Hiking the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail in Arches National Park
Distance: 0.8 miles / 1.3 km
The Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail in Arches National Park is a great day hike to enjoy views of the Delicate Arch without the crowds that the Delicate Arch Trail inevitably attracts.
Furthermore, the Viewpoint Trail is also the most accessible way to see the Delicate Arch, as it can be enjoyed from the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint within the first 0.1 miles (0.2 km) of the trailhead. The same cannot be said about the Delicate Arch Trail, where the arch is blocked and is not visible until the very end of the hike.
For these reasons, I feel that the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail is a great alternative to some of Arches’ more popular day hikes, especially if you scramble further up the ridge, as I have shown at the end of this article.
Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trailhead is located at the very end of Delicate Arch Road, about 1 mile (1.6 km) past the main Delicate Arch Trailhead.
That being said, the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trailhead is not nearly as popular in comparison, meaning that finding a spot to park should be much easier!
Google Maps Directions: Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Arches
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Arches National Park.
Hiking the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail
The Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail begins as one before splitting into both an Upper and Lower Trail, with the Lower Trail being the most accessible.
Upper-Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint Junction
Almost immediately after leaving the trailhead, the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail splits into both the Upper and Lower Trail.
Go right for the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint, or go left for the Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint.
Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail
From Upper and Lower split, the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint is only about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) down the trail.
This is the short connector between both the Upper and Lower Trails.
Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint
This is the Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint, and it is the most accessible viewpoint for all people, of all abilities.
Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail
Following the Lower Viewpoint, the Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail continues to the right, where it will begin climbing up the ridge shortly ahead.
At about 0.25 miles (0.4 km), the Delicate Arch Viewpoint Trail begins gaining elevation, which will remain constant until the trail reaches the Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint.
Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint
According to the National Park Service, the Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint is the area closest to where the trail tops out on the ridge.
However, it is possible to hike higher, which I have shown in the section below.
Hiking Further
To hike further, simply continue up the ridge to the right for roughly another 0.4 miles (0.6 km) to the top.
As the ridge moves higher, it will continually split into separate fins, where the gaps between each become wider and wider from one to the next.
Therefore, I recommend staying on the far left edge closest to the Delicate Arch, if you’re interested in hiking the highest you can.
Personally, I feel that the Delicate Arch becomes much more enjoyable about halfway up the ridge from the end of the trail below.
Again, stay to the far left, as these ridges split to continue higher.
I say this because the ridge in the center of the photo below essentially cliffs-out, which is what’s shown next.
This is what it looked when I continued up the middle ridge.
Once I hiked back down, I found a much easier route on the far left side.
Even by staying on the far left, the ridge splits once more with the final one that leads up to the summit.
What these final photos don’t show is that there is quite a significant gap between the closest rock and the one that looks like the summit just beyond.
That’s why I included the final photo from below to say that the true summit is a bit more involved than it may appear.
In any case, scrambling further up the ridge is a great way to see more unique angles of the Delicate Arch, and it’s a great way to find a quiet, shady spot amongst the trees and away from the crowds at the main Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint down below.
