“Cowboys called it the "Schoolmarm's Bloomers"”
Delicate Arch is a 65-foot tall freestanding natural arch located in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, United States. It is the most widely-recognized landmark in Arches National Park and is depicted on Utah license plates and on a postage stamp commemorating Utah's centennial anniversary of statehood in 1996. The Olympic torch relay for the 2002 Winter Olympics passed through the arch. Because of its distinctive shape, the arch was known as "the Chaps" and "the Schoolmarm's Bloomers" by local cowboys. It was given its current name by Frank Beckwith, leader of the Arches National Monument Scientific Expedition, who explored the area in the winter of 1933–1934. (The story that the names of Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch were inadvertently exchanged due to a signage mixup by the National Park Service is false. This arch played no part in the original designation of the area as a U.S. National Monument in 1929, and was not included within the original boundaries; it was added when the monument was enlarged in 1938. In the 1950s, the National Park Service investigated the possibility of applying a clear plastic coating to the arch to protect it from further erosion and eventual destruction. The idea was ultimately abandoned as impractical and contrary to NPS principles.
Travel photographers will want to save the Delicate Arch hike for the late afternoon to capture a sunset. Bring water and snacks on this 3-mile roundtrip hike. Bring a flashlight for the return trip down the trail after the sun sets.
Absolutely amazing!! It's a good hike but every bit worth it. Take a small bag with iced water and snacks, and possibly a walking stick. Allow for some time to just sit and take in the view once you get there because it is unbelievable!
A must see! So much bigger and more impressive than on license plates. Beautiful landscape the entire duration of the hike.
There is nothing as magnificent as Delicate Arch. When you think about visiting and you imagine all the feels…it’s even better than that in real life! But let me tell you, to avoid the crowds and to see her in her best light…you want to be there when the sun rises. It’s not easy, I know. But trust me when I say it is worth it.
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Delicate Arch
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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