This is the first glimpse I got of Delicate Arch, taken from the upper viewpoint below.  I wasn't satisfied, and decided that I had to make the climb up to the arch regardless of the broiling heat that day.

The walk down from the upper viewpoint goes through a valley decorated with large boulders and sandstone flats.

Wolfe Ranch is one of the first things you pass on the climb up to Delicate Arch.  This is a settlement in the area from the late 1800's.

Just before you reach the top of the climb to Delicate Arch, you get a nice view of this smaller, unnamed arch off to the right of the trail.

Near the top of the climb, you see this small valley sheltered by towering rock walls.  There were mountain goats grazing on the shrubbery below when I first arrived at this viewpoint.

This is the first view of Delicate Arch you get when you reach the top of the trail... quite breathtaking, I must say.

Delicate Arch is one of the crown jewels of the state of Utah, and is perched high atop a cliff over 600 feet high.

This is the view of the valley below while standing directly under Delicate Arch.  It's deceiving, because that ledge on the bottom of the picture is a drop off of over 600 feet.

Delicate Arch is situated on the edge of a large sandstone bowl, surrounded by huge rock walls.

Another look off the cliff from directly under Delicate Arch.

The 100+ degree heat that day made this a rather difficult climb, and many hikers sought refuge in the shade of Delicate Arch when they reached the top.

The mountains in the distance, and the majesty of Delicate Arch make for quite a moving view of the beauty Utah has to offer.  I really fell in love with the scenery in this state.

Tired and hot, but reveling in the triumph of conquering Delicate Arch in extreme heat, I posed for a picture to mark my victory.

This is the view from the trail, looking down towards the parking lot where the trail starts.  That parking lot is visible just above dead center, it appears as a white line... It's probably about 1.3 miles away at this point of the hike.

Another look down the trail... this sandstone flat proved to be a more difficult portion of the climb, due to the heat it radiated.  The cliffs block the wind, and the 100+ degree heat makes this stone so hot it's difficult to stand on.  It really sucks the energy out of you quickly.  I'd recommend this hike be done in the early morning, before it's had a chance to heat up.