Two things boggled my mind about Arches: the fact that such structures could be carved out of solid rock by mere force of water, and the fact that such structures have not yet collapsed under the weight of a moderately-sized snowfall. Seriously, some of the arches -- Landscape Arch in particular -- are a mere ribbon of rock. A portion of Landscape actually collapsed in the early 1990's. It is doomed to destruction but nobody knows just quite when. Delicate Arch, the unofficial state symbol of Utah, appears slightly more secure, but when viewed from the side, you see how appropriate the name is. Other arches worth exploring include The Windows, Turret Arch, Skyline Arch, Pine Tree Arch, and Tunnel Arch. For those of you who don't like hemitoroidal structures, you can check out Balanced Rock (glued on pretty well through the processes of sedimentation but still subject to collapse at a moment's notice) and this little formation that welcomes visitors to the park.Also of note in the area of Arches is the Colorado Riverway, a canyon with tall, red rock cliffs through which runs the UT-128 highway. It is a breathtaking drive as you wind your way through the canyon, but since such features are a dime a dozen in Southern Utah, the canyon lacks a real name or any special protective designation.
For my Arches photo album, click here.
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