Explore the epic geological saga that shaped Arches National Park, from ancient seas to the forces that carve magnificent stone arches.
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Two Thousand Arches in One Place
This series, Arches: Sculpted by Time, explores the geology, ecology, and human stories woven through one of the most extraordinary landscapes on Earth.
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1
Ancient Seas Beneath the Red Rock
Three hundred million years ago, this entire region sat at the bottom of a shallow tropical sea.
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2
When the Earth Decided to Rise
The ground beneath this park sits roughly a mile above sea level, but it wasn't always this high.
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3
How Water and Ice Split Stone
Frost is one of the most powerful demolition forces in this landscape.
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4
Entrada Sandstone and Its Hidden Fracture Lines
The Entrada Sandstone is essentially a two-hundred-million-year-old beach.
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5
Desert Varnish Paints the Rock Dark
That dark, almost metallic sheen you see on cliff faces and boulder surfaces here isn't paint, pollution, or shadow.
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6
Arches Built to Fall Apart Slowly
Wall Arch, a forty-foot span along the Devils Garden Trail, collapsed without warning one night in August 2008.
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