What to Know Before Visiting Delicate Arch Trail: Arches National Park, UT

Jul 1

Ah, the iconic arch that graces the Utah license plate. We all want to see it.

Unfortunately, those serine photos you see on Instagram are far from reality. While it’s still worth a visit, here are some basic facts about the trail to prepare you:

Delicate Arch Trail is 3 miles roundtrip, in and out.
There is a parking lot and outhouses, but the parking lot fills up fast
You can view the arch from far away if you don’t feel like making the hike at the Lower or Upper Delicate Arch viewpoint
No matter what time you go hike the trail, it will feel like Disneyland. While arriving at 6:00 AM will reduce the crowds somewhat, I guaranteed at least 100 other people have the same idea as you.

The reality of at least 300 people at the arch when we went.

We suggest hiking when the sun is going down. The Moab area is extremely, extremely hot.

Bring more water than you think. There is little to no shade on the route.
Be prepared for light scrambling on slide rock.
The trail is about a half-hour drive from the entrance of the park.
Be sure to check out the petroglyphs on your way down. There’s a small loop when you get back to ground level. Turn right if you’re coming down to see some really cool history.