Royal Arches, Natural arch in Yosemite National Park, California, United States.

Royal Arches is a granite cliff on the north side of Yosemite Valley, northeast of the Ahwahnee Hotel and below North Dome. Its name refers to arch-shaped exfoliation indentations in the rock face, not to free-standing arches. The Royal Arch Cascade falls adjacent to the formation, with Washington Column just to the east.

The arches are exfoliation forms in granite, not true arches. In 2023 climbers found a new crack near the Super Slide route on the west side; park geologist Greg Stock heard continuous creaking and saw rock chips falling. The crack grew 12 feet by September 7, prompting the Park Service to close climbing access and a trail section.

The formation appears in Native American naming: "Scho-ko-ni" (roughly "baby basket" or its shade), with one account giving "Hun-to", "watching eye". The Royal Arches Route, first climbed by Kenneth Davis, Morgan Harris and Ken Adam on October 9, 1936, is listed in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.

Reach this formation via marked hiking trails in the park, ideally visiting in morning light when the sun illuminates the stone arches best. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water, as the trails can be sunny and steep in sections.

The arches are not true arches but arch-shaped indentations in the cliff face. In 2023 climbers found a new crack near the Super Slide route; geologists heard it creaking and saw rock chips falling, and the park closed the west side to climbing.