Wall Arch Collapses, Devils Garden Trail Closed

"Wall Arch, located along the popular Devils Garden Trail at Arches National Park collapsed sometime during the night of August 4, 2008. Rock has continued to fall from the arms of the remaining portion of the arch necessitating the closure of the Devils Garden Trail just beyond Landscape Arch."

That's the official information from this National Park Service News Release. The Park Service provided the photo above, showing the arch before and after its collapse.

The remaining rock structure appears to be unstable and boulders cover the in the area