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Home › Utah › Delicate Arch Trail
About the Trail
The Delicate Arch Trail leads to the most iconic arch anywhere. Along the way to Delicate Arch, the trail passes a old ranch cabin as well as petroglyphs.
Map
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Directions
From the entrance of Arches National Park, drive north for 11.7 miles on the main park road. Take a right and continue for 1.2 miles to where the large parking area for Delicate Arch is on the left.
Description
From the trailhead, hike a short distance and turn left to see an old cabin at Wolfe Ranch. Next, rejoin the main trail and cross a bridge before turning left on another spur that leads to a petroglyph panel (do not touch them as it wears them out). Continue on the spur back to the main trail. The Delicate Arch Trail climbs up a switchback and contours along the hillside. After this, the trail climbs steeply up slickrock with good views and curves left at the top. The trail narrows and then reaches an area with scenic rock formations before curving right. The next part of trail ascends above a huge cliff so extra caution is needed. At the top you will see a view of Delicate Arch. To get closure to the arch descend on some slickrock and continue on it to the arch. Be extra careful about going behind the arch as there is a steep slant that turns into a cliff.
| Hike Facts | Trailhead Facts | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥾 Trail Features: | Views, cliffs, famous arch and desert scenery | 🥾 Parking: | Large Paved parking lot. | 🥾Nearest Services | Moab, Utah |
| 🥾 Milage: | 3.2 mi/5.1 km round trip | 🥾 Acccess Road: | Paved | 🥾 Nearest Lodging: | Moab has lots of lodging options. |
| 🥾 Elevation Gain: | 538 ft/164 m | 🥾 Trailhead Features: | Restrooms,Handicap parking, Camper parking and Trail signs | 🥾 Nearest Camping: | Devils Garden Campground |
| 🥾 Trail Use/Surface: | 🥾 Trailhead Elevation: | 4300 ft/1310.6 m | |||
| 🥾 Pets: | No | 🥾 Park Hours: | 24 | ||
| 🥾 Crowds: | Yes | 🥾 Fee: | $30/private vehicle,$25/motorcycle,$15 per person; 2 extra dollars for a timed entry ticket between April 1 and October 31 between the hours of 7am to 4pm. | ||
| 🥾 Bugs: | No | 🥾 Best Season: | All year. |
Handicap Acccessibility
No, but those who have some mobility can walk to a historic cabin as well as some petroglyphs.
Tips for a Great Hike
🥾 Carry water and wear proper footwear with good grip.
🥾 There is a dangerous cliff behind Delicate Arch that starts as a steep slant before turning into a straight drop so be aware of your footing.
🥾 Keep an eye on small children as there are cliffs near the end of the trail.
🥾 The old cabin is nice spot to walk to for those who can't hike all the way to the arch.
🥾 Unlike some other hikes, this one is more crowded at sunset then other parts of the day.
Recommended Resources
Hiking Canyonlands And Arches National Parks: A guide to more than 60 great hikes (a Falcon Guides book by Bill Schneider)
nat park hiking page link
National Geographic Trails Illustrated: Arches National Park Map Number 211