Arches

https://www.nps.gov/arch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arches_National_Park Arches National Park lies north of Moab in the state of Utah. Bordered by the Colorado River in the southeast, it’s known as the site of more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, such as the massive, red-hued Delicate Arch in the east. Long, thin Landscape Arch stands in Devils Garden to the north. Other geological formations include Balanced Rock, towering over the desert landscape in the middle of the park. Visit Arches to discover a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other in the world. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches and hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. This red-rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its sunsets. Arches National Park is located in southeast Utah, five miles north of Moab on US 191. From Moab, Utah, drive five miles north on Main Street/US 191. Turn right at the stoplight. From Interstate 70, take exit 182 (Crescent Junction), then drive south 28 miles on US 191. Turn left at the stoplight. Arches Visitor Center NOTE: Rangers are providing limited services outside the visitor center during the current pandemic. The bookstore is open but exhibits closed. The visitor center is generally open every day except December 25. Hours vary by season. You can learn about the park with exhibits, a park movie, and a bookstore. Rangers are on duty to answer your questions. Restrooms and drinking water are available. The Arches Visitor Center is located just inside the entrance gate to Arches National Park. From Moab, Utah, drive 5 miles north on US 191. From I-70 (Crescent Junction), drive 28 miles south on US 191. Follow signs to Arches National Park. Devils Garden Campground Camp among slickrock outrcoppings at Devils Garden Campground, 18 miles from the park entrance. You can reserve standard campsites up to 6 months in advance for stays March 1-October 31. All sites are usually reserved months in advance. Between November 1 and February 28, sites are first-come, first-served. Facilities include drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and both pit-style and flush toilets. Standard Individual Site 25.00 Fee per night at an individual Devils Garden Site. Group size is limited to 10 people and 2 vehicles. Canyon Wren Group Site 11-16 Campers 75.00 Nightly fee at Canyon Wren Group Site for a group of 11-16 people. Canyon Wren Group Site 17-22 Campers 100.00 Nightly fee at Canyon Wren Group Site for a group of 17-22 people. Canyon Wren Group Site 23-28 Campers 125.00 Nightly fee at Canyon Wren Group Site for a group of 23-28 people. Canyon Wren Group Site 29-35 Campers 160.00 Nightly fee at Canyon Wren Group Site for a group of 29-35 people. Juniper Group Site 11-22 Campers 100.00 Nightly fee at Juniper Group Site for a group of 11-22 people. Juniper Group Site 23-33 Campers 150.00 Nightly fee at Juniper Group Site for a group of 23-33 people. Juniper Group Site 34-44 Campers 200.00 Nightly fee at Juniper Group Site for a group of 34-44 people. Juniper Group Site 45-55 Campers 250.00 Nightly fee at Juniper Group Site for a group of 45-55 people. Campground View tall, stone formations with cars and trailers beneath them Devils Garden Campground sits among tall sandstone fins. Devils Garden Campground A campsite parking area with rock outcrop above it Devils Garden Campground has 50 sites that are reservable in summer. Devils Garden Accessible Site a paved campsite with a large blue accessible image painted on the ground Devils Garden campground has one accessible site. It is available for reservation Campsite a campsite with picnic table and fire ring All campsites have a picnic table and fire ring. Devils Garden Amphitheater an amphitheater with benches and a screen Ranger programs may be offered occasionally at the Devils Garden amphitheater. Check at the visitor center for information. Amphitheater and Skyline Arch several benches sit in a semi circle with a broad, stone arch in the background The campground amphitheater sits in the shadow of Skyline Arch Toilets A small, brown building with men's and women's restroom signs and an outdoor sink The campground has flush toilets and running water. The Organ with Potholes a stone monolith reflected in standing water The Organ rock formation is reflected in one of many natural potholes. Double O Arch a broad, red arch with rock pinnacles in the background Double O Arch is one of many large arches in the Devils Garden area Delicate Arch a stone arch Delicate Arch is perhaps the most famous natural arch in the world. Milky Way over the Garden of Eden the Milky Way arcs above silhouetted stone pinnacles Arches offers some excellent night sky viewing. Park Avenue Trail two hikers descend a broad wash with tall rock walls on either side. The Park Avenue trail is one of many hiking trails at Arches, ranging from easy to strenuous. Using New Techniques to Combat Graffiti Each year, park visitors hike up the steep, deceivingly difficult trail to Delicate Arch. Along the way, hikers encounter another natural wonder, Frame Arch. In April 2016 Frame Arch was tragically damaged by carved graffiti. In 2017 rangers began testing techniques to repair the graffiti by filling it in. a ranger uses a small tool to press filling into carved graffiti Active Process Monitoring Example—Landscape Arch Landscape Arch Dynamic Model Arches National Park, Utah 3d model of landscape arch Park Air Profiles - Arches National Park Air quality profile for Arches National Park. Gives specific information about air quality and air pollution impacts for Arches NP as well as the studies and monitoring conducted for Arches NP. Super moon at Arches National Park Dark Sky Defender Leaves Legacy of Stars The International Dark Sky Association recognized National Park Service employee