Arches National Park
Arches National Park located in Moab, UT became a national park on November 12, 1971. Arches is part of the Colorado Plateau with elevations that range from 4,085 – 5,653 feet above sea level. This park boasts the most naturally occurring stone arches in the world at over 2,000. Many of the arches are only visible from the numerous trails that meander through the park. However, the arches are not the only amazing sights to see. There are many plants and animals that call Arches home. Some of the smallest organisms are the biggest contributors to keeping the dessert habitable.
The geology of the area is what allows the relatively rare rock formations to exist. The stone that makes up the arch is a combination of Entrada Sandstone which is very porous and the Carmel layer which is a mix of sand and clay making it much harder. Beneath the surface of all this rock is a thick layer of salt that created a bulging dome of rock. When the dome cracked, the rock formed a series of parallel lines much like fins on a fish. The fins of sandstone are now exposed to rain and wind that slowly erodes holes in the softer rock creating the magnificent arches we see today.
There are many plants that have adapted to the extremes of the high desert in Arches. Each is uniquely suited to the elevation and amount of water needed to survive. The cryptobiotic soil crust is a living ground cover that forms a foundation for the plants to grow in. This crust is made up of cyanobacteria, lichens, mosses, green algae, micofungi and bacteria. Together they form an intricate web of fibers that joins the soil particles together into a stable surface that is resistant to wind and water erosion. In addition to holding water and minerals in the soil the cyanobacteria in the crust converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form the plants can use.
Arches National Park was the last of the Big Five parks we visited in Utah. Visiting in April was a great time to see the park. The weather was comfortable and the plants were starting to bloom. Walking the trails that took you between enormous rock fins was truly a one of a kind experience. You can feel the wind blowing the fine sand through the gaps and really see how the forces of nature created these amazing natural stone arches.
For more information about Arches National Park visit https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arches_National_Park