the Delicate Arch Trail.
Should you choose to go left here, the Petroglyphs Loop meets back up with the Delicate Arch Trail shortly ahead.
Second Delicate Arch-Petroglyphs Junction
After 0.2 miles (0.3 km), the Delicate Arch Trail passes by the second Petroglyphs junction, which is where the first uphill section on the hike is located.
At about the 0.6-mile (1.0 km) mark, the 'true' elevation gain begins, which continues for most of the remaining distance to the Delicate Arch.
The exposed, uphill sections on the open sandstone shown below are generally regarded as the most challenging parts of the entire hike.
This is especially true in the hot summer months, as there are few, if any, places to get out of the sun.
As the Delicate Arch Trail nears the top of the sandstone rock face, several arrows should begin guiding the trail to the left.
In my experience, some of these sections can be particularly confusing after dark, such as the times I’ve stuck around for the Milky Way.
If this is something that you’re considering, be sure to take photos or good mental notes of the trail because it can be considerably harder to navigate by headlamp only.
Compared to the sections prior, the uphill on the Delicate Arch Trail begins to level off considerably, from the open rock face shown above.
Within the last 0.25 miles (0.4 km), the Delicate Arch Trail traverses a number of narrow ledges around the back side of the steep basin below the arch.
These final sections, just prior to the Delicate Arch, are among the most dangerous and exposed on the entire trail.
I only emphasize this again to inform that visitors have taken fatal falls at the Delicate Arch before.
Delicate Arch
After 1.6 miles (2.6 km), the trail ends at the stunning 46-ft. (14 m) tall Delicate Arch, facing out toward Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail and the beautiful La Sal Mountains to the southeast.
That being said, photos, such as mine, don’t often show the crowds around the Delicate Arch, but there is typically a line just off to the left side of the arch, with people waiting for their turn to take a photo beneath the arch.
In addition, photos also don’t show the steep basin just below the arch. However, visitors have taken fatal falls on the slippery sandstone at the Delicate Arch before, which I only mention to make others away of the not-so-obvious dangers surrounding this amazing natural wonder!
Delicate Arch Petroglyphs & Wolfe Ranch
On the hike back, I visited both the Petroglyphs and Wolfe Ranch, which only adds about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) onto the roughly 3.2-mile (5.2 km) Delicate Arch Trail.
Sun Shirts
If this is your first time in the area, you’re likely unprepared for how strong the sun can be.
For this reason, I recommend picking up a quality, hooded sun shirt if you plan to do any hiking. Protection from the sun cannot be overstated, and in my experience, sunscreen alone has never been enough over a multi-day visit, especially if you’re visiting during the summer season!
More Arches Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Arches National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
With summer temperatures that soar well above 100 ºF (38 ºC) and snow storms come winter, both Arches and Canyonlands National Park are known for having extremely variable weather throughout the year.
That being said, heavy snow storms are uncommon in the Moab area, but summer adventures need to carefully be planned around the dangerous mid-summer heat. For this reason, you may consider visiting Moab during the off season in order to maximize your time in either park, while also visiting during a time of year that’s far less crowded.
Furthermore, be sure to know the local forecast if you are hiking during the summer monsoon season, as it’s not uncommon for areas, such as slot canyons, to fill with water rapidly, creating very dangerous situations for anyone inside. On top of this, summer monsoonal weather is typically accompanied by lightning, which can be very dangerous in exposed desert areas like the parks around Moab.
As for Canyonlands specifically, the most important thing to stress is the dramatic cliffs surrounding the Island in the Sky and other parts of the park. Even the Mesa Arch is a deadly cliff, which most photos, such as mine, don’t show.
Finally, there is at least one venomous rattlesnake found across the area, which you can learn more about here.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official Arches and Canyonlands National Park websites.
National Park Service: Arches National Park / Canyonlands National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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