Nate Ament with a 2016 Dark Sky Defender Award for leadership in protecting night sky viewsheds. Portrait of Dark Sky Defender Nate Ament in afternoon light Volunteer Story: Sue Baril Volunteer Sue Baril has served at Arches National Park for 12 years. She has worked for a variety of projects including cleaning up park roads, monitoring wildlife, and leading guided hikes. a woman in a volunteer uniform stands at the edge of a small canyon Lions Park: Moab’s Gateway to its Natural Wonders After significant scoping and planning, the Moab Trails Alliance applied for assistance from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program to create a trail and transportation hub at Lions Park to safely integrate recreation and alternative transportation to reduce traffic congestion near Moab. a park with trees, shade structure, and signs Sculpting Wildlife at Arches National Park Although Arches is more famous for its rock formations than its wildlife, some very impressive specimens can always be found at the visitor center. Sculptures outside the visitor center are the work of Matthew Gray Palmer of Friday Harbor, Washington. Palmer was commissioned to create sculptures of local animals for the visitor center plaza. You can find a bighorn sheep ram, ewe, and lamb, a collard lizard, two ravens, and a whiptail lizard. a bronze sculpture of a bighorn sheep ram with curled horns Desert Varnish Ever wondered what those dark lines were on the rock walls of canyon country? These black, brown, and red streaks are called desert varnish. streaks of black desert varnish on a red rock wall Ephemeral Pools Ephemeral pools are a vital source of water in a parched desert. grasses growing in a ephemeral pool filled with water Types of Arches Every arch in the park is as unique as a fingerprint, telling its own personal story of rock, water, time and change. When discussing them scientifically, however, it's helpful to group them into categories by their shape or apparent mechanism of formation. two tall arches joined at one end with clouds overhead Celebrating 50 Years of Partnership Canyonlands Natural History Association celebrated its 50th anniversary of partnering with public lands in southeast Utah. Since its founding in 1967, CNHA has donated over $12 million to Southeast Utah Group parks and its other federal partners—the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service. Superintendent Kate Cannon hands a plaque to CNHA Executive Director Roxanne Bierman Monsoon Season Late summer is monsoon season on the Colorado Plateau. Afternoon thunderstorms are common - flash floods and lightning are possible. Learn more about this special time of year and how to plan for it. rainstorm over Canyonlands Arches National Park’s Free-Flowing Waters Visitors to Arches National Park experience natural free-flowing waters and have water to quench their thirst, thanks to an agreement between the National Park Service and the State of Utah. The sun sits just below the horizon behind Delicate Arch. Army Couple Visits 59 National Parks When you’re a dual-military couple, it can be a challenge to try to find things to do together, especially when you’re at separate duty stations or on deployment. For one Army couple, what started out as a simple idea to get out of the house turned into a five-year adventure. Couple standing in front of The Windows at Arches National Park. Landbird Monitoring in Northern Colorado Plateau Network Parks, 2018 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2018. Small, bright-orange bird with yellowish underfeathers. PARKS...IN...SPAAAACE!!! NASA astronauts have quite literally an out-of-this-world view of national parks and take some pretty stellar pictures to share. Travel along with the space station on its journey west to east getting the extreme bird’s eye view of national parks across the country. And one more down-to-earth. View of Denali National Park & Preserve from space Volunteer Story: Two Volunteers Named Ted A father/son team of Sierra Club volunteers take a break to chat about why they serve. two smiling men in safety vests with paint brushes Surviving in the Desert In this arid land, plants and animals must adapt to constantly changing water availability. red blooms on cluster of claret cup cactus Removing Invasive Tamarisk from Salt Wash In January 2018, the park began a project to restore natural water flow to drainage channels around Wolfe Ranch. Delicate Arch Viewpoint road is flood-prone due to tamarisk. This woody plant grows in dense stands in waterways. It also stubbornly refuses to lie down during a flood. Sediment piles up behind thick stands of tamarisk, eventually changing the slope of the streambed and slowing the flow of water. an excavator loads a tamarisk into a dump truck Veteran Story: William Bouley Bill Bouley served in the US Army for 20 years. Today he continues in public service as a Safety Manager for several parks and monuments in southern Utah. Bill Bouley, in uniform, with a helicopter in the background Using Screens for Grassland Restoration Staff at Canyonlands and Arches national parks are installing connectivity modifiers or "ConMods" to create a protected environment for native grasses to take root. The focus is to use the ConMods to restore grasslands that had been degraded following decades of concentrated cattle grazing. a field with x-shaped screens standing in the soil NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Arches National Park, Utah Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. delicate arch The Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau is centered on the four corners area of the Southwest, and includes much of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Hazy Fajada Butte, Chaco Culture National Monument Traits, Tradeoffs, and Pivot Points: How Climate, Plant, and Soil Properties Affect Vegetation