Arches National Park Facts & Worksheets

Arches National Park has the world’s largest concentration of geological formations, such as natural sandstone arches, rock formations, pinnacles, trails, and spires. In 1929, it was proclaimed a national monument and a national park in 1971.

See the fact file below for more information on Arches National Park or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Arches National Park worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

• The Arches National Park is located in Southeastern Utah, United States, and is estimated to be 5 miles or 8 km north of Moab in Utah. The area lies in the northern part of the 130,000 square miles of the Colorado Plateau and covers an area of 120 square miles or 310 square kilometers. 
• The park is home to over 2,000 red sandstone arches, one of which is the prominent Delicate Arch. Tourists from around the world visit the site to see its impressive topography and enjoy activities such as camping, stargazing, biking, horseback riding, and hiking. The distinctive red color of the sandstone is the product of thousands of years of wind and water erosion. 
• The best season to visit the park is from April to May and September to October when temperatures average 60 to 80ºF. This weather is suitable for activities in the park.
• June and August are the peak of the summer season, which may be a good time to pay a visit, however, these months are when the temperature of the area reaches 100ºF. 

HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL PARK

• ‘Arches’—the name of the national park was suggested by Frank Pinkley, the former superintendent of the Southwestern National Monument Office, a division of the National Park Service which administers the Arch National Park. 
• Arches National Park served as a dwelling place for hunter-gatherers during the end of the Ice Age. It was believed that they converted the small debris of crystals found in the area such as chalcedony and chert for making stone tools like knives and daggers. 
• About 2,000 years ago, the first native American Indians known as the Ancestral Puebloan dominated the area where they cultivated domestic plants such as maize, beans, and squash. The primary evidence that justifies their stay and still exists in the national park today is their unique petroglyphs. 
• The Ancestral Puebloans left the Arches site 700 years ago, and were replaced by another group of nomads, the Shoshonean people of the Ute and Paiute peoples. 
• Moreover, the petroglyphs that depict people riding a horse near the Wolfe Ranch, built in the mid-1600s, were associated with the Ute and Paiute as they were the first people who met the Spanish missionaries on horseback in 1775.
• Several presidents contributed to the enhancement of the park to attract tourists from all over the world. These were:  Franklin Roosevelt, who initiated the enlargement of the arches in the park in 1938; Dwight Eisenhower adjusted the road alignment; Lyndon Johnson proclaimed another enlargement of the Arches in 1969; Richard Nixon signed legislation for the reduction of the area but proclaimed it a national park in 1971. 

PROMINENT FEATURES OF THE PARK

• The Delicate Arch is considered the icon of Utah, known for its freestanding stone structure. It has an opening that measures a height of 46 feet and a width of 32 feet. Its name ‘delicate’ first appeared in a 1934 article reflecting its delicate chiseled stand-alone structure in the national park. 
• The Landscape Arch is another renowned feature of the park as it is considered the highest arch in the world. This arch is known for its thin strip of rock spanning 290.1 feet, beating the Kolob Arch in Zion National Park, which only measures a span of 287.4 feet. 
• The Fiery Furnace is a natural maze formed from the towering sandstone canyon walls and fins. 
• The labyrinth is called Fiery Furnace because when the rock formation is illuminated by the setting sun it changes to a deep red and orange hue. 
• The Balanced Rock is a rock formation that measures 128 feet. This iconic formation is known to defy gravity with two rock layers balancing on rock pedestals beneath. 
• The Petrified Dunes are another iconic rock formation in the area composed of mounds cemented with sand drifts due to erosion. It is located just before Balanced Rock with a background of the La Sal mountain range. 
• Double Arches consists of two open amphitheater-like structures connected by a single pedestal of rock. This is the second-longest arch in the national park and measures 144 ft or 44 meters. 
• Devils Garden is a 7.8 mile trail that takes 3 to 4 hours to hike. Exploring this trail you will see eight arches, including the Landscape Arch. 
• The Double O Arch is considered the second to largest arch next to the Landscape Arch along with Devils Garden. Double O Arch is composed of two arches, one which measures 71 feet and the other spans 21 feet. 

FLORA AND FAUNA

• The park is rich in flora regardless of the extreme changes in its season. These varieties of plants acclimate to the weather pattern every month. Three types of plants grow in the area: the drought escapers, which usually grow when ample water is available. 
• An example of drought escapers is grasses and wildflowers. The second type is drought-resistant plants characterized by spines and hair, such as cacti, moss, and yuccas. Lastly, the drought evaders or those like columbine, money flowers, and cottonwoods that grow near rivers. 
• About 50 recorded species of fauna and 200+ species of birds live in the park. Some of this wildlife rarely appear based on the temperature and season. Animals in the Arches are categorized into three: nocturnal animals which are active during the night, crepuscular animals which are active during twilight, and diurnal which can be seen during the day. 
• Nocturnal animals that can be seen in the arches are kangaroo rats, mountain lions, ringtails foxes, bobcats, skunks, owls, and bats. Crepuscular animals are deer, cottontails, songbirds, coyotes, etc., and diurnal animals are squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, eagles, hawks, vultures, ravens, and snakes. 

Arches National Park Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Arches National Park across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Arches National Park which has the world’s largest concentration of geological formations.

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Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Arches National Park Facts 
• Arches Profile
• Gibberish Arch
• Map that Park! 
• Presidential Address
• Arches Glossary 
• Wildlife in the Desert
• Arches Bingo
• Introducing Mr. DA
• Five Themes of Geo 
• Flora in the Arches

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best time to visit Arches National Park?

The best season to visit the park is from April to May and September to October when temperatures average 60 to 80ºF. This weather is suitable for activities in the park.

What animals can be found at the Arches National Park?

Animals in the Arches are categorized into three: nocturnal animals which are active during the night, crepuscular animals which are active during twilight, and diurnal which can be seen during the day. Nocturnal animals that can be seen in the arches are kangaroo rats, mountain lions, ringtails foxes, bobcats, skunks, owls, and bats. Crepuscular animals are deer, cottontails, songbirds, coyotes, etc., and diurnal animals are squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, eagles, hawks, vultures, ravens, and snakes.

What is the Arches National Park best known for?

The park is home to over 2,000 red sandstone arches, one of which is the prominent Delicate Arch. Tourists from around the world visit the site to see its impressive topography and enjoy activities such as camping, stargazing, biking, horseback riding, and hiking. The distinctive red color of the sandstone is the product of thousands of years of wind and water erosion.

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