01 February 2010

Arches National Park is a United States National Park that is in Utah's Canyon Country near the town of Moab. It is home to the world's greatest concentration of natural arches, including the famous Delicate Arch that was seen all over the world during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Arches National Park preserves over 2000 natural sandstone arches. This area contains the largest concentration of arches found any where in the world, including the world-famous Delicate Arch as seen on the Utah state license plate, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. In some areas, faulting has exposed millions of years of geologic history. The extraordinary features of the park, including balanced rocks, fins and pinnacles, are highlighted by a striking environment of contrasting colors, landforms and textures.

To many, the most outstanding natural features of Arches are the park's geologic formations. Over 2,000 catalogued arches range in size from a three-foot opening (the minimum considered to be an arch), to Landscape Arch that measures 306 feet from base to base. Towering spires, fins and balanced rocks complement the arches, creating a remarkable assortment of landforms in a relatively small area.Two unusual natural features common in Arches intrigue both scientists and visitors: cryptobiotic soil and potholes. Cryptobiotic soil is a living groundcover that forms the foundation of high desert plant life.

Southeast Utah is part of the Colorado Plateau, a "high desert" region that experiences wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 °F (22 °C) in a single day. The temperate (and most popular) seasons are spring (April through May) and fall (mid-September through October), when daytime highs average 60 to 80°F (15 to 27°C) and lows average 30 to 50°F (-1 to +10°C). Summer temperatures often exceed 100°F (38°C), making strenuous exercise difficult. Late summer monsoon season brings violent storm cells that often cause flash floods. Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50°F (-1°C to +10°C), and lows averaging 0 to 20°F (-18 to -7°C). Though large snowfalls are uncommon (except in nearby mountains), even small amounts of snow or ice can make local trails and roads impassable. Wiki