Growth on the Northern Colorado Plateau As the northern Colorado Plateau heads into a hotter, drier future, there will be ecological winners and losers. Figuring out how different vegetation communities will fare is tricky. A recent study aimed to identify which vegetation communities might come out ahead, which might lag behind, and what might make the difference. Desert grassland in red rock setting. Pink wildflowers grow in foreground as storm brews in the sky. Studying the Fate of Arches Park staff and scientists study geological change in the natural arches of Utah. Monitoring devices, like the crackmeter, measure vibration and expansion in arches that are actively eroding. The data collected could determine potential safety risks in the future. a park ranger looks at a computer with two large arches in the background Arches' Rock Stars Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world. There are over 2,000 documented arches in the park, plus pinnacles, balanced rocks, fins and other geologic formations. Some are more notable than others. Here is a sampling of some of the longest, tallest, and most famous rock formations in the park. a stone arch colored red by the light of the setting sun Arches National Park Historical Timeline A timeline of major events in the history of Arches National Park. a log cabin Arches National Park Quick Facts Explore a list of Arches facts: elevation, weather, species, visitation, and arches. a broad, narrow arch Students Explore Parks through the Arts As part of their school curriculum, third and fourth grade students in Moab explore national parks through the arts. The students create artwork in the parks and share their creations through an annual art show. The "Look Where We Live" program began in 2013 as a collaborative project between HMK Elementary School, Arches and Canyonlands national parks, Beverly Taylor Sorensen Arts Learning Program, and Friends of Arches and Canyonland National Parks. students hold up artwork beneath a massive stone arch Exploring Tribal Connections to Arches National Park Arches National Park worked with the University of Arizona's Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, and five traditionally associated American Indian tribes to share the tribes' connections to the park and its features. The completed Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) will provide information for visitor education and inform the park's future management decisions. a tall balanced rock with snow-capped mountains in the background. Carrying the Olympic Torch at Arches National Park Ahead of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, the Olympic Torch traveled through Arches National Park, passing directly beneath Delicate Arch. The relay then continued out of the park through Moab. Delicate Arch was the first place in Utah that the torch was carried. a cyclist wearing white rides on a bicycle with the Olympic torch on the back Gnats In the late spring and early summer, swarms of tiny biting gnats often greet visitors to Utah national parks. These miniscule pests thrive in the scattered pinyon-juniper forests of southeast Utah. Opening Arches' New Visitor Center in 2005 The latest edition of Arches Visitor Center opened in 2005, following more than four years of planning, design, and construction. It was a new era in visitor services at Arches National Park. a brick building with high rock walls behind it The 1991 Landscape Arch Rock Fall In 1991 large slabs of rock fell from beneath Landscape Arch. Rocks have fallen for millennia, but this rock fall was one of the few that had witnesses. People were around Landscape Arch during the rock fall and shared photos and videos of the event. large rocks fall from beneath an arch Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Northern Colorado Plateau Park Waters Pesticides, antibiotics, and personal care products are all being found in streams and rivers. But would you expect to find them in a national park? On the northern Colorado Plateau, scientists found that even in isolated areas, these "contaminants of emerging concern" are not uncommon. Find out what we found where--and how you can help. Ripples in cave water Enjoying the Stars at Panorama Point In late summer 2018, Arches National Park broke ground on an exciting new project – an outdoor night sky viewing space. The new venue will be located at Panorama Point, approximately a 30 minute drive from the Arches Visitor Center. a tripod is illuminated with red light at its base as shapes of people move around it Fallen Arches If an arch falls in the park and no one is there to witness it, does it make a sound? If you're talking about Wall Arch on August 4, 2008, just ask the people who were sleeping at Devils Garden Campground that night. When thousands of tons of sandstone come crashing to the ground, you can bet it causes quite a rumble. Wall Arch reminds us that we're looking at a changing landscape. Arches fall and new formations replace them. What will the future bring? a broad, stone arch viewed from below Reading Rock Markings If you travel the canyons of the American Southwest, you are sure to see figures carved or painted on rock faces. These include abstractions like spirals, dots and geometric patterns, or more recognizable forms like animals, humans, and handprints. They served to communicate among American Indian tribes throughout the centuries, and they continue to communicate today. depictions of bighorn sheep and riders on horseback pecked into a rock wall Looking at the Past to See into the Future: Springflow and Climate at Arches National Park At Arches National Park, scientists measured discharge at three springs less than a mile from each other over 14 years. The results identified spring types that may be more stable over time and have greater ability to make it through extended drought without