The recent collapse of the iconic Double Arch at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has raised concerns about the safety and stability of similar natural structures. The Double Arch, a geological marvel formed from 190-million-year-old Navajo sandstone, fell victim to natural processes of erosion that are both the creator and destroyer of such formations. Changing water levels and erosion are believed to have contributed to the collapse.
The Double Arch stood in Rock Creek Bay , about 36 miles up the lake from Antelope Point Marina at the lake’s west end and nearly 60 miles down the lake from Bullfrog Marina at the lake’s east end. The collapse was especially dramatic since when it started there were visitors standing on it and swimmers in the water beneath it. This event has prompted visitors and nature enthusiasts to question the safety of visiting other arches, especially those in nearby areas like Utah’s Arches National Park.
Seeing Delicate Arch or equally iconic formations may be on your bucket list, but is it safe? It’s important to understand that all natural arches are subject to the same forces of nature that led to the collapse of the Double Arch. These forces include weathering, erosion, and gravity, which over time, sculpt and eventually break down the sandstone structures, and no, there is no foolproof way to determine when a collapse may occur. The National Park Service (NPS) has emphasized the importance of preserving the natural processes that form .