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Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Touring Tuesday: Arches National Park Pics #6

We toured Arches National Park on our motor coach on June 22, 2017. Most of the arches and formations were easily seen from our Motor Coach which was good since the coach was too big to park on the side of the road. I 'borrowed' a little information from the Arches website.

Arches National Park
National park in Grand County, Utah
Arches National Park lies north of Moab in the state of Utah. Bordered by the Colorado River in the southeast, it’s known as the site of more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, such as the massive, red-hued Delicate Arch in the east. Long, thin Landscape Arch stands in Devils Garden to the north. Other geological formations include Balanced Rock, towering over the desert landscape in the middle of the park.
AddressUtah
Area119.8 mi²
Hours
Open today · Open 24 hours
EstablishedApril 12, 1929
Visitors1,585,718 (in 2016)
Did you knowIn 1929, President Herbert Hoover signed the legislation creating Arches National Monument, to protect the arches, spires, balanced rocks, and other sandstone formations. 
No one knows for sure how many arches are there; however,  over 2,000 have been recorded. Some may have fallen and new arches may yet be forming. Most of the sandstones in the park contain iron oxide. It takes as little as 1-3% iron to color the rocks red.

Delicate Arch was way out in the middle of a huge field.  I could not get a picture with my camera due to the moving coach.
The light opening beneath Delicate Arch is 46 feet (14 m) high. The entire rock span is around 60 feet (18 m) tall.






Balanced Rock was the most amazing of all we saw in Arches

A Teetering Giant
Balanced Rock, one of the most iconic features in the park, stands a staggering 128 feet (39m) tall. While this formation may appear to be an epic balancing act, it’s actually not balanced at all. The slick rock boulder of Entrada Sandstone sits attached to its eroding pedestal of Dewey Bridge mudstone. The exposure of these two rock strata layers are ideal for the formation of arches and balanced rocks.
Balanced Rock defies gravity but this won’t always be the case. Eventually, the 3,600 ton (over 4 million kg) boulder will come tumbling down as the erosional process continues to shape the landscape. In the winter of 1975-76, Balanced Rock’s smaller sibling “Chip-Off-the-Old-Block” collapsed (view Then and Now), proving that there is no better time than the present to see this awe-inspiring giant.Unlike many of the other named features in the park, Balanced Rock can be seen from the park road. It is located 9.2 miles (14.8km) from the Arches Visitor Center. Although parking is limited, many visitors stop to complete the short hike (0.3mi / 0.5km roundtrip) around the rock’s base for unusual and up-close perspectives.







33 comments:

  1. WOW!!!! Those are some gorgeous rock formations!
    xoxo
    Jakey & Arty

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  2. amazing!!! mother nature is a super artist! ... the one rock (picture with the cars) looks a little like this egyptian Queen at the furst look ;o)

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  3. My human has been around there, but she didn't really get a chance to explore - maybe she will one of these days!

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  4. I just told Mara that your trip looks wonderful and I want to do that one too!

    Brom from Norway

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  5. Doesn't nature design the bestest architecture!
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  6. Hari OM
    Mother N is an Artiste... and mum captured it finely!!! Hugs and whiskeries, YAM-aunty xxx

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  7. Those are such good pictures and must have been so much fun to see all that sculpture for real. Great post. Have a good day.

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  8. You had such an awesome trip! Love the red rocks!

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  9. That teetering rock is amazing! What beautiful pictures!

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  10. Nature is so incredible! Love the pictures.

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  11. spectacular ROCKS.. I love the view out the windshield of the bus with the wipers on it.. wow... if the president had not preserved this it would be full of rich people homes and have of it destroyed

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  12. What a beautiful place to visit. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  13. I've got a 'thing' for rocks! I am surely adding Arches National Park onto my to-do list!

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  14. Too bad you couldn't hike around Arches! Of course Bryce Canyon is our fav redrock! You would love Sedona, AZ!!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  15. Personally, I wouldn't be standing too close under that Balanced Rock, in case it suddenly became not quite so balanced.
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie (your Geological Advisor).

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  16. Amazing is a good word to describe it plus beautiful too!

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  17. Wonderful pictures! I've never been there before - but it looks really cool! The only way the pictures could be better are with Madi posing in them ;)

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  18. Wow! We loved seeing those rock formations! (Reminded us a little of the Roadrunner and Coyote cartoons.)

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  19. You have Mom thinking she and Dad need to make a trip there too:)

    Woos - Lightning and Misty

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  20. Great photos. That looks like a great vacation spot.

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  21. WE really need to plan a trip there!
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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  22. The rock formations are amazing. They just look like they'll fall at any moment. So beautiful.

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  23. We just love all of those rock formations!
    Cammie!

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  24. I would LOVE to see that myself. LOVE to. My boys have all gone on several occasions but Katie Admiral and I had to remain here..

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  25. You both had such spectacular scenery! Truly a wonderful trip. The balanced rock is awesome. The arch is very impressive too!

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  26. madi....total lee awesum fotoz yur mom cap sured....we R like...whoa.....seer ee iz lee...look at thiz.....4 frum de bottom......ya coulda carve sum thin like that N haz it last !!! thanx for sharin !! ☺☺♥♥

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  27. Those are incredible rock formations! I thought Utah was very pretty.

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  28. Love these rock formations. That Balancing Rock is amazing!

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  29. THis is one that I have actually been to ! I loved it!

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  30. Crikey ..... Mum and Dad would sure like to go there. They love that kind of scenery. Utah is on their wish list.

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