Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah - September 7, 2015

Pohai and I hiked to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park during our family trip to Utah and Arizona in September 2015.  It was pretty awesome.

Pohai and I did this hike as a day hike.  Starting off in Provo, Utah.  A three hour drive.  We started early in the morning, pushing off from Provo, down Spanish Fork Canyon, through Price and Green River, and finally to Moab.  Over 200 miles!  What a way to start a hike!

We first headed to the Delicate Arch Lower Viewpoint.  We had to hike to the arch once I caught a glimpse of it.

Rise and Shout!

Thankfully the weather was clear and sunny, but not too hot.  It was warm, but, again, not too hot.  This hike has NO SHADE and taking as much water as possible is a must.  We had a 40 oz. Hydro Flask, that's it.  That was not enough water.  We made our way to the trailhead parking lot and trudged our way up the trail.

The beginning of the hike is pretty easy.  Really, the whole hike is pretty easy.  The beginning of the hike weaves up, over, and around a relatively flat plateau.  The views of the distant arches and pillars are pretty great.

The rock formations along the trail are pretty interesting, too.

Pretty soon you have to climb up some slick rock.  The incline is pretty moderate, but there is no shade.  The sun beats down and the air is bone dry.  In the rain this slight incline would probably not be fun.

I thought Delicate Arch would be more impressive than this (what is this, an arch for ants?!?!).

Pohai made it to the top of the slickrock hill and found some shade while I continued on to the arch.

Once you've conquered the slick rock hill, the trail levels out and the trail meanders through some sandy areas and more slick rock.  The trail then opens up to a steep valley and some rock formations on the other side of the valley.

 As you approach Delicate Arch the trail contours a sandstone wedge with steep drop offs on one side (into that valley pictured above).  A fall off the ledge here would lead to serious injury or more.  You turn a corner and BOOM, Delicate Arch!

Delicate Arch is located on the edge of a sandstone bowl.  The sandstone is slick and steeply angled toward the bowl.  If you slipped and slid down to the bowl, there's a nice drop into the bowl.  Not recommended for little children.

The arch was much bigger than I was expecting!

I set up my camera to take some selfies under Delicate Arch.  I had my tripod and set up my wireless flash triggers as a remote shutter release and made my way under the arch.

Standing under the arch.

Flexing under Delicate Arch.

Behind the arch the sandstone VERY STEEPLY drops off into a valley hundreds of feet below.

I caught a view of the arch lookout from the arch.

I also observed some people sitting at the edge of a cliff.  It was a long way down from where they were.

After spending some time at the arch, I made my way back, caught up with Pohai and headed back to the car.  From there Pohai and I drove around Arches National Park and took some pics with some other arches.

A couple days later Pohai and I came back to Arches with Sommer, Hōkūle`a, and Mom.  It was MUCH HOTTER the second time around.  We got some pictures and headed down to the Chinle/Tsaile, Arizona (Sommer's hometown).

Rest of the pictures here and here.