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Reference.org
Arches National Park
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<p>Arches National Park is a <a href="/facts/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States/uM29muQA">national park of the United States</a> in eastern <a href="/facts/Utah/te7zUyBX">Utah</a>. The park is adjacent to the <a href="/facts/Colorado_River/yGEJtRAJ">Colorado River</a>, 4 mi (6 km) north of <a href="/facts/Moab%2c_Utah/s4jlUDcF">Moab, Utah</a>. The park contains more than 2,000 <a href="/facts/Natural_arch/K1F7SNB2">natural sandstone arches</a>, including the well-known <a href="/facts/Delicate_Arch/sRhjRvkw">Delicate Arch</a>, which constitute the highest density of natural arches in the world. It also contains a variety of other unique geological resources and formations. The national park lies above an underground <a href="/facts/Evaporite/vNW8fcEy">evaporite</a> layer or <a href="/facts/Salt/SCplalQ3">salt</a> bed, which is the main cause of the formation of the arches, spires, balanced rocks, <a href="/facts/Sandstone/RP8B6fqL">sandstone</a> <a href="/facts/Fin_(geology)/ynL9cLKh">fins</a>, and eroded monoliths in the area. </p><p>The park consists of 310.31 km2 (76,680 acres; 119.81 sq mi; 31,031 ha) of high desert located on the <a href="/facts/Colorado_Plateau/enUuFcL5">Colorado Plateau</a>. The highest elevation in the park is 5,653 ft (1,723 m) at <a href="/facts/Elephant_Butte_(Arches_National_Park)/PyNEydwn">Elephant Butte</a>, and the lowest elevation is 4,085 ft (1,245 m) at the visitor center. The park receives an average of less than 10 in (250 mm) of rain annually. </p><p>Administered by the <a href="/facts/National_Park_Service/KyR15FW6">National Park Service</a>, the area was originally designated a <a href="/facts/National_Monument_(United_States)/X36n842q">national monument</a> on April 12, 1929 before being redesignated a national park on November 12, 1971. The park received more than 1.8 million visitors in 2021. From April 1 through October 31, a timed entry reservation is required to visit the park between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. </p>