Your final approach to Delicate Arch takes you onto a catwalk ledge with some steep drop-offs on the left. It’s safe and comfortable hiking on a bed of solid sandstone, but be sure to keep young children close at hand.
Instantly, at the end of the ledge trail and exactly 1.5 miles from the trailhead, the wall to your right drops and Delicate Arch comes into full view. It’s easy to spend an hour or more at the arch, which invites both contemplation and photographs. Although most people sit across the bowl from the arch and enjoy it at a distance, you’re certainly free to walk over to and directly under the arch and take photos from any angle you wish.
As you return the way you came, you can take the spur to the right and visit the petroglyphs. This short spur adds just a few minutes and less than 0.1 mile to your return.
TO THE TRAILHEAD
GPS Coordinates: N38º 44.140' W109º 35.230'
From the Arches National Park entrance station, drive 11.7 miles on Arches Scenic Drive to Wolfe Ranch–Delicate Arch Viewpoint Road. Turn right and drive 1.2 miles to the parking area on the left.
WOLFE RANCH
In 1888 John Wesley Wolfe, still nursing a leg injury from the Civil War, left Ohio in search of a drier climate that might provide some relief from his chronic pain. The desert of southeastern Utah seemed like a good choice. With his oldest son, Fred, he picked 100-plus acres along Salt Wash, where he would have a perennial, though limited, supply of water and grassland for a few cattle. They built a one-room cabin and corral, along with a small dam on Salt Wash. They lived alone at Wolfe Ranch for more than a decade. In 1906 John’s daughter Flora, along with her husband and children, moved to the ranch. Shocked at the primitive living conditions, Flora and her family constructed the cabin with a wood floor that you see today—an upgrade from the previous dirt floor. The family moved to Moab in 1908, selling the ranch in 1910. John returned to Ohio and died in 1913 at the age of 84.
6 Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Trailhead Location: Delicate Arch Viewpoint parking area
Trail Use: Walking, hiking, wheelchair-accessible for first 100 yards to Lower Viewpoint
Distance & Configuration: 1.4-mile out-and-back
Elevation Range: 4,356' at trailhead to 4,510' at Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Facilities: Pit toilets at trailhead; no water
Highlights: The easy way to see Delicate Arch from a distance
DESCRIPTION
Imagine that you’ve had a full day at Arches; it’s late in the afternoon, everyone is tired and hungry, and there’s no water in the car. You’ve seen the Windows, Double Arch, and Devils Garden. You have just 20 minutes remaining in the park, and not enough time, energy, or water to hike the Delicate Arch Trail. You know you could never forgive yourself if you left without seeing Delicate Arch, so what do you do?
If you can’t hike the 3.0-mile Delicate Arch Trail, a short walk to Delicate Arch Viewpoint is a good plan B. Nothing matches the drama and majesty of seeing Delicate Arch face-to-face. But from this trail you’ll see Delicate Arch just a quarter mile in the distance—close enough that you can return home and say, “I saw Delicate Arch.” And no doubt, this tantalizing glimpse will whet your appetite for a return visit.
Delicate Arch
ROUTE
From the east side of the large parking area, the trail heads east on a nicely graded, wide, compacted trail with a light gravel surface. This initial section of the trail is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible, and leads to an interpretive sign and a distant view of Delicate Arch.
From this junction, continue east on what was once a road leading to a viewpoint but now crosses slickrock patches of junipers on a route with cairns as your guide. The path continues, with intermittent views of the arch, toward a ridge, with Winter Camp Wash separating you from Delicate Arch. At 0.7 mile from the trailhead, you reach the Upper Viewpoint and a 200-foot drop-off into the wash below—an impressive view in its own right. Because most of the photos of Delicate Arch are from the Delicate Arch Trail and picture the other side of the arch, what you’re seeing is really a different perspective; still, you get the effect of the arch’s beauty and solitary position.
Backtrack the way you came, an easy downhill jaunt.
TO THE TRAILHEAD
GPS Coordinates: N38º 44.047' W109º 30.070'
From the Arches National Park entrance station, drive 11.7 miles on Arches Scenic Drive to Wolfe Ranch–Delicate Arch Viewpoint Road. Turn right and drive 1.2 miles to the spur road leading to Wolfe Ranch. Continue straight ahead for another 1.0 mile to the end of the road and the Delicate Arch Viewpoint parking area.
RATTLESNAKES
Although these venomous snakes are widely feared when spotted on the trail, rattlesnakes are vital to the desert ecosystem. They help control the rodent population and are food for other animals as well. Eight rattlesnake subspecies live in Utah. The most common is the Great Basin rattlesnake, found across the state. You might also come across the midget faded rattlesnake, a subspecies native to Arches. This snake grows to less than 2 feet long, is mainly active in the evenings, and lives in rock crevasses and burrows. If it sees you, this shy species will usually try to get out of your way. It does have a venomous bite, so if you see one of these local reptilian residents, it’s best to respect and enjoy this beautiful desert creature from a safe distance. Also remember that rattlesnakes are protected by Utah law and within the national park; it is illegal to harass or kill a rattlesnake.
7 Fiery Furnace
Trailhead Location: Fiery Furnace Viewpoint parking area
Trail Use: Walking, hiking
Distance & Configuration: Approximate 2.0-mile hike
Elevation Range: 4,766' at trailhead with typical elevation gain/loss of 200'–300'
Facilities: Vault toilet at trailhead
Highlights: A labyrinth of fins and slots, secret passageways, and impossible dead-ends—an Arches treasure
DESCRIPTION
The name Fiery Furnace comes not from the scorching summer sun—actually, you’ll find plenty of shade here—but from the fiery red hues of the rock and the flamelike contour of the sandstone fins. The Fiery Furnace is compact—less than a mile long and never more than 0.5 mile wide. But in that maze of tightly formed fins, it’s easy to get lost, or at least briefly disoriented. That’s why hikers must join a guided hike or obtain a special permit to enter Fiery Furnace. The rule is as much for the protection of the native plants and soils as it is for the safety of inexperienced hikers. If you’ve never hiked in Fiery Furnace previously, it is strongly recommended that you join a ranger-led hike.
During the busy season, rangers lead 3-hour, moderately strenuous hikes through the Fiery Furnace. Tickets for this guided hike must be obtained in advance for a fee. But remember that the rangers are guides, not Seeing Eye dogs, so you’ll still need to take a measure of personal responsibility and preparation. Wear good hiking shoes with gripping soles; no sandals or high-heeled shoes are allowed. Each hiker must bring at least 1 quart of water carried in a small pack with your other gear, so your hands are free to navigate some often-challenging terrain.
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