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. Discover a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, 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 The visitor center is generally open every day except December 25. Hours vary by season. You can learn about the park from exhibits and a bookstore. (NOTE: The park film theater is temporarily closed.) 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 outcroppings 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. An afternoon at Delicate Arch A crowd of people sit and watch the sunset at delicate arch. Exploration awaits at Arches 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 Once abandoned and unkempt, Lions Park in Moab, Utah, has been transformed into a bustling transit hub for millions of visitors each year. The National Park Service, in collaboration with the City of Moab and their partners, created a central place for visitors to arrive, acquaint themselves to the area, and access a state park and two national parks via active transportation routes. 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. Fossil Footprints Across Our Parks / Huellas Fósiles a Través de Nuestros Parques Join us on a virtual hike to see fossil footprints across our national parks! As we travel back in time, we’ll discover stories of fantastic pasts and learn that fossil footprints are worthy of protection for the future. <br><br> ¡Únase a nosotros en una caminata para ver huellas fósiles en nuestros parques nacionales! Mientras viajamos a través del tiempo, descubriremos historias de pasados fantásticos y aprenderemos que las huellas fósiles merecen ser conservadas para el futuro. Two primitive tetrapods, looking something like giant lizards walking through desert sand dunes. Vital Signs Monitoring at Courthouse Wash, Arches National Park, 2010–2019 Riparian areas are oases of life. To evaluate the health of riparian systems, the Northern Colorado Plateau Network monitors physical and biological attributes of wadeable streams. Monitoring at Arches National Park from 2010 to 2019 revealed that the Courthouse Wash system is currently driven by natural processes rather than human effects. Future stressors are likely to be climate change and exotic-plant invasions. Red rock landscaoe with riparian ribbon, sagebrush in foreground How Dry Will Parks Get? Water Deficit Tells Us Dryness has an outsized impact on nature in parks, but temperature and precipitation are poor indicators. Desert scene with mountains, sunshine, and blue skies. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Water Resources on the Colorado Plateau Describes the origin, uses, threats to, and conservation of water on the Colorado Plateau. Dark green body of water winding through red rock formations with brilliant sun overhead. A 20-year Partnership between the Utah Geological Survey and the National Park Service to Inventory and Monitor Fossil Resources in Utah's National Parks The Utah Geological Survey has worked in partnership with the National Park Service to document the fossils of Utah’s national parks for 20 years, helping to bring to light and protect a wide variety of fossils. photo of a person pointing at trace fossils in rock above on an over hanging rock Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 1, Spring 2022 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> photo of 2 people kneeling in shallow water at the base of a steep slope Battle of the Bark Trees shade us from the sun, provide homes for wildlife, stabilize Earth’s surface, and produce food for humans and animals alike. Some are massive, and others are miniscule by comparison, but what makes one better than the other—we’ll let you decide! Check out our iconic trees below and find your favorite! Five thick barked red-brown trees are backlit by the sunlight. Landbird Population Trends in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network, 2021 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 2021. Small dove with black spots on back of wings, long tail, and brownish-gray body. Studying the Past and Predicting the Future Using Rat Nests In the western United States, packrat middens are one of the best tools for reconstructing recent environments and climates. These accumulations of plant fragments, small vertebrate remains, rodent droppings, and other fossils can be preserved for more than 50,000 years. Packrat middens have been found in at least 41 National Park Service units. Photo of a wood rat. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 2, Fall 2022 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo of a person sitting while using a laboratory microscope. Monitoring Hanging Gardens in National Parks of Southeast Utah, 2013–2020 The Northern Colorado Plateau is home to a unique spring type: the hanging garden. These rare habitats are home to rare species: at Arches National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument, 8–9% of known endemic-plant species are hanging-garden specialists. But long-term monitoring shows that some populations of these special plants are changing over time. A person walks on beneath a sandstone cliff, surrounded by green plants. Taking the Pulse of U.S. National Parks How do we know if parks are healthy? We measure their vital signs, of course! Across the country, there are 32 inventory and monitoring networks that measure the status and trends of all kinds of park resources. We're learning a lot after years of collecting data. Check out these articles written for kids and reviewed by kids in partnership with the international online journal Frontiers for Young Minds. A cartoon of a ranger taking the pulse of the Earth. National Parks in Southern Utah Plan your visits to Southern Utah National Parks. Get details about permits, shuttles, and other information so that you know before you go! Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Guide to the Henry G. Peabody Photograph Collection Finding aid for the Henry G. Peabody Collection