Arches is one of Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks. While it may be tempting to think of this park as simply another fabulous example of pretty red rocks, anyone familiar with the following Arches Facts can enjoy a far deeper appreciation of this majestic landscape.
Here are the Arches fun facts!
Guide to Arches
Arches Fun Facts
fact 1: Well, for starters, this place is home to the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world. The park holds more than 2,000 documented arches within its 76,000 acre landscape. By far, the largest consolidation of arches of any place on the planet.
A few significant arches are found here, but no world record holders, save Delicate Arch, which is arguably the world’s most famous arch.
Landscape Arch is the park’s longest arch, at 290′ from base to base. While this seems large, (& it is) it is nowhere near a world record. China holds four arches that are longer than Landscape, with its longest, Xianren Bridge, coming in at 400′ from base to base.
fact 2: Arches is home to more scenic wonders than simple arches… There are also balanced rocks, and big ones! One of the most photographed features in the park is the famous, Balanced Rock, which is simply huge.
This massive stone sits precariously perched atop a column of rock that appears to be extremely unstable. Considering the immense amount of weight bearing down from above, it is conceivable that it could collapse at any moment. This gigantic boulder is estimated to weigh approximately 3,577 tons!
That my friends, is equal to the weight of approximately 1,000 full grown elephants!
I know, you didn’t come to Arches to see circus tricks, but well, where else can you find 1,000 elephants on such a scenic pedestal… (actually, there are no elephants in Arches, but if there were…)
fact 3: These arches are coming down! Fast…
Yep, gravity will win my friends. Our beloved arches are under constant strain, and they just can’t hold on forever. Each year, the forces of erosion further weaken these formations, and they are each destined for certain destruction.
Since 1970, more than 43 arches have fallen in the park. That’s an average of nearly one per year…
Arches Stat Sheet
established: November 12, 1971 as Arches National Park
monument: April 12, 1929 as Arches National Monument
rank of admission: 34
size: 76,519 acres
rank in size: 43
annual visitation: 2018 – 1,663,557
rank in visitation: 17
time zone: Mountain Time
park phone: 435 719 2299
Guide to Arches
Relevant Links
National Park Guides
All content found on Park Junkie is meant solely for entertainment purposes and is the copyrighted property of Park Junkie Productions. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited without the express written consent of Park Junkie Productions.
YOU CAN DIE. Activities pursued within National Park boundaries hold inherent dangers. You are solely responsible for your safety in the outdoors. Park Junkie accepts no responsibility for actions that result in inconveniences, injury or death.
This site is not affiliated with the National Park Service, or any particular park.
