Natural Arch is an impressive arch, located in a 945-acre area
of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The area around and under the
arch was once home to prehistoric groups and later the hunting
grounds of the Cherokee. A trail to the arch begins on the north
end of the picnic area and runs along a paved pathway to the base
of Natural Arch, passing two scenic overlooks along the way. At the
arch, you may climb the steps to the arch itself or continue along
a dirt pathway that loops around the northwest end of the arch. The
fenced area underneath the arch is closed.
WEATHERING AGENTS
No matter the type of arch found in Kentucky, each are shaped by
the process of weathering. Weathering can be tought of as the
destruction of the rock. The primary agent is water, which seeps
into cracks and dissolves the iron oxide in the sandstone and the
calcium carbonate in limestone. Iron oxide acts to hold or c"ement"
the adjorning rock togeter and its removalresults in this
breakdown. Similar to water, plant roots find their way into
crevices and split the rock. The wind works to remove the broken
rock from the area.
LIGHTHOUSE ARCHES
Also known as ridge top arches or rock shelter arches, the vast
majority of the arches in Kentucky are known as lighthouse arches
which form at the ridgetop meeting of two valleys. A lighthouse
arch is formed in the following manner:
- The ridgetop is weathered over time.
- Vertical cracks are created by the freezing and thawing of
water in the formation.
- Water runs into these cracks and erodes away the sides of the
ridgetops. leaving a narrow ridge.
- The newly exposed and softer sandstone is weathered away,
forming rock shelters on both sides of the ridge.
- Erosion continues within the areas of the rocks shelters until
both meet, forming the arch.
LAND OF ARCHES?
When most people think of arches in the United States, you think of
the southwest like Utah and Arizona, with its miles upon miles of
desert littered with rock formations. What is less commopnly-known
is that the topography of Kentucky is quite similar to that in
Utah. The vegetation works to disguise this. Looking at the two
pictuyres below, one can see the similarities between the two.
LOGGING REQUIREMENTS
In order to receive credit and keep that smiley face for your
find, you must do the following within seven days of posting the
find. Failure to do so will resuklt in the deletion of your
log.
- Take a photo of the finder with their GPSr visible in their
hand with the Natural Arch showing in the background. I have
provide the coordinates to both overlooks. You may take your photo
from either to receive credit.
- Determine the height of the arch, its length spanning across,
and the width of the arch itself. Only reasonable answers will be
accepted.
This cache placed and maintained by a Geocky member.