drying. The study showed how having access to long-term ecological monitoring data can help park managers to maximize the potential success of conservation efforts. Sleepy Hollow Spring Animal-Transmitted Diseases in Southeast Utah Some diseases can be passed from animals to humans. Never approach wildlife and learn other ways to protect yourself from animal-transmitted diseases in Southeast Utah parks. Small brown and tan rodent standing up on hind legs, with soil and green vegetation around it. Biological Soil Crust of Southeast Utah Be careful where you step because the dirt is alive! This bumpy, lumpy, crust black soil is called biological soil crust and is made up of living organisms. bumpy black soil crust with lichen Tafoni A bouquet of tiny arches? A miniature cave system? Known as honeycomb weathering or "swiss-cheese rock," tafoni (singular: tafone) are small, rounded, smooth-edged openings in a rock surface, most often found in arid or semi-arid deserts. many small holes in a rock Lichens of Southeast Utah Those bright colors you may see on sandstone and biological soil crust are alive! Lichens grow in every size, shape, and color in Southeast Utah. scaly gray lichen growing on dark soil crust Plant Salvage Partnership Volunteers from a local Federal cleanup site joined park staff in a mutually beneficial partnership to rescue and relocate some native plants. two volunteers in neon vests carefully lift bunchgrass for transplanting House Rules for Visiting Archeological Sites in Southeast Utah Visiting a Southeast Utah park? These parks contain sacred areas and ancestral homeland of over 30 traditionally associated Native American Tribes. Learn how to be a respectful guest at cultural sites with these house rules. Two people stand and look at a circular tower constructed out of rocks. The Adverse Effects of Climate Change on Desert Bighorn Sheep Climate change has and will continue to have a negative impact on the population of desert bighorn sheep. For the remaining herds to survive, management may always be necessary. Protecting wild lands is key to the survival of these amazing animals. Desert bighorn sheep, NPS/Shawn Cigrand Herbert Hoover's National Parks Herbert Hoover is not thought of as one of our better presidents, but he made lasting contributions in the national parks he established. During Herbert Hoover's presidency from 1929 to 1933, the land designated for new national parks and monuments increased by 40 percent. Sepia photo of Herbert Hoover standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon. Planning for a Desert Hike What items do you need to bring along for a safe, fun hike in the desert? Pack your bag in this activity and find out how ready you are for a desert hike. line drawings of various objects including a map, backpack, hat, scissors, and yo-yo Geology Word Jumble Sort through a jumble of letters to find hidden words that relate to Arches' famous rock features. random letters arranged in a square grid Desert Plotholes Complete a mad libs style challenge for three different stories about Arches National Park. Share your version and find out how the park would answer. a boy sitting on a burro. a girl holds the bridle. behind them: a log cabin, a canvas tent, & rocks What We’re Learning and Why it Matters: Long-Term Monitoring on the Northern Colorado Plateau Knowing which key natural resources are found in the national parks, and whether they're stable or changing, helps decisionmakers make sound choices. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network is building that knowledge. After more than ten years of monitoring, we've learned a lot about park ecosystems, how they're changing, and what they may look like in the days to come. Find out what we’ve learned and how it’s being used to help managers plan for the future. Man stands in a stream, looking down at a handheld gauge. Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2019 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2019. Bald eagle National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Seeing Rock Markings in a New Way In 2007, a volunteer used special photography techniques and equipment to "see" various layers of rock art panels in Arches and Canyonlands national parks. This enabled us to see how much more complex these ancient rock paintings and peckings are than originally thought. a black and white photo of various human-like figures painted on a rock wall Water Quality in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: Water Years 2016–2018 Once a month, ecologists collect water samples at dozens of monitoring sites in and near ten National Park Service units across Utah and Colorado. This consistent, long-term monitoring helps alert managers to existing and potential problems. Find out the results for 2016-2018 in this brief from the Northern Colorado Plateau Network. A monitoring crew of three samples a clear river flowing over brown rock and sand A Closer Look at When Grasses Need a Drink: Soils, Precipitation, and Desert Grasses The results of a recent study may help land managers to prioritize grassland conservation and restoration efforts. Park managers can’t do much about climate, but with the right information, they can make choices based on how different grassland communities behave in different soil types. In this study, cool-season grasses showed more resilience to drought than warm-season grasses. A field crew member takes measurements on a grassland transect. Arches at Home Scavenger Hunt Learn about Arches National Park and explore wherever you are with this virtual scavenger hunt. Take a look at your surroundings in a new way as you complete five activities to capture the spirit of a visit to the park. Share what you find with friends, family, or Arches National Park. A orange colored natural stone opening with blue sky behind and green shrubs at its base. Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Mesozoic Era The Mesozoic Era (251.9 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." During the Mesozoic, Pangaea began separating into the modern continents, and the modern Rocky Mountains rose. Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed and rapid plate tectonics resulted in shallow ocean basins, sea levels rose world-wide and seas expanded across the center of North America. fossil dinosaur skull in rock face Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. Series: Park Air Profiles Clean air matters for national parks around the country. Photo of clouds above the Grand Canyon, AZ Series: Photogrammetry Applications and Examples Photogrammetry is the science and art of using photographs to extract three-dimensional information from a series of well-placed images. Paired with either a standard ruler or GPS locations of camera positions provides the scale in completed models. This Series provides examples of photogrammetry projects for a variety of resources in National Parks. fossil redwood stump trio Triassic Period—251.9 to 201.3 MYA The brightly colored Triassic rocks of Petrified Forest National Park yield not only the petrified trees but many other plant and animal fossils. fossil footprint on stone Jurassic Period—201.3 to 145.0 MYA Dinosaur National Monument is home to thousands of dinosaur fossils making it a true “Jurassic Park.” A vast desert covered Southwest North America in the Jurassic, and ancient sand dunes now form tall cliffs in many parks including Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. dinosaur skull in rock face Mesozoic Era The Mesozoic Era (251.9 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." During the Mesozoic, Pangaea began separating into the modern continents, and the modern Rocky Mountains rose. Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed and rapid plate tectonics resulted in shallow ocean basins, sea levels rose world-wide and seas expanded across the center of North America. fossil dinosaur skull in rock face Round-up Donations Add Up to Big Support If you tell our bookstore partner to "keep the change," those pennies lead to big support for park programs. A clerk ringing up a customer at Arches' bookstore Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2020 Because birds can be sensitive to habitat change, they are good indicators of ecosystem integrity. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network partners with the University of Delaware to assess breeding-bird species trends in three different habitats: low-elevation riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sage shrubland. Find out which species were increasing and declining at network parks as of 2020. Small beige bird with black beak and feet, brown back. Arches Yoga Explore how the features of Arches National Park inspired yoga poses. A person inside a large natural stone arch, poised in a back-bend position. Keeping Up with the Contaminants: Monitoring the Impact of Improved Wastewater Technology on the Colorado River Near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks In Moab, Utah, the Northern Colorado Plateau Network is helping to determine if improved methods of wastewater treatment can help reduce the presence of unregulated contaminants in effluent. The results have important implications for water quality in some of our nation’s most treasured rivers—and the news is good. A brownish river runs through rugged canyon walls Plan Like a Park Ranger: Top 10 Tips for Visiting Arches Plan like a park ranger. Top 10 tips for visiting Arches National Park. A crowd of people inside a natural stone amphitheater, looking at a large stone arch. Climate Smart Conservation Planning for the National Parks In response to climate change, park managers are having to rethink how they plan for the future. Climate Smart Conservation is a process that can help managers achieve goals in the face of coming changes. Under this framework, scientists and managers use their collective knowledge to anticipate problems and be proactive, rather than reactive. Pika with a mouthful of grass Monitoring From Space: Using Satellite Imagery to Measure Landscape Conditions on the Ground Scientists from the Northern Colorado Plateau Network travel thousands of miles each year to collect data on plants, soils, and water across network parks. But it would be impossible to cover every square inch of the Northern Colorado Plateau with boots on the ground. Instead, we simultaneously monitor the parks with boots in space—satellite data that provide information at a much broader scale. Satellite and Earth in space Responding to Climate Change in the Southeast Utah Parks This paper describes how the Southeast Utah Group of parks is responding to climate change. The paper summarizes expected future climate conditions compared with a 20th Century baseline. It describes the foundation of our work within the Climate Smart Conservation framework adopted at our initial workshop in December 2018. A photograph of a grassland, containing some shrubs. Localized Drought Impacts on Northern Colorado Plateau Landbirds Birds of the desert southwest, a climate-change hotspot, are among the most vulnerable groups in the US. To help park managers plan for those changes, scientists evaluated the influence of water deficit on landbird communities at 11 national parks in Utah and Colorado. The results will help land managers to focus conservation efforts on places where certain species are most vulnerable to projected climate changes. A man wearing a clipboard looks through binoculars at dawn in field of sagebrush Series: Intermountain Park Science 2021 Integrating Research and Resource Management in Intermountain National Parks Group of National Park Service staff and volunteers standing in front of a desert canyon.

