Day Five – Extremely Busy Arches National Park

Many national parks have become so crowded that you now have to get a timed entry ticket before you can enter. Arches National Park is one of those parks. It is easy to understand why so many people from around the world come to view the many natural features within this park. We heard conversations in quite a few different languages as we wandered along the trails.



The natural wonders begin just after entering the park when the road steeply climbs several hundred feet above Highway 191 in a series of sharp hairpin curves. 



The road through Arches winds around many natural formations. Whether they have actual “arches” in them or not, the cliffs of red Entrada Sandstone have been eroded over the millennia by the weathering forces of wind and rain into fantastic shapes. 


In contrast, far to the east the volcanic La Sal Mountains are young and still covered with snow capped peaks.






Many of the natural arches in the park are well known. For example, Delicate Arch which is pictured on the Utah license plate, is the one I remember best from forty-five years ago.  




The Parade of Elephants is a fun set of arches and partial arches. 
Can you imagine a couple of elephants trunk to tail here?





Geology demonstrates scientific proof that the Earth has been continually changing from its creation. One example of this recently occurred at Balancing Rock when in 1984 the top of “The Sidekick” eroded to the point where it fell off and can still be seen at the base.


Although many stops were far too crowded for our liking with people scrambling around like ants crawling all over an anthill, Arches National Park is truly a treasure that should be witnessed in person.



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