Once closer to the top, signs point the way toward Delicate Arch, the trail making a sharp bend high up on the sandstone. Rolling sandstone buttes breaking up the high desert vegetation and stretching out into the distance below the Delicate Arch Trail. From here, the trail ascends a large slab of slick rock for nearly 0.5 miles, never letting up in gaining elevation. After crossing over a wash lined of slick rock, you’ll quickly climb up some stairs carved into the sandstone. Once at the top of the switchbacks the trail winds up and down and through the desert landscape and small hills. The trail to the petroglyphs leads right back to the main trail so you don’t even have to backtrack.Īt this point the Delicate Arch Trail begins ascending a few paved switchbacks, the trail returning to a more standard, but still wide, trail at the top. It adds a negligible amount of mileage so it’s worth heading over to check them out. A brief detour takes you past some remarkable petroglyphs of bighorn sheep. You quickly reach the historic Wolfe Ranch on your left before crossing a bridge over a wash.

The trail begins from the large parking area along a well maintained trail. Those who don’t hike regularly will likely find this hike to be more along the lines of a strenuous hike, since a major chunk of it ascends directly up a sandstone butte. The arch towers over a sandstone bowl, the opening rising 46 feet above the ground.

The Delicate Arch hike is easily the most popular hike in Arches National Park, bringing hikers to arguably the most recognizable natural arch over a 1.5 mile moderate hike.

Delicate landscape arch