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Arches National Park                

The state of Utah, USA, is rich in deep canyons, hot deserts, thick forests and high mountains. But the most fantastic open-air landmark of the state is the Arches National Park. It has more than two thousand arches created by wind and sand over centuries. They stand like powerful statues against the sky and make the local landscape extremely picturesque.

There are about two thousand arches in the park. The smallest of them is only a metre wide, while the longest one is about 85 metres. The most well-known arch is the Delicate Arch. The landscape looks magnificent due to its unusual relief and the arches of different shapes and colours. Some tourists even doubt the view is real.

It is hard to believe that the territory of the park was once under the sea. One million years ago it dried out and became a salt bed. Due to the movement of the tectonic plates, new rocks appeared out of the ground. This was the main reason for the arches’ formation.

At present the area is mostly a tourist attraction but it also has archaeological value. Archaeologists say ancient people came there in search of stone. They used the stone for making hunting tools. Some of the artifacts found by the archaeologists come from the Stone Age. Later, ancient people founded the first settlements there. About a hundred years ago the place was officially made a national reserve to keep its beauty untouched.

The extravagant shapes of most arches inspired people to give them funny names. One can enjoy the beautiful panorama called the Three Gossips. The three sandstone rocks standing close to each other do in fact look like three people whispering among themselves. Among other astonishing examples is the Double Arch, which is two arches which meet in the middle. There are many more famous names, each reflecting the arch’s unique character.

All named arches are included in a special list and tourists are not allowed to climb them. In spite of this, a successful attempt on the Delicate Arch was made in 2006. Soon after this, regulations were revised to let tourists climb on the unnamed arches. They are also free to go backpacking, camping and hiking within the territory.

In summer it is very hot in the Arch Park because the temperature in the desort can rise up to forty degrees above zero. That is why tourists are advised not to stay for long in the sun in the summer months. Spring and autumn are milder and ideal for hiking in the park.

The popularity of the National Arch Park grew even bigger with the development of the film industry and the sports movement. In 2002 the Olympic torch travelled under one of the arches. The park also served as the location for filming scenes from ‘Indiana Jones’. Recently, an image of the park has appeared on national coins.