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Parrish Arch is a good example of a caprock natural arch. The opening has eroded through multiple strata of loosely cemented sandstone. This very likely was the result of a recent and catastrophic collapse of these rock layers. The surviving lintel, in Shinarump conglomerate, is not much stronger than the underlying layers and will not last for long. Like many caprock natural arches this one will have a relatively brief lifecycle. The arch is occasionally referred to as Parrish Arch, after Frank Parrish who was a local rancher and medicine singer. It has a span of 13 feet, a height of 30 feet, and a thickness of 10 feet. It is clearly visible from US Highway 163 looking east from a viewpoint about 9 miles south of the turnoff to the Monument Valley Visitor Center. However, it is best seen from the other side. Visiting the arch on this side requires that you be accompanied by a guide. Although it is shown on the Mystery Valley USGS topographic map as "Natural Arch," that location is slightly off. The correct location is provided here. It is number 10-19 in the Vreeland catalog. [JHW photo.]

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