Geological Survey Bulletin 1393 The Geologic Story of Arches National Park

Delicate Arch Area

Two and a half miles northeast of the road intersection near Balanced Rock, a gravelled side road leads north eastward to several points of considerable interest. The photograph in figure 11 was taken from this side road about half a mile northeast of the intersection. About 2 miles to the northeast, just beyond Salt Valley Wash, is a parking area (stop 17) at the beginning of the trail past Wolfe's Bar—DX Ranch (fig. 3) to famed Delicate Arch, which is featured on the front cover. Although the trail to the arch is only 1-1/2 miles long, it crosses several hills at the outset, then climbs 500 feet, mostly on bare Entrada Sandstone, so is considered quite strenuous, particularly in hot weather. The Park Service advises hikers to carry water. The Walt Disney crew, cameras, gear, cougars, and all climbed this trail in the hottest part of the summer of 1971 (see p. 16), while my wife and I were working in the vicinity. Visitors who do not wish to make the hike may get a distant view of Delicate Arch by driving to a parking area (stop 18) 1.3 miles farther east.

After leaving Wolfe's Ranch, the trail to Delicate Arch crosses Salt Wash on a suspension foot bridge (fig. 42). Just beyond the bridge, a short walk to the left (north) leads to the Ute petroglyphs shown in the lower photograph of figure 2. The most difficult part of the trail, on bare sandstone, is marked by cairns of stones placed at sufficient intervals to keep hikers from losing the barely visible trail. When the summit finally is reached and the last corner rounded, one suddenly sees perhaps the most sublime view in the park—famed Delicate Arch, framing part of the La Sal Mountains beyond (fig. 43). This graceful arch and mighty Landscape Arch (fig. 53) were considered to be in serious jeopardy during the era of sonic booms, but hopefully this danger now is past. (See p. 16-17.)

A SUSPENSION FOOT BRIDGE ACROSS SALT WASH, in front of Wolfe's cabin at beginning of Delicate Arch trail. (Fig. 42)

It may be of interest to shutterbugs that professional photographer Hal Rumel lugged an 8- X 10-inch camera plus a heavy tripod and accessories up the steep trail to get the excellent photograph of Delicate Arch shown in figure 43. The late afternoon sun intensified the red somewhat, but my shots made earlier in the day using both 4- X 5-inch and 35-mm equipment resulted in unwanted shadows, even though the salmon color of the Slick Rock Member was more nearly normal.

DELICATE ARCH, from end of trail 1-1/2 miles above Wolfe's Ranch. The opening is 33 feet wide and 45 feet high. The left abutment is only 5 feet wide at the narrowest point. The arch is carved near the top of the Slick Rock Member, and the top of the span, 19 feet thick, is capped by a few feet of the more resistant Moab Member, as is Broken Arch (fig. 16). Photograph by Hal Rumel, Salt Lake City. (Fig. 43)

After leaving the junction with the side road, the main park road traverses slices of vertical strata squeezed between faults along the north side of Salt Valley, then gradually climbs out of the valley for about 2 miles to a parking area (stop 19), from which good views are had of the southeast end of Salt Valley and of the grabens in the west end of Cache Valley. (See fig. 11.)