Arches National Park
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Arches National Park
The National Park called "Arches" is filled with beautiful rock formations. Most of them are shaped in arches which is where the park got it's name.
There are more than two thousand catalogued arches range in size from a 3 foot opening, to Landscape Arch which measures 306 feet from base to base.
In Arches National Park there is also towering spires, fins and balanced rocks which creates an amazing tour of nature's artistry.
Come visit Arches with me as we explore the power and beauty of nature's affects on rock.
Park hours and Weather information
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Arches is open year-round, 24 hours a day.
The visitor center is open daily during the following hours:
April through October: 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
November through March: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The visitor center is closed on December 25th.
Before you come you might want to check Weather infomation at Arches
Just how were these beautiful arches formed?
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It all began three hundred, million years ago...The seas flowed over this region and deposited a salt bed, that the scientists like to call a "Paradox Formation".
When the seas receded or evaporated, they left debris which over time hardened like cement to the rocks. There was a time this layer of hardened rock is thought to have been a mile thick.
The salt which under pressure becomes unstable, began to flow under the heaviness of the sandstones above it. The surface rock began to buckle and move. It shifted and some sections of rock rose upward into domes. Others dropped into surrounding cavities, creating vertical cracks which would later, much to our enjoyment, add to the development of the beautiful arches we now see today.
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Erosion contributed more, stripping away the younger rock layers.
Water was another contributor, seeping into cracks and joints, washing away debris and eroding the "cement" that held the sandstone together, leaving a series of free-standing fins.
Water froze into ice, during colder times, the expanding ice put pressure on the rock, breaking off parts of it, and creating openings at times.
It took just the right degree of hardness and balance for the formations you see today at Arches National Park to survive the test of time and the elements they have endured over time.
These are the World famous rock formations you now see at Arches National Park.
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Double Arch (National Park Service Photo)
How to get to Arches National Park
Double Arch Frames Turret Arch at Dawn, Arches National Park, Utah, USA
Photographic Print
Souders, Paul
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By Car:
The entrance to Arches is located 5 miles north of Moab, UT along Highway 191.
By Plane
Commercial airlines serve Grand Junction, CO and Salt Lake City, UT. By car, these cities are roughly 2 and 4 hours (respectively) away from the park entrance. Commercial air service is also available between Denver and Moab.
By Bus
Greyhound travels along Interstate 70, making stops at Grand Junction, CO and Green River, UT. Commercial van services operate between Moab and Salt Lake City as well as Grand Junction.
Train
Amtrak stops at Grand Junction, CO and Green River, UT. Commercial van services operate between Grand Junction and Moab.
Arches National Park, Delicate Arch
Art Print
Blakeway, James
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Mules Ears and Courthouse Towers
What is there to do in Arches
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The National Park service provides information on any of the following activites:
Touring by car
Backpacking
Biking
Camping
Climbing
Commercial Tours
Hiking
Photography
Nearby Attractions
Ranger-led Programs
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Balanced Rock (National Park Service Photo)
Current Weather in Moab, Utah and Arches National Park
Current weather conditions in Moab, UT (84532)
Local Pollen Reports
54°F (Feels like 54°F)
Last update: 5/30/12 4:53 AM MDT
Humidity: 14%Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 5°F
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 29.99in rising
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 3mph From: Airport Conditions
Today
Fair
High: 92°F
Low: 57°F
Sunrise: 5:56 AM
Sunset: 8:36 PM
Thursday
May 31
Sunny
High: 92°F
Low: 59°F
Sunrise: 5:56 AM
Sunset: 8:36 PM
Friday
Jun 1
Sunny
High: 96°F
Low: 61°F
Sunrise: 5:56 AM
Sunset: 8:37 PM
Saturday
Jun 2
Sunny
High: 98°F
Low: 64°F
Sunrise: 5:55 AM
Sunset: 8:38 PM
Where to stay in Moab, Utah
Landscape Arch (National Park Service Photo)
The Three Gossips (National Park Service Photo)
Big Horn Sheep (National Park Service Photo)
Have you been to Arches National Park
Sand Dune Arch, Arches National Park, UT
Framed Photographic Print
Hoehn Jr., Jack
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Have you been to Arches?
If not are you wanting to go now?
Would love to hear your comments.
Please sign in here!
Linda
PS: If you interested in the Birds and Animals found in Arches National Park, there is a comprehensive list below. If your not, read no further! :-)
Arches Caused by Erosion, Arches National Park, USA
Framed Photographic Print
Keribar, Izzet
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tagfoot rocks my socks-
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agoofyidea
Jan 21, 2012 @ 9:06 am | delete
- Arches is a magical place. It is beautiful every moment of every day. This lens was like taking a tour in my chair. Blessed!
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LDWorld Oct 14, 2011 @ 4:11 pm | delete
- Really looking forward to visiting Arches soon, thank you for the info.
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nature-photographer
Aug 2, 2011 @ 3:13 pm | delete
- Arches is one of the best places to visit in Utah. We stayed in Moab over Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago and the weather was perfect. (It can get really hot in the middle of the Summer). We spent one day in Arches, saw the major stuff and hiked to Delicate Arch. The next day, we went to Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands (and did 3 minor hikes in Canyonlands that day). It makes for a busy weekend, but was well worth it!
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GrandMemories
Jun 27, 2011 @ 6:35 am | delete
- Nice lens. I love Arches and the nearby Canyonlands.
