After exploring most of America’s popular landscapes and national parks, we can honestly say Delicate Arch has one of the most striking sunset scenes in the country. The trail was steeper and more of a lung-buster than we expected, but the reward was more than worth the effort. It’s a hike you absolutely can’t miss in Arches, and we highly recommend you do it at dusk.
In this guide we show you how to hike Delicate Arch Trail to watch the special sunset, based on our experiences. Read more about us.
Watching the most serene and calming sunset at the summit of Delicate Arch Trail is one of our favorite memories from our first Utah road trip back in November 2019. We’d already watched a remarkable sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands, and spent the day hiking The Windows and Devils Garden Trail in Arches before rushing up Delicate Arch Trail to make it in time for sunset.
After summiting, we quickly walked around the deep bowl-shaped depression and mind-boggling arch. Then we settled into a spot on the east side of the summit area along with maybe 10 other people who already had cameras set up on tripods. The sunset? It was spectacular. And we stayed for the Milky Way. Oh, and it was Mark’s birthday so we celebrated with a lovely bottle of wine. Okay, let’s begin!
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Trail Map
As you can see, Delicate Arch Trail is a very straightforward hike with no connecting trails or opportunities to get lost. The path is well marked at first, and even though it transitions onto slick rock with no clear path, it’s still obvious which way you need to go. We’ll cover parking shortly, but in the map above you can see that it’s best to park at Wolfe Ranch if possible.
Trail Statistics
- Distance: 3 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 480 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Time: 2 hours
We have to admit we underestimated how difficult the hike to Delicate Arch would be. It wasn’t a long trail, but the middle section was steeper than we expected. Now, we’re sure most visitors will have no issues, but beginners or anyone with mobility problems might find it tough going. The hike is rated as moderately difficult on All Trails and we agree.
Trailhead Parking
Wolfe Ranch parking lot is the closest and most convenient place to park for Delicate Arch Trail. It has around 150 parking spaces including spots for larger vehicles and disabled spaces, and it has vault toilets. There’s also a spillover parking area on the opposite side of the main parking lot which has around another 20 or so spaces.
- Here’s the exact Google Maps location for Wolfe Ranch parking lot.
If you visit Arches in peak season and Wolfe Ranch parking is full just before sunset, drive another 1 mile to Upper/Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint parking lot. It has 70 or so spaces. You’d then have to walk 1 mile along the road both ways in addition to hiking Delicate Arch Trail for a total of 5 miles roundtrip. If you want to avoid this, arrive at Wolfe Ranch a few hours before sunset.
- Here’s the exact Google Maps location for Upper/Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint parking lot.
Tip: Remember, you must buy an advanced reservation ticket to enter Arches between 7:00am-4:00pm from April through October.
Trail Walkthrough
Now, let’s walk through the hike exactly as we did it so you know what to expect.
1. Park At Wolfe Ranch
We finished hiking the long and exposed Devils Garden Trail at 3:00pm, then drove straight to Wolfe Ranch parking lot. Even in November we weren’t sure if the lot would fill, so we didn’t take any risks. We quickly refueled with a bunch of snacks, water and electrolyte drinks before grabbing our camera gear and hitting the trail.
2. Wolfe Ranch Homestead
We passed by Wolfe Ranch Homestead a minute or two after setting off on the flat and dusty path. It was a small wooden building owned by John Wolfe in the early 1900’s, and it was worth a quick peek inside. Next, we crossed over Salt Wash and continued at a hasty pace. After the bridge there was a small spur loop leading to Ute petroglyphs of horsemen and sheep, we didn’t take it but you should if you have time.
3. Begin The Climb
The next part of the trail was a long, narrow and well marked path flanked by small stones. It passed through low rising rocky mounds and areas with desert vegetation, both of which we hadn’t seen much of in other areas of Arches. This exact same trail type continued until around half way up the hike.
4. Forge A Path
All of sudden the path ended and we walked up a steep rocky surface. At the top the path turned gravelly and opened up again. Then after walking around a long curving left turn, the obvious path ended and we started climbing an angled rock face. There was no defined trail, so we basically forged our own route. We went directly up, but you could zig-zag here to make it easier.
