The Geologic Story of Arches National Park: Geological Survey Bulletin 1393Lohman, Stanley William
Science
The Geologic Story of Arches National Park: Geological Survey Bulletin 1393
Lohman, Stanley William
Arches National Park (Utah); Geology -- Utah -- Arches National Park -- Guidebooks
The valley road continues northwestward from the intersection to and
beyond the northwest end of the park and connects with roads to Crescent
Junction, Thompson, and the Yellow Cat mining district, north of the
park (p. 14).
Let us return to the paved road and continue our tour of the park.
Devils Garden
Turning left (northwest) at the intersection with the paved park road,
we enter Devils Garden—another large maze of towering red fins separated
by narrow slots, which resembles the Fiery Furnace. After a third of a
mile, we reach stop 24 and walk 100 feet or more to the north for a good
view of Skyline Arch (fig. 48). This arch is very appropriately named,
as it forms the skyline viewed either from the road on the south or from
the campground on the north, from points south of the amphitheater. Less
well known is the fact that Skyline Arch is clearly visible to the naked
eye or through binoculars from stretches of Highway I-70 (or old U.S.
Highways 6 and 50) about 11 miles to the north. Most arches and other
erosion forms do not change appearance much from day to day or year to
year, but some, like “Baby Arch” (fig. 15), show evidence of relatively
recent origin. In November 1940 (Abbey, 1971, p. 42) Skyline Arch
suddenly doubled in size by the fall of a large rock that occupied what
is now the northwest half of the arch. Photographs taken before and
after this event appear on pages 24 and 25 of the road guide and also in
the museum at the Visitor Center.
[Illustration: TOWER ARCH, on Klondike Bluffs, viewed eastward. Arch
is in Slick Rock Member but tower on left, after which arch was
named, is capped by a protective layer of the resistant Moab Member.
Opening is 88 feet wide and 43 feet high. Photograph by Robert D.
Miller. (Fig. 47)]
[Illustration: SKYLINE ARCH, viewed north from point about 100 feet
north of stop 24, in Slick Rock Member. Although fins are vertical,
note that the strata seem to dip about 15° to the right, although
the actual dip is to the northeast. (See fig. 50.) (Fig. 48)]
Another half mile brings us to a one-way (to right) loop at the end of
the park road. Just beyond the beginning of the loop is a parking lot
and very attractive picnic area containing several picnic tables shaded
by piñon pines at the foot of a towering red fin of the Slick Rock
Member. Just north of this picnic ground, a paved side road leads
eastward into a truly beautiful, well-equipped campground comprising
both back-in and drive-through campsites for trailers, campers, or
tents; three pairs of modern restrooms, hydrants, and drinking
fountains; and an amphitheater, where illustrated campfire talks are
given nightly during the summer. The east end of the campground is shown
in figure 49.
[Illustration: CAMPGROUND IN DEVILS GARDEN, viewed northwestward
across turn-around at southeastern end. (Fig. 49)]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account