Arches National Park
Arches - US National Park, located in Utah near Moab, 309 km away2. The park is known for its geological formations that amaze with its deep canyons, deserts, impenetrable forests, and the main educational bizarre monuments formed under the influence of erosion. In total, the park has approximately 2,000 arches.
Of the Europeans, the Spaniards were the first to open these places in 1775, when they were looking for a new path from Los Angeles and Santa Fe. In 1855, these lands tried to master Mormons, but because of the confection with the Indians this failed. In 1880, farmers and gold diggers settled here. One of the first to raise the issue of protecting this unique territory was Lauren Taylor, editor of the local print publication. Only in 1971 did President Richard Nixon issue a decree ordering the declaration of this territory as a national park.
Archs appeared under the influence of several factors: ground-based soil erosion, underground geological processes. Previously, there was a sea that left behind salt deposits. Sedimentary rocks, transformed into mountains under their weight, began to lay on deposits. Almost all arches consist of pink and orange sandstone. Sometimes these types of sandstone are combined and then the words of pink and orange are clearly visible.
Among the remaining arches, the Grace arch stands out, being isolated from the rest of the arches. Local residents sometimes call it "Cowboy Pants" because of its characteristic form. One of the halves of the arch is somewhat thicker than the other, which gives it some charm, And its orange shades amaze the imagination of travelers who appeared here in the prime or sunset of the day. Under the Graceful Arch in 2002, the Olympic flame was carried out for the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
Another feature of the Arka National Park is the tower-labyrinth Fire oven. Until recently, tourists could easily get lost in the maze, wandering for hours in the back streets in search of a otoda. Now you can only enter here accompanied by a guide. From the tower you can see the stunning views of the Salt Valley, located in the center of the park.
In the Round Arches, Stephen Spielber shot the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". Round arches are another famous place in the park. From a long distance, they seem rather small, but when you get closer it becomes clear how grand these natural structures are. Another attraction of the park is the block located on a hill, it is called the Balancing Stone. Many tourists wonder why he still hasn’t fallen and they go around the stone several times in search of a reason.
Arka National Park is huge and you need a lot of time to get around everything, so buses drive on tourist routes to the most interesting places in the park.
Arka Park is quite hot in summer, the temperature reaches 40 degrees, so it’s better to plan your vacation for autumn or spring. At this time, the weather in the mountainous desert is most optimal for long walks.
