![]() But, even from the view points, Delicate Arch is still more than a kilometer away. Some visitors choose to walk to two view points. But Delicate Arch is not visible from a car. Many of Arches’ famous rock formations are easily seen from the single road that goes through the park. It is among the most famous geological features in the world. Of the 2,000 stone arches within the park, Delicate Arch has become a symbol of the state of Utah. Scientists described it as “the most delicately chiseled arch in the entire area.” The name “Delicate Arch” first appeared in a 1934 article. Humans have called it many different names throughout history. Thousands of tons of sandstone crashed to the ground, creating a thunderous noise.ĭelicate Arch is a huge free-standing arch. In 2008, a formation called Wall Arch suddenly collapsed. But the land formations continue to change slowly over time.īut sometimes, change happens quickly. The rock is called Entrada Sandstone.Įxperts say that most arches seen in the park today developed within the past million years. Most of the layers of rock seen today are pinkish-red in color. Then the wind blows away the loose rock pieces.Įrosion from wind and weather slowly removed layers of younger rock. The rock breaks as the water freezes and expands. Water destroys the chemicals that keep rock particles together. Scientists say water is the most important element in creating arches. These sandstone structures continued to grow for about 150 million years. It moved this way and that, making the rock layers above move, as well.Ī soft rock called sandstone moved upwards. The thick cover of rock created pressure on the salt. This created pressure on the underground salt bed. It covered the area around 300 million years ago.Īs time passed, the area filled with material left by rivers. The huge amount of salt is the remains of an ancient sea. Water and ice, extreme temperatures, and many layers of salt underground created these rock formations over hundreds of millions of years. The largest, called Landscape Arch, measures 93 meters from one base of the arch to the other. The smallest arches are less than a meter across. Arches National Park contains the most natural rock arches of any place on Earth. ![]()
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