Exploring Arches

I hear the wind whistling.
I see the amazing arches.
I smell the sand from the desert.
I feel the rocks as I'm climbing.
I taste the Utah desert culture.

Over President's Day Weekend, my Mom, Dad, and I went to Arches with some friends. If you go in February and the weather is nice, you will be able to see many cool arches without many people traveling at the same time as you. We flew into Salt Lake City and drove four hours to a city named Moab.  There are some more national parks around besides Arches.

I'll tell you how arches are made.

How Arches Are Made
by Isabelle Rugg

First, there is a big salt lake.  It dries up and gets filled again.  As this happens, salt gets all over the ground.  Layers of dirt and other things pile on top of it, making a solid rock ground above the salt.  As water goes through the rock, it hits the salt, making it expand.  As it expands, the rock above it rises and cracks.  It gets bigger and bigger until it becomes a fin.  Over time, water, wind and other stuff (rocks and plants), go through the fin making a hole.  These things (water, wind, rocks, and plants) keep making the hole bigger and bigger until it is an arch.  This is how arches are made.

Arches have an age limit like us too!  As water, wind, rocks, and plants keep on making the arch thinner, it starts to get old.  They will eventually fall down.  Many park rangers believe the whole process is done in about 20,000 years!

Well, that's it for now!  See you next time!