Visitor Guide National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Arches We Need Your Help The La Sal Mountains with the Windows Section in the foreground NPS / PAUL STOLEN BY RACHEL JOHA Arches National Park is a destination for over 1.5 million people a year. Numbers like that can have a huge impact on the landscape. No matter your experience in the outdoors, we all play a role in protecting and preserving our public lands. The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace are helpful guidelines to minimize your impact here at Arches or anywhere you visit. Plan Ahead and Prepare Plan your trip activities to match your goals, skills, and abilities. Research the park and current conditions ahead of time. Bring enough water, a map, food, and appropriate gear so you don’t need rescuing. Dozens of hikers at Delicate Arch and Devils Garden get in trouble every year from lack of preparation. Dispose of Waste Properly “Pack it in, pack it out.” Don’t leave behind any trash or food scraps. In arid climates like ours, organic litter like orange peels or nut shells does not decompose quickly. “Go before you go.” Before starting a hike, use the bathroom and carry a human waste disposal bag for emergencies. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces Concentrating your activity on nonvegetated durable surfaces (e.g. a trail, rock, a drainage path, or pavement) spares vegetation, sand dunes, and soil crust from damage. Don’t walk through desert puddles, whether they are wet or dry. They contain living organisms. Leave What You Find Chalking, carving, scratching, or painting on the rocks is considered graffiti and is illegal. Cairns (stacks of rocks) mark routes in the park. Don’t change existing ones or build your own, which can mislead other hikers. Welcome to Arches Drink water. It is easy to become dehydrated here, even in cold temperatures. Plan on drinking at least 1 gallon (4 L) of water per day. You can get water at Arches Visitor Center and Devils Garden. Minimize Campfire Impacts Never leave a fire unattended, and thoroughly extinguish all fires. Fires are only allowed in designated pits at Devils Garden Campground and in picnic areas. Collecting firewood or kindling is not allowed in the park. Respect Wildlife Do not feed wild animals. Secure your food and trash so clever ravens can’t get into it. Keep pets under control and on a leash so they don’t harm or stress wildlife. Pets are not allowed at overlooks, on trails, or in the backcountry, even in carriers. Observe wildlife quietly from a safe distance so as not disturb them. Be Considerate of Other Visitors Avoid disrupting natural quiet with loud music or shouting. Remember— you share public lands with other visitors. Respect and protect the quality of everyone’s outdoor experience. Thank You! Practicing these Leave No Trace outdoor principles is a powerful way to show your love and help preserve public lands for future generations. Have a safe and enjoyable visit by remembering these rules and advisories. Keep off the arches. It’s prohibited—and dangerous—to climb on any arch or on prominent features like Balanced Rock. The sun is intense, and shade is rare. Avoid exertion during peak heat (>90°F /32°C). Protect yourself with sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Do not rely on cell service at Arches. Coverage varies throughout the park. There are pay phones at the visitor center. Emergency? Call 911 Walk on hard surfaces. Stay on trails to protect fragile biological soil crusts and plant and animal habitat, and to reduce your risk of getting lost. Watch your step. Rocks fall. People fall. Sandstone is slippery when wet or icy. In winter, avoid snowy or icy trails. Respect nature. Leave plants, rocks, and artifacts where you see them. Do not feed or disturb animals. Leave drones at home. Launching, landing, or operating unmanned aircraft (such as model airplanes, quadcopters, or drones) is prohibited. Leave the rocks as you see them. Graffiti—carving, scratching, chalking, or any type of marking—is illegal and unsightly. Find your way. Cairns (small rock piles) mark routes. Don’t build your own; they could mislead other hikers. If you get lost, stay where you are, and wait for rescue. Preserve natural darkness. Using artificial light sources to illuminate features for photography at night is prohibited. Do not use ATVs. It’s prohibited to use any type of ATV or OHV. There are many roads outside the park where you can use ATVs and OHVs. Emergencies call 911 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Park Information i HOURS OF OPERATION ` PETS The park is open 365 days a year. The visitor center is open daily from 9 am You may have your pet at Devils Garden Campground and may walk your to 4 pm, with extended hours spring through fall. The visitor center is closed pet along roads and in parking lots. You may not have pets on hiking trails, December 25. at overlooks, or anywhere in the backcountry, even in carriers. Pets must be on a

