Three Arches

If rocks are the bones of Mother Earth, then we've seen a glimpse of her ribs. Arches National Park in Utah has more than two thousand arches, and we saw only a few during our single day there. The massive sandstones of the region were uplifted and fractured into vertical "fins" like the one Susan is about to hike up (look closely to see two other hikers near the top; hikes in this area aren't recommended for those "uncomfortable with heights". It was a little bit scary).

Sandstone Fins, Arches National Park

After the fins were exposed, erosion carved them into many shapes, including arches. The largest we saw was Landscape Arch, which suffered a large rockfall in 1991. These monumental forms are only temporary.

Landscape Arch, Arches National Park

Other arches aren't as large or graceful, but are still intriguing.

Pine Tree Arch, Arches National Park

And Arches Park is not the only place with them. We hiked to this one in Capitol Reef National Park, also in Utah. It's a strong sandstone above a more-easily eroded stratum, now gone.

Hickman Bridge, Capitol Reef National Park