5. Narrow Curving Path
After the steep climb was over, we emerged into a kind of half pipe area with rocky mounds and vegetation to the sides. There were one or two times we used our hands to climb up rocks but it wasn’t difficult. Next we followed large, open, flat and smooth rock surfaces until we finally reached a narrow and curving path hugging tightly to a cliff wall.
6. Summit The Trail
At the top of the curving path we looked right and got our first glimpse of Delicate Arch along with its huge depression and far reaching views. Wow! How is that arch standing? We knew there would be professional photographers wanting to take photos with no people, so we quickly used the remaining daylight to explore the summit.
7. Find The Sunset Spot
After swapping photo duties with another couple at the arch, we climbed up to the east side of the summit and found a spot to set up our camera with a clear west facing view. There were around 10 others and everyone was very respectful of each others line of sight. So we popped open our bottle of wine and watched a magical sunset unfold.
8. The Return Journey
After the sunset, we stayed and waited for the Milky Way along with 2 others from sunset. The wine miraculously vanished, helping us all to stay warm as the cold really set in. The stars gave us a dazzling show, then we all hiked back down in the dark with headlamps and smartphone flashlights, following our offline Gaia map.
Delicate Arch Sunrise Or Sunset?
One of the most asked questions about Delicate Arch is whether to do it for sunrise or sunset. Here are our thoughts:
- We usually prefer sunrise photo spots because they’re much quieter, but Delicate Arch is simply more iconic at sunset.
- We’d seen photos for both online and sunset was the clear winner.
- Mesa Arch in nearby Canyonlands has one of the most incredible sunrises in America, so it really doesn’t make sense to do sunrise at Delicate Arch if you only have one day in the area.
- The sunset is directly ahead from Delicate Arch, which means everyone gets to watch the sun disappear on the distant horizon with a collective gasp. It’s fun.
- Sunrise would be quiet and still okay from a photography perspective, but the sun would come up from directly behind you and slowly light up the landscape ahead from the horizon to you. That means lots of shadows and contrasts.
- Doing sunset means you can also stay up for stars after everyone leaves, which is an amazing experience.
Tip: No matter if you go up for dawn or dusk, make sure you check sunrise and sunset times for Arches and allow enough time for the hike.
The Morgan Conclusion
What we liked: The hike was more adventurous than we expected and the formations at the summit made for fantastic photos. We really liked how friendly everyone else was as we collectively watched the stunning sunset and we were pleasantly surprised at how many parking spaces were available.
What we didn’t like: We definitely weren’t ready for the calf burning climb up the steep rock face! But seriously, there’s not much to dislike about this hike or sunset spectacle. The only thing we’d say is that parking, the trail and the summit are probably jam-packed in peak months, so try to avoid busy times if possible.
Is Delicate Arch worth it at sunset? Yes! The best time of day to hike Delicate Arch Trail is to arrive at the summit around one hour before sunset. It’s a truly special landscape made even more picturesque by the sun setting directly ahead of the arch on the western horizon. Just make sure you have a light source to use on the way down when it’s dark.
More From Utah
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- Arches and Canyonlands in one day
- Hikes you can’t miss in Zion
- Awesome Utah road trip routes
- Amazing hikes in Utah
- Top tourist spots in Utah
Want more Utah content? Head over to our Utah Travel Guides to explore the mighty five national parks and beyond.
We hope our Delicate Arch sunset hiking guide helps with planning your visit to Arches!
Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
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Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.
Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more about Mark and Kristen.
I want to photograph Delicate Arch Sunset, but I concern about lost way in hiking back to parking after sunset from the Arch. Do you have any suggestions and experiences for my concern about lost way?
Hi Simliao, glad to hear you will be photographing Delicate Arch at sunset. We understand your concern but it’s really not too difficult to get back down in the dark. You must take a fully charged headlamp (if you are going alone you should take a spare just in case), you can also use your smartphone torch and you could even take a separate hand held torch. You will likely meet a handful of others who are also doing sunset at Delicate Arch, which means you can all head back down together afterwards. Some will be staying for Milky Way photos. But even if you are alone, the trail is very short and it’s hard to go wrong, just try to remember the route on your way up in the light as much as possible. Enjoy the sunset!