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Delicate Arch is one of the iconic symbols of Arches National Park and the state of Utah. It’s accessible via a difficult three mile round trip trail with a 480 ft. elevation gain. While we didn’t allot any time for the trail during our visit, we did take advantage of the viewpoints.
Viewpoints
The Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint is found 100 yards from a parking lot about a mile past the trailhead. There’s a short but moderately difficult ½ mile trail from the parking lot to Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint, where you can get closer. At that point, the arch is separated from the viewpoint by a canyon.
Wolfe Ranch
The trailhead is at Wolfe Ranch. This tiny settlement dates back to 1898, when 69 year old Civil War veteran John Wesley Wolfe left Ohio with his oldest son, Fred, in search of a drier climate to soothe his war injuries. They built a simple log cabin with a dirt floor and no door and started a small ranch.
His daughter Flora and her family joined them in 1906. A cabin with a wooden floor and windows were built for them. The entire clan returned to Ohio in 1910, where John died in 1913.
