Moab is home to over 2,000 natural arches, but if you’re trying to hit the very top arches in Moab, there are three that rise above the rest: Delicate Arch, Corona Arch, and Mesa Arch. Each one delivers a totally different experience—one’s the Utah superstar, one’s a hidden gem outside the park, and one’s the sunrise favorite. Here’s why these three are the top arches in Moab.
If you’re planning out your Moab adventures, you may also want to check out my guide to the Top 5 Epic Views Around Moab for even more must-see red rock scenery.
Trail Length: 3 miles round trip
Difficulty: Strenuous (steep, exposed rock)
Elevation Gain: About 500 ft
Estimated Time: 2–3 hours
Best Time: Sunset
Delicate Arch is the arch—the one on Utah’s license plate and practically the state mascot. The hike to get there is no joke. It’s uphill most of the way, across slickrock with no shade, and the sun loves to remind you who’s boss. But when you finally round that last corner and see Delicate Arch standing tall on the edge of a bowl-shaped cliff, it’s pure magic.
I did this at sunset, and while my legs weren’t thrilled with the climb, the view was worth it. My friend warned me that it can get insanely crowded (50+ people sometimes), but I lucked out with a smaller crowd. If you want photos, get there an hour before sunset—you’ll thank me later.
Shortcut option: Not up for the climb? The Delicate Arch Viewpoints (Lower and Upper) offer solid views without the full hike. If you love exploring Moab’s iconic landmarks, check out my Stops to Make in Arches National Park if You Can’t Hike for easy-access viewpoints and arches you can enjoy without the steep climb.
Trail Length: 3 miles round trip
Difficulty: Moderate (rock, ladders, chains)
Elevation Gain: About 450 ft
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Best Time: Late afternoon
Corona Arch sits just outside of Arches National Park, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite hikes in Moab. The trail starts with a short climb and crosses railroad tracks before winding up slickrock marked with cairns and blue paint spots. It’s more adventurous than Delicate Arch—there’s a short ladder section and a chain to help you up one slope, but nothing unmanageable if you’re comfortable with a little scrambling.
Along the way, you’ll pass Bowtie Arch, a giant pothole arch in the rock face, before reaching Corona itself. And what a finale: the arch is massive (140 ft tall, 105 ft wide), and unlike Delicate, you can walk right under it. I hiked it around 5 pm, and the best part? We had the place to ourselves.
This hike feels like Moab’s best-kept secret, though locals will tell you it’s not really a secret anymore. Still, compared to Delicate Arch crowds, it’s blissfully quiet.
Trail Length: 0.7 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: About 100 ft
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Best Time: Sunrise
Mesa Arch isn’t in Arches—it’s in Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky district. But it’s close enough to Moab that it deserves a spot on this list. The short, easy hike leads you to an arch perched right on the rim of a canyon, with sweeping views through its frame.
At sunrise, the underside of the arch glows fiery orange as the sun rises over the La Sal Mountains. It’s easily one of the most famous photo ops in Utah. When I went, it was rainy and gray, so no fiery glow—but honestly, the moody clouds made it dramatic in a different way. Pro tip: don’t just stop at the arch. Keep walking past it and look back for a grander, less crowded perspective.
Moab is full of arches, but if you only see three, make them these: Delicate Arch for the icon, Corona Arch for the adventure, and Mesa Arch for the sunrise magic. Between the three, you’ll get the full range of what makes Moab so unforgettable—sweaty climbs, quiet moments, and canyon views you’ll never forget. If you’re building out a full itinerary, you’ll love my Spend a Week in Moab: The Perfect 7-Day Itinerary, which ties all the major arches, viewpoints, and parks into one seamless trip.
Booked this Bryson City yurt for the ‘ber months and it’s already my top fall pick this year. 🍂
The Junaluska Yurt sleeps six but feels more like a stylish cabin than a yurt, two real queen bedrooms with actual doors, a full kitchen, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Check-in is just a door code texted to your phone, no lobby, no waiting.
The real win is outside: wraparound porch, private fire pit, free firewood, a gas grill, and Smoky Mountain sunsets that stop you mid-sentence, picture all of that with October color on the ridgeline. Heads up, the last stretch in is a gravel road, so skip the low-profile rental, and there’s no restaurant onsite, you’re minutes from Bryson City, Dillsboro, and Sylva for dinner.
Two to three nights is the sweet spot. (We actually stayed in the dead of winter and it was still stunning, fall just takes it up a notch.) Full review linked in bio.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
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