Depicted on state license plates and postage stamps, Delicate Arch is among the most iconic rock formations in Arches National Park. The spectacular free-standing arch, which is brilliant red, is part of an eponymous trail past the park’s dramatic scenery. Snap photos of your family standing in the natural structure’s opening for a sense of its size and beauty.
Embark on the Delicate Arch Trail, which is 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) each way and usually takes about 1 hour to complete. Kids will be able to hike this fairly easy trail. Make sure to carry sufficient water to last the trip in the park’s hot and arid conditions.
See the ruins of the 19th-century John Wesley Wolfe Ranch, which was abandoned in the early 1900s. Cross the Salt Wash on a suspension bridge and admire the undulating surrounding terrain. Here, a wall is decorated with Ute petroglyphs portraying men on horses hunting sheep.
Reach Delicate Arch and gaze up at its 65-foot (20-meter) high red peak. White-throated swifts nest at the top in summer. Stand in the opening of the arch and admire the panorama of the park’s red valleys and hills. The adjacent Frame Arch is often used to frame photos of Delicate Arch. Arrive in time for sunrise or sunset for the best views.
The 2002 Winter Olympics torch relay passed through the arch, which is one of Utah’s most widely recognizable structures. Look closely at the Entrada Sandstone, which makes up much of the rocky landscape in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah, to see its spherical grains.
The park is open year-round check the official park website for specific hours. Pay a fee for a week-long pass for this park or purchase an annual national parks pass providing access to more than 2,000 locations across the United States.
Delicate Arch is in the northeastern part of Arches National Park, just north of Moab. Drive about 18 miles (29 kilometers) from the park’s southern entrance to reach the arch’s trailhead. Leave your car in the small parking lot arrive early in the morning to be sure to find a space.
