Arch Within an Arch
October 09, 2020
Photographer: Thomas McGuire
Summary Author: Thomas McGuire
Arches National Park in southern Utah has about 2000 natural stone arches. This includes more than a dozen named, large arches spanning as much as 300 ft (90 m). For example, Double Arch is more than 100 ft (30 m) wide and its arches twice span its opening. Double O Arch is a large arch directly above a smaller arch.
Due to its geology and climate, the southwestern United States has the greatest concentration of beautiful natural arches in the world. An arch within an arch, like this unnamed arch in Gold Butte National Monument, is very rare. The larger arch in the image is about 10 ft (3 m) across.
Gold Butte National Monument is a very remote desert area about 60 mi (96 km) northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. After a two-year campaign by local conservationists and Paiute Indians, President Barack Obama established the 450 sq mi (1165 sq km) National Monument under the Antiquities Act in 2016. This National Monument is accessible by one pock-marked paved road. Other roads within the monument are dirt. Gold Butte is known for its sandstone rock formations, desert wildlife and historical remains. Photo taken Sunday, June 3, 2018.
Photo Details: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS, 4.3 mm Zoom, Adobe Photoshop Elements.