Utah’s Delicate Arch is one of our most prized natural wonders, and we love it so much that we put it on our license plate! While Delicate Arch is incredible, there’s another arch right here in Utah that’s the most photographed natural arch in the country. Can you guess which one it is? Take a look:
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Utah has thousands of natural arches. Delicate Arch is a Utah icon, and Landscape Arch is the largest in North America. You’ll often see them in photos, but the most photographed arch is Mesa Arch.
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You’ll find Mesa Arch at Canyonlands National Park. It’s perched right on the edge of a cliff overlooking Buck Canyon, 1,200 feet below.
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The views through the arch are incredible all day long, but sunrise at Mesa Arch is really something special. As the sun rises, the arch and its surroundings light up in vibrant reds and oranges.
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The entire landscape comes aglow. You can see why this particular spot is so popular with photographers.
Dean Souglass/Flickr
A typical morning at Mesa Arch includes dozens of people who have made the trek in the dark to claim their spot.
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Professionals and amateurs with expensive cameras and gear line up…but you’ll find plenty of folks with their cell phones as well. You don’t need a fancy setup to get an amazing photo of Mesa Arch - just the willingness to wake up early and the patience to wait for the sun to rise.
Krusse/Tripadvisor Plan to get to the arch well before sunrise, and bring a jacket and some coffee to keep you warm. Even in the summer, it’s pretty chilly before sunrise. If you do have a nice camera, you’ll want to bring your tripod along.
Do you long for a selfie in front of Mesa Arch? The best time for that is anytime after sunrise. The crowds thin out a lot by mid-morning.
Daniel Viñé Garcia/Moment Collection via Getty Images Once the sun is high in the sky, that warm morning glow on the arch disappears, but the view through it is still jaw-dropping. If you’re not a morning person, you can still get some great shots of Mesa Arch.
Spring and summer are the most popular time to photograph sunrise at Mesa Arch, due to the position of the sun when it rises, but winter shots are pretty magical, too!
ChrisBeazPhoto/Tripadvisor When you visit, make sure to stay back from the edge. It’s a 500-foot drop from the arch (and a total of 1,200 feet to the bottom of the canyon). Don’t climb on the arch, and if you bring kids along for a sunrise shot, make sure to keep an eye on them.
Have you visited Mesa Arch? We’d love to see your photos of this stunning natural wonder!
Jeremy Duguid Photography/Moment Collection via Getty Images
Rezus/iStock via Getty Images
vwalakte/iStock via Getty Images
Dean Souglass/Flickr
Malu241/Tripadvisor
Krusse/Tripadvisor
Plan to get to the arch well before sunrise, and bring a jacket and some coffee to keep you warm. Even in the summer, it’s pretty chilly before sunrise. If you do have a nice camera, you’ll want to bring your tripod along.
Daniel Viñé Garcia/Moment Collection via Getty Images
Once the sun is high in the sky, that warm morning glow on the arch disappears, but the view through it is still jaw-dropping. If you’re not a morning person, you can still get some great shots of Mesa Arch.
ChrisBeazPhoto/Tripadvisor
When you visit, make sure to stay back from the edge. It’s a 500-foot drop from the arch (and a total of 1,200 feet to the bottom of the canyon). Don’t climb on the arch, and if you bring kids along for a sunrise shot, make sure to keep an eye on them.
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