The World's Most Beautiful Places
The larger of the natural sandstone arches is 148 feet across, and is one of the largest of the 2000 arches found within the park. The geologic Entrada sandstone layer that covers much of the park is ideal for creating natural arches over thousands and millions of years, through a combination of wind and water erosion, as well as the seasonal freeze and thaw cycle.
This view comes from a failed attempt to build modern “cliff dwelling” in the famous sandstone cliffs of southern Utah. As the story goes, the man who constructed this was doing it in violation of Bureau of Land Management rules, and to make matters worse, the sandstone was of a variety to soft for hazard free living. Evidence within the cave makes it clear the structure will eventually cave in on itself. In any event it made for a nice shelter from a spring storm outside of Moab. In the distance you can see the storm clouds approaching and the green fields of a farm that hugs the banks of the Colorado River. The fields, the storm, cave opening and sandstone all made for a beautiful contrast.
See more images from the Colorado River watershed.
This is a view of Delicate Arch at sunset as a spring thunderstorm passes through the area. Delicate Arch is located in Arches National Park, which is just north of Moab, Utah. The geologic Entrada sandstone layer that covers much of the park is ideal for creating natural arches over thousands and millions of years, through a combination of wind and water erosion, as well as from the seasonal freeze and thaw cycle.