Arches National Park Geologic Report

By Jake Anderson

Geo 1010, Prof. Johnson

Salt Lake Community College

April 6, 2023

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 This paper will explain geological findings and research about Arches National Park. Arches in

Moab Utah is made up of many unique geologic features such as: pillars, arches, plateaus, balancing

rocks, fins, and more. These features have been forming for millions of years and were not created

overnight. Throughout the park, different layers contain the oldest to newest rocks that make up the

iconic features such as the strata layer and entrada layer. The sediment found in Arches has a wide

range of colors including orange, yellow, brown, and most commonly red due to the chemical

compositions found in these rocks. Arches features have been forming through weathering and erosion

for millions of years, leaving behind the unique rock formations.

Arches National Park is home to the largest concentration of arches in the world. There are more than

2,000 stone arches found within the park. The stone in arches is sandstone, which is made up of finely

grained sand held together by minerals. Beneath Arches, thick layers of salt being compressed by the

sediment above, flowed upwards forcing the rock to crack. When rainfall occurs, water seeps into the

cracks, eroding the porous sandstone from the inside out. After millions of years of this process, arches

are left behind. The rock layers visible today was once buried by a mile of previous rock that had to

weather and erode to expose the present-day formations. (Found in the entrada layer, or most visible

layer of stone.) (National Park Service Paragraph 1.) Arches National Park also contains many towering

pillars, balancing rocks, and plateaus. These formations are formed by erosion over millions and millions

of years. Wind, water, and ice play major roles in erosion. Wind slowly breaks down the rock over time,

rivers, and small streams chip away at the sediment, and water seeps down into cracks and freezes,

splitting and spreading the rock apart. (Helen Paragraph 2.)

During the site visit, many of these features could be seen and observed. (Pictures 6 and 1

below). Driving through Arches, I could see the formations in person, and observe how much the

landscape varies. Arches, pillars, walls, and cliffs were observed.

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 Throughout Arches, there are many different visible colors and varieties of rock. Arches is most

famously known for its dark red and orange colored rock. Believe it or not, there are many more colors

throughout Arche’s landscape, including shades of pink, maroon, yellow, brown, and even white.

Different minerals and chemicals can play a role in the colors of the rocks, but for the majority it comes

down to iron. When high iron content in the sediment comes in contact with oxygen, it becomes iron

oxide, and the level of oxidation determines the color of the rock. Ochre, commonly found in Arche’s

National Park and much of the red rock found in the U.S. is a combination of clay, iron oxide, and sand.

Red ochre comes from the mineral hematite, and is found in iron dense clay and sediments.

Arche’s has more than one color to its landscape though. When sediment is buried through erosion and

time, water can add more minerals to the rock, changing it from red to different shades of pink, maroon,

and white. Water can also remove the iron oxide layer from the rock, leaving behind “bleached zones”.

These areas are typically lighter colors such as pink, yellow, and white and can cause the layered look in

the rock. (Picture 3 below) On the other hand, if sediment gained iron oxide from the groundwater, the

colors become darker and more noticeable such as the iconic red, and some maroon. (Picture 5 below)

These darker colored rocks have usually been deeply buried beneath the surface for a long time being

oxidized. ( Weaver Paragraphs 1-4)

During the site visit, most of these color varying rocks could be seen. While it was not the best

weather during my visit, I could make out the different colors within the rock as I drove through the park

road. (See pictures 1-6 below)

Arches National Park was not formed quickly. 300 million years ago, this part of Utah was under the sea,

more specifically called the Paradox Sea. It was separated from the ocean multiple times through the

shifting of continental plates over millions of years. When the ocean was cut off, the seawater left

behind evaporated over time, leaving behind large salt deposits. During uplifts, the area was

compressed, causing the salt to move much like a glacier of ice would. This caused the salt layer to be

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thicker in some areas, and thinner in others. (Cook Paragraphs 1-2) The salt left behind then contributed

to the erosion process mentioned earlier, leaving behind the arches and other formations.

A mix of groundwater and salt ate away at the rock. The salt created underground “domes” due to the

pressure of the salt pushing upward. The domes eventually cracked and weathered, causing them to

collapse forming vertical sheets of rocks also known as “fins”. These thin slabs of rock were susceptible

to weathering and erosion, and over time the rock was eaten away forming a hole, leading to an arch.

The brittle sandstone and constant erosion for millions of years is the perfect recipe for over 2,000

arches throughout the park. Some arches can span over 300 feet from base to base.

However, weathering and erosion has not gone away after these arches are formed. Older arch

formations are more likely to collapse, while new “fins” are in the process of breaking down into new

arches. (National Geographic Paragraphs 1, 2, and 4)

During the site visit, evidence of millions of years of forming was seen. I could see where the

entrada layer meets the strata layer, and how old rock varies compared to new rock. I could see where

possible salt deposits, flowing groundwater, and pressure eroded the sandstone into fins. I observed

where the fins had been carved in forming caves and “windows”, and how eventually it led to the arches

forming. I could see oxidized iron within the sandstone, giving a variety of colors.

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National Park Service, “Why are there so many arches at arches?”Arches - Arches National Park
(U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) 

Tompson, Hellen (2014) “How Does Nature Carve Sandstone Pillars and Arches?” How Does
Nature Carve Sandstone Pillars and Arches? | Science| Smithsonian Magazine 

Weaver, Lance (2020) “What Gives Utah’s Red Rock Country it’s Color?” Glad You Asked: What
Gives Utah’s “Red Rock Country” its Color? - Utah Geological Survey  

Cook, Terri (2018) “Travels in Geology” Travels in Geology: Slickrock sojourn in Moab, Utah
(earthmagazine.org) 

National Geographic (2009) “These Spectacular Rock Sculptures Reveal Milenia of History” A
Guide to Arches National Park, Utah (nationalgeographic.com) 

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Picture 1.

A variety of balanced rocks as well as smaller fin type sheets of rock.

Picture 2.

Steep cliffside and possible “fin” could be an arch one day

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Picture 3.

A window formation found in the side of a cliff

Picture 4.

Large balancing rock on top of layered sediment.

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Picture 5.

Large pillar with a layered base

Picture 6.

“Hole in the wall” arch found in Arches National Park.

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Map of site visit through Windows Road in Arches National Park.

(Pictures 1-6 labeled, direction in bottom right corner.)