The Transforming Power of Water The Devils Garden Trail leads you between sheer sandstone walls, called fins, to discover arches and views not visible from the trailhead. The long geologic story behind this landscape testifies to the absolute power of water. River. The water is so loaded with sediment that it becomes the same color as the rocks. Where parallel cracks widen enough, tall fins of rock may remain standing between them, such as those at Devils Garden. When we peer through arch openings or observe a distant thunderstorm, we are reminded of the dynamic nature of our Earth. Some of the sand beneath your feet could have been a majestic arch long ago. In time, today’s familiar arches, buttes, and spires will return to shifting sand and perhaps one day become the ingredients for another awe-inspiring landscape. Stone arches may only last a few thousand years, but the events that led to their creation here began about 300 million years ago, when seas periodically covered this area. The seas became trapped in low-lying areas and then evaporated, leaving salt beds that were up to 5,000 feet (1,524 m) thick in some places. Over the following millions of years, as nearby mountains eroded, layers of sand, silt, and clay accumulated on top of the salt deposits and became rock. The uneven weight and pressure of these overlying rock layers squeezed the salt into a domed ridge, what geologists call an anticline. Where rock bulged upward, vertical cracks formed that allowed rainwater to trickle down and, eventually, dissolve the salt away. As the salt receded, the overlying dome of rock collapsed. Arches’ Salt Valley is an example of the resulting landform. In some places, weak zones in fins may be dissolved by naturally occurring acids in rainwater or wedged apart by freezing and thawing water, and openings develop. These openings may evolve into the varied and splendid arches that capture our attention. Landscape Arch, one of the world’s longest stone spans, stretches 306 feet (93 m), yet is Devils Garden T R A I L G U I D E Landscape Arch in the 1950s. Oval indicates area from which rock fell in 1991. Compare this photograph with the slope under the arch today. Notice the numerous foot paths under the arch in the photo, caused by people walking off the trail. These “social trails” kill vegetation and invite erosion of the desert landscape. Since the trail under the arch has been closed, the vegetation is slowly recovering. National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior only about 11 feet (3.3 m) thick at its center. Arches can erode at any time, such as in September 1991 when a 60-foot-long (18 m) slab of rock dropped from the underside of the arch’s thinnest section. Some of the large boulders on the slope beneath Landscape Arch are remnants of this event, and reminders why it is best not to linger too long beneath an ARCH FORMATION arch. The power of water to transform a landscape is still evident at Arches today. Rain and snow soak into vertical cracks, dissolving cementing minerals within the rock and loosening grains of sand. Running water carries this material away, most dramatically during summer thunderstorms, when normally dry streambeds surge toward the Colorado Arches National Park 2282 Resource Blvd. Moab, UT 84532 www.nps.gov/arches 435-719-2299 phone 435-719-2305 fax Published by Canyonlands Natural History Association Map by Jim Stiles Quote from The Dynamic Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, by Brian J. Skinner and Stephen C. Porter, copyright 1989, 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Used with permission. 11/15 15m ARCHES NATIONAL PARK Trail Information To Landscape Arch: The trail is graveled and graded; it winds among tall fins to a spectacular view of Landscape Arch. From Landscape Arch to Double O Arch, the trail becomes more difficult. Expect steep, sloping surfaces and close proximity to drop-offs. Sandstone is often called slickrock and can be slippery even when dry. The primitive trail is most difficult. Expect difficult route finding, steep slopes, narrow drop-offs, and rock scrambling. Hiking the primitive loop requires crossing a pool that may contain water. We don’t recommend hiking the primitive trail when snow or ice cover the routes. Distances: To Landscape Arch and back: ...1.6 miles (2.6 km) To Double O Arch and back: ......4.2 miles (6.7 km) To Dark Angel and back: ....... 5 miles (8 km) To Dark Angel and return via Primitive Loop: .......5.9 miles (9.5 km) Trail to Pine Tree and Tunnel arches: .............. add 0.5 miles (0.8 km) Trails to Navajo and Partition arches: ............. add 0.8 miles (1.3 km) Total distance, all trails: ..........................................7.2 miles (11.5 km) Stay on the trail to protect fragile desert soils and biological soil crusts. Carry and drink plenty of water: at least 1 quart (1 L) for every two miles that you hike. The Transforming Power of People “Each and every one of us plays a part in the changes th

