In the 1950s, the NPS investigated the possibility of applying a clear plastic coating to the arch to protect it from further erosion and eventual destruction.

[9] The original sandstone fin was gradually worn away by weathering and erosion, leaving the arch.

The NPS has since closed the loophole by disallowing climbs on any named arch within the park year-round.

[11] Potter did admit to using a counterweighted rope over the top of the arch, within a natural groove,[12] as well as four cams in a horizontal crack of harder rock at the summit.

The parking lot at the Delicate Arch Trailhead, although large, fills up quickly on most days.

The trail to Delicate Arch is 3 miles (4.8 kilometer) round trip with an elevation change of 480 feet (146 meters).