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Dave Beedon | profile | all galleries >> Places >> Utah >> Arches National Park >> Delicate Arch Viewpoint >> Delicate Arch Viewpoint: the viewpoint and the ridge tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Delicate Arch Viewpoint: the viewpoint and the ridge | Delicate Arch Viewpoint: Off-Trail Hike | Delicate Arch Viewpoint: Circumnavigation

Delicate Arch Viewpoint: the viewpoint and the ridge

It is not enough for me to visit an official viewpoint: I must go farther. The more views, the better.
At the Delicate Arch Viewpoint I felt this way and was rewarded with amazing views that
most visitors never see. That's their loss. My guess is that most visitors to the
viewpoint hike to the end of the trail, see the arch, and return to the parking lot.

The official trail to the viewpoint ends near the amphitheater's precipice, but for this
topography nut, that is just the start of viewing possibilities. An easy walk up the
gently-tilted slab of the viewpoint yields better and better views as walk progresses.
It also gets the hiker away from the people at the viewpoint. This gallery covers the
trail hike and an exploration to the top of the tilted "slab."

The greatest thrill of this hike was seeing the amphitheater that lies
between the viewpoint and Delicate Arch. That fascinating terrain called
to me and in 2006 I explored it during a circumnavigation of Delicate Arch.

The viewpoint is at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view.

.
Parking lot at trailhead of Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Parking lot at trailhead of Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Interpretive viewing area at the start of trail to Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Interpretive viewing area at the start of trail to Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Trail to Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Trail to Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Attractive trail steps made with local materials
Attractive trail steps made with local materials
Looking down at the trail
Looking down at the trail
View from the viewpoint
View from the viewpoint
People descending from the upper precipice
People descending from the upper precipice
Precipice formation
Precipice formation
Arch view from the dirt road
Arch view from the dirt road
People near and far
People near and far
Coming and going
Coming and going
Overview: tower
Overview: tower
Overview: amphitheater
Overview: amphitheater
Panorama #2: powerful tower (but not Tower of Power)
Panorama #2: powerful tower (but not Tower of Power)
Detail #3: base of tower
Detail #3: base of tower
The top of the ridge calls to me...
The top of the ridge calls to me...
High point of the hike
High point of the hike
As far as one can go atop the ridge
As far as one can go atop the ridge
Park road in the distance
Park road in the distance
Local valley color
Local valley color
Highest view of Delicate Arch
Highest view of Delicate Arch
Descending the valley to the pebbly bowl
Descending the "valley" to the pebbly bowl
Holy sandstone, Batman!
Holy sandstone, Batman!
Pebbly bowl
Pebbly bowl
Winter Camp Wash amphitheater
Winter Camp Wash amphitheater
Winter Camp Wash panorama
Winter Camp Wash panorama
20081015_1583...Starry Delicate Arch calls to me (what else is new?)
20081015_1583...Starry Delicate Arch calls to me (what else is new?)
20091017_0961...Contorted sandstone east of Delicate Arch Viewpoint
20091017_0961...Contorted sandstone east of Delicate Arch Viewpoint
20091017_0160...My backpack leaked
20091017_0160...My backpack "leaked"