Arches National Park r e g n a R r o i n e u d i J u G enture Adv your name National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Welcome, Explorers! Junior rangers are park superheroes. Arches National Park needs your help! Use this guide to learn, adventure, practice safety, and discover the ways of a junior ranger role model. When you are ready, take your work to a park ranger. CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL AND... Pebble level: do 5 book pages. Boulder level: do 8 book pages. Tower level: do the whole book. ...GO ON AT LEAST THREE ADVENTURES. Attend a ranger program. Spend 10 quiet min. outside. Observe the night sky. Teach a friend or family member about the park. Safely pick up litter. Go on a hike. 1 READY TO GO The best adventures begin with preparation. Use your park map to pick a place to explore. What is the weather like today? Below, circle what you will need for your trip. Draw a square around one extra item you might want too. Is it allowed in the park? Are you forgetting anything? List any other items you might need. 2 HEROES OF THE HEAT Humans need to prepare for a trip in the desert, but the animals in Arches National Park are born ready. Draw a line from the animal to its desert survival super power. BIG EARS let heat out of my body so I can keep cool. It is too hot in the desert to hunt during the day. NIGHT VISION lets me pounce on my prey. On hot days, I hide in my sandy den. At night, my KANGAROO TAIL helps me hop from predators. SAND-COLORED FUR helps me hide from mountain lions while I chew up all the desert plants I love. My MULTI-USE TAIL stores extra fat and breaks away when a predator grabs me. Can you identify these heroes of the heat? Write the name of the animal next to its picture. w o r d b a n k : m u l e d e e r, m o u n t a i n l i o n , d e s e r t c o t t o n t a i l , c o l l a r e d l i z a r d , k a n g a r o o r a t 3 UNDERCOVER HERO Read these ‘witness statements’ about the park. Fill in the missing letters. National parks are known for the _ IEWS! Visitors from around the world come to see parks! A desert EC_ SYSTEM is a team. Animals, plants, water, and dirt—it is all connected! _ RAILS are important. They are pathways to safely enjoy national parks. Reveal the superhero’s identity! Use the letters you filled in above to solve the riddle below. LI_ING S _IL CRUS _ It’s alive! This secret superhero is a mix of tiny living things: algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi growing on the sand. Ecosystems need this tiny community to help plants grow. This living soil glues the ground together and helps prevent the dust storms that could ruin views. That’s why we stay on trails. Lead your family in a pledge to stick to trails and not bust the crust. 4 PARK ROCKSTARS Arches National Park is known for its geologic wonders. Over time, water, ice, and wind have shaped the rock into incredible shapes. Go meet these rock features. Read the definitions below and label each rock formation. ARCH: A ‘window’ or hole in rock BUTTE: A flat topped hill FIN: A skinny wall of rock SPIRE: A tall skinny tower of rock BALANCED ROCK: A tower with a bottom much smaller than its top. If you were made of rock, which formation would you be? Circle your choice. Interview a rockstar. It might take a while to get the rocks to talk back. For answers, try reading park signs and looking at your park map. DRAW THE ROCKSTAR HERE. ASK THE ROCKSTAR... WHAT IS YOUR NAME? WHAT ARE YOU? ( CIRCLE ONE ) FIN WHAT MADE YOU FAMOUS? SPIRE ARCH BUTTE BALANCED ROCK OTHER 5 TIC - TAC - GO Ask a friend or family member to play. Choose to be X or O. Take turns completing the mini-adventures and marking off the boxes. See if you can be first to get three in a row. Listen to one natural sound. Draw something you saw in the park that’s smaller than your thumb. What is it? Find a juniper tree. Where did you find it? Include the details! Find and draw animal tracks. Use the park map to help your group plan an activity. Use your nose. How does the desert smell different than home? What animal left them? Check out the visitor center. Find a hidden shape in the rocks. Hold a safety meeting with your group. Check that everyone is prepared. What did you learn? What did the shape remind you of? 6 JUNIOR RANGER WAY In this maze, make choices and follow the arrows. Good luck! Should you set out with water, food, and friends or alone and unprepared? alone and unprepared prepared and together Do you take a shortcut through soil crust? ...or stay on the trail? Take a picture or... carve your name on a rock? Hmm... Are you sure? Go back, and think again. You would love to see wildlife! Do you feed and approach animals? Stack your own rock piles (cairns)? Sure! No way! Leave no trace. Or do you observe quietly? 7 STORIES IN THE SANDSTONE There are over 2,000 arches here, each with its own story. Arches begin as giant cracks called rock ‘fins’. Over time, water seeps through th