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mbgphoto Apr 21, 2011 @ 10:36 am | delete
- Very cool photos....awesome! blessed
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- Load More
The animals found at Arches National Park
Reptiles and Amphibians
Though this is a high desert there is a abundance of animals living in it's delicate ecosystem. You may see any of the following:
Amphibians
Bullfrog, Northern Leopard Frog, Canyon Treefrog, Great Basin Spadefoot Toad, The Red-Spotted Toad, Western Woodhouse Toad, the Tiger Salamander
Reptiles
Lizards
Collared Lizard, Greater Short-horned Lizard,
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard, Plateau Lizard,
Plateau Striped Whiptail, Plateau Spotted Whiptail,
Sagebrush Lizard, Side-blotched Lizard, Tree Lizard
and the Western Whiptail lizard.
Snakes
Black-necked, Eastern Racer, Gophersnake, Great Plains Rat Snake, Midget Faded Rattlesnake, Milk Snake, Night Snake, Southwestern Black-headed Snake, Terrestrial Gartersnake
Animals Found at Arches National Park
Birds
This place is a bird watchers paradise. These are some of the birds that have been seen at Arches.
LOONS -
Common Loon
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GREBES -
Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe
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HERONS & EGRETS -
Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron
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IBISES -
White-faced Ibis
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SWANS, GEESE, & DUCKS -
Tundra (Whistling) Swa, Canada Goose, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, American, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser
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Animals at Arches National Park
Birds continued
PLOVERS -
Killdeer
SANDPIPERS -
Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Snipe
PIGEONS & DOVES -
Rock Dove (Domestic Pigeon), Mourning Dove
TYPICAL OWLS -
Flammulated Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Burrowing Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl
NIGHTHAWKS & POORWILLS -
Common Nighthawk, Common Poorwill
SWIFTS -
White-throated Swift
HUMMINGBIRDS -
Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird
KINGFISHERS -
Belted Kingfisher
WOODPECKERS -
Lewis' Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS -
Western Wood-pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Western Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird
Animals at Arches National Park-Birds cont'd
Birds
LARKS -
Horned Lark
SWALLOWS -
Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow
JAYS, MAGPIES, & CROWS -
Grey Jay, Steller's Jay, Scrub Jay, Pinyon Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Common Raven
CHICKADEES & TITMICE -
Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Plain Titmouse
BUSHTITS -
Bushtit
NUTHATCHES -
Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch
CREEPERS -
Brown Creeper
WRENS -
Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren
DIPPERS -
American Dipper
KINGLETS & GNATCATCHERS -
Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
BLUEBIRDS, SOLITAIRES & THRUSHES -
Western Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, American Robin
MOCKINGBIRDS & THRASHERS -
Northern Mockingbird, Sage Thrasher, Brown Thrasher, Bendire's Thrasher
Animals at Arches National Park - Birds cont'd
PIPITS -
Water Pipit
WAXWINGS -
Cedar Waxwing
SHRIKES -
Northern Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
STARLINGS -
European Starling
VIREOS -
Gray Vireo
Solitary Vireo
Warbling Vireo
WOOD WARBLERS -
Orange-crowned
Nashville Warbler
Virginia's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
"Myrtle Warbler"
"Audubon's Warbler"
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
American Redstart
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Animals at Arches National Park - Birds cont'd
TANAGERS -
Western Tanager
GROSBEAKS & BUNTINGS -
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
TOWHEES, SPARROWS & JUNCOS -
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Lark Bunting
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
"Slate-colored Junco"
"Oregon Junco"
"Gray-headed Junco"
MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS, & ORIOLES -
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird Eupha
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern (Bullock's) Oriole
Scott's Oriole
FINCHES, REDPOLLS, SISKINS, & GOLDFINCHES -
Rosy Finch - 2 races:
"Gray-crowned Rosy Finch"
"Black Rosy Finch"
Purple Finch
Cassin's Finch
House Finch
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
WEAVER FINCHES -
House (English) Sparrow
Mammals at Arches National Park - Rodents and allies
Mammals
Shrews
Crawford's Desert Shrew
Merriam's Shrew
Dwarf Shrew
BATS
Pallid Bat
Townsend's Big-Eared Bat
Big Brown Bat
Spotted Bat
Allens Big-Eared Bat
Silver-haired Bat
Hoary Bat California
Small-footed Myotis
Long-eared Myotis
Little Brown Bat
Fringed Myotis
Long-legged Myotis
Yuma Myotis
Western Pipistrelle
FREE TAILED BATS
Big Free-tailed Bat
Brazilian Free-tailed Bat
RABBITS AND ALLIES
Black-Tailed Jackrabbit
Desert Cottontail
Mountain cottontail
RODENTS
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
White-tailed Prairie Dog
Hopi Chipmunk
Least Chipmunk
Rock Squirrel
Spotted Ground Squirrel
Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Plains Pocket Mouse
Great Basin Pocket Mouse
Beaver
Long-tailed Vole
White-throated Woodrat
Desert Woodrat
Bushy-tailed Woodrat
Mexican Woodrat
Muskrat
Northern Grasshopper Mouse
Brush Mouse
Canyon Mouse
Deer Mouse
Pinyon Mouse
Western Harvest Mouse
Porcupine
Mammals at Arches National Park - Carnivores
CARNIVORES
(Dogs and Allies)
Coyote
Gray Fox
Kit Fox
Red Fox
(Bears)
Black Bear
(Raccoons and Allies)
Ringtail
Northern Raccoon
(Weasels and Allies)
River Otter
Striped Skunk
Long-tailed Weasel
Western Spotted Skunk
Badger
(Cats)
Bobcat or Lynx Rufus
Mountain Lion
EVEN-TOED HOOFED MAMMALS
(Deer and Allies)
Elk
Mule Deer
(Pronghorn)
Pronghorn antelope
(Cows, Sheep, Goats, and Allies)
Bighorn
