Delicate Arch Trail Hike – Arches National Park Utah

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is iconic! It’s one of the most recognized landmarks of our US National Park system – and it’s famous throughout the world. You’ll even see it on the Utah license plates!

Of course, because of its worldwide fame, the Delicate Arch hike is popular with park visitors. In this Delicate Arch hiking guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know for your hike to Delicate Arch!

Delicate Arch Hike Details

Location:
The Delicate Arch hike is located within Arches National Park at the Wolfe Ranch parking lot.

Trail length: 3 miles round trip, out and back. 626ft elevation gain.
Cost: You’ll need to pay admission ($30 per car or use your annual National Park America the Beautiful pass)
Permits: No permit is necessary
Parking: The Delicate Arch trailhead parking lot is pretty large, but because this is a popular hike, you may have issues finding parking if you come too late. There are bathrooms at the trailhead.
What to bring on the Delicate Arch hike: Plenty of water, sunscreen, camera, hat and proper hiking footwear. The Delicate Arch hike has no shade!
Time commitment: 1.5 – 3 hours, depending on how fast you hike and how much time you spend at Delicate Arch.

Hiking to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

If you’re hiking Delicate Arch – especially in the summer – it’s important to get here early. Not just to beat the crowds, but to beat the heat. Temperatures can reach up to 110 degrees here in the afternoon summer sun – and this trail has no shade! For my hike, I hiked this in July and arrived before sunrise. It was a little chilly going up the hill but by the time I arrived back at the car, I was sweaty. I also beat a lot of the crowds – of course, there were people on the trail but I was able to get some fantastic people-free images of Delicate Arch.

Even though the Delicate Arch hike is one of the most popular hikes not only in Arches National Park, but in the entire US National Park system, this isn’t a simple stroll. You’ll have a 626ft elevation gain on the trail and you’ll get a little workout in.

The beginning of the trail will take you through part of the Wolfe Ranch, where you can see the historic Wolfe Cabin and the Ute rock art.

Just past the cabin, you’ll reach the slick rock/uphill portion of this trail after the ranch. You’ll be ascending over slick rock with no real ‘trail.’ Cairns will help guide the way, but even without them, you will not get lost – there are plenty of people on this trail at all hours of the day. This is the most strenuous part of the trail!

After the slick rock section, you’ll go around a corner and you’ll be hiking on a very well marked trail on the side of a mountain. At the end of the trail, you’ll go around another corner and Delicate Arch will be there in all its glory!

I spent quite a bit of time up by the arch, taking photos and simply enjoying the view. When I was there, people were being respectful and not crawling all over the arch and whatnot. If someone wanted their photo with the arch, they’d take it quickly and move on, so others can get people-free photos. This likely won’t be the case if you come here at 10am with all the crowds.

It took me about an hour and a half to do complete the hike, including my time at the top. When I reached the parking lot, spaces were filling up quickly and the crowds were coming! All in all, this was an awesome hike.

Viewing Delicate Arch from the road

If you don’t want to hike, there is a spot in Arches National Park where you can view Delicate Arch from the road. This is a great option if you’re pressed for time or have people in your party with mobility issues, but the downside is that the arch is pretty far away. My sister and I visited Arches National Park a few years ago with our mom and viewed the arch this way. There is a lower viewpoint and an upper viewpoint and the turnoffs for them are near the Wolfe Ranch/Delicate Arch trailhead lot – the turnout is well-marked and says, “Delicate Arch lower and upper viewpoint.” We did go to both the upper and the lower, but only the lower viewpoint is handicap-accessible.

Delicate Arch Hike – Final Thoughts

I did this hike solo on a whim. My sister and I were staying one night in Moab en route to California the next day. Because we had already been to Arches National Park the prior summer, we weren’t planning on actually visiting the park – we just happened to be in the area. I got up early to workout in our hotel’s fitness center, but they wouldn’t unlock the door to the gym until 7am. It was 5am. So I drove to Arches and did the Delicate Arch hike for my workout! So happy it worked out that way!

The Delicate Arch hike is absolutely worth it – it’s amazing to see in person and it’s much bigger than you think. If you only have time for one hike in Arches National Park, the Delicate Arch hike is the one you should do, even if you do come when it’s crowded. Sunrise and sunset are spectacular times to view the arch and will make your photos pop.

Pros:
The Delicate Arch hike is iconic.
Scenery along the hike is beautiful

Cons:
Crowds! If you come mid-day, you will not be able to get people-free images. Sunrise is your best bet – fewer crowds than sunset (it takes more effort to get up so early!)
No shade on the trail – come prepared – it’s very hot in summer!