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Margie | profile | all galleries >> National Parks/Monuments/ State Parks Gallery >> Time Stands Still at Arches National Park tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Time Stands Still at Arches National Park

Arches National Park is a U.S. National Park in eastern Utah. It is known for preserving over 2000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. The major formations visible in the park today are the salmon-colored Entrada Sandstone, in which most of the arches form, and the buff-colored Navajo Sandstone. These are visible in layer cake fashion throughout most of the park. Over time, water seeped into the surface cracks, joints, and folds of these layers. Ice formed in the fissures, expanding and putting pressure on surrounding rock, breaking off bits and pieces. Winds later cleaned out the loose particles. A series of free-standing fins remained. Wind and water attacked these fins until, in some, the cementing material gave way and chunks of rock tumbled out. Many damaged fins collapsed. Others, with the right degree of hardness and balance, survived despite their missing sections. These became the famous arches.
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The Great Wall
The Great Wall
Unnamed Arch
Unnamed Arch
Rock Pinnacles
Rock Pinnacles
Rock Pinnacles
Rock Pinnacles
a lone Juniper
a lone Juniper
 Bunny and her baby
Bunny and her baby
Forming arches
Forming arches
Explanation of the Balanced Rock
Explanation of the Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock
a different perspective of Balanced Rock
a different perspective of Balanced Rock
Layered rock across from Balanced Rock
Layered rock across from Balanced Rock
Fins and hoodoos
Fins and hoodoos
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