National Park Service

The world-famous Delicate Arch formation is only six feet wide in some spots, and continued erosion will eventually wear the rock away and destroy the arch. (“Delicate Arch.” Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. http://www.nps.gov/arch/)

Although wind can be a powerful destroyer, it has also helped create some of the earth's most beautiful scenery. The formations in Arches National Park in southeast Utah were probably formed by a combination of wind and water erosion. Scientists think water eroded portions of the rock first, and then wind further eroded the rocks, creating the fragile formations that exist today.

Figure 5.4.1, The steps that likely led to the formation of the arches. (“How Are Arches Formed?” photo from Geology Fieldnotes. Photo courtesy of National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. http://www.nature.nps.gov/ geology/parks/arch/)

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