American Parks II · Farstep pack

Delicate Arch in 3D

Arches · the slickrock bowl at sunset

Arches National Park, Utah, USA

Delicate Arch is a freestanding arch of Entrada Sandstone about 16 m high, on the rim of a bowl scoured into bare slickrock. Water seeps into cracks, freezes and dissolves the cement between sand grains, wearing fins thinner until they hole through; the park has more than 2,000 catalogued arches. This walk is at sunset.

Where: Arches National Park, Utah, USA
Height: About 16 m
Opening: About 10 m wide
Rock: Entrada Sandstone

Official site

Walk Delicate Arch in 3D

A real-time 3D model, built from open elevation data and published measurements. Loads 2.3 MB when you start.

Delicate Arch

Walk it yourself. Works on this phone.

Part of the American Parks II pack: a one-time unlock in this browser.

Terrain from open elevation data · a 3D reconstruction, not a photograph · tags as in the app

What you'll find in the walk

Gold markers in the scene open these cards.

Delicate Arch
Known
A freestanding arch of Entrada Sandstone about 16 m high, with an opening some 10 m wide. Its picture is on Utah's licence plates.
How arches form
Known
Water seeps into cracks, freezes and dissolves the cement between sand grains, wearing narrow fins thinner until they hole through. The park has more than 2,000 catalogued arches.
The slickrock bowl
Known
The arch stands on the rim of a bowl scoured into bare sandstone. Its legs rest on a softer layer that is wearing away faster than the arch above.

How to visit in real life

Delicate Arch is reached by a steep, unshaded trail across open slickrock, a few hours there and back. Carry water, and check the park's entry rules before you go.

Opening times and tickets change: check the official site. Official site