The Tree

A natural arch made of red rock stands prominently amidst the rugged landscape, of Bryce Canyon warmly lit by the sunlight casting a golden glow.... more

by Robert Bales

Title

The Tree

Artist

Robert Bales

Medium

Photograph - Photo

Description

A natural arch made of red rock stands prominently amidst the rugged landscape, of Bryce Canyon warmly lit by the sunlight casting a golden glow. Below the arch, a dense green forest adds a vibrant contrast to the earthy tones of the cliffs.

Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon which, despite its name, is not a canyon but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m).
The Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.99 sq mi; 145.02 km2 and receives relatively few visitors compared to Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, largely due to its remote location.

Bridges form through the erosion of rock by streams or rivers. This window or arch formed from a combination of processes. Frost wedging, the expanding of cracks in rock as water turns to ice, weakened the rock. Dissolution, the chemical dissolving of rock by rainwater, chewed away at the top and sides of this wall of rock. Finally gravity pulled loose the weakened pockets of rock at the center creating the hole you see. Thus, Bryce Canyon's 'bridges', including the Natural Bridge, are spectacular examples of arches that, like the hoodoos, are constantly at risk of destruction as the forces of erosion continue to wear the rock away.

Uploaded

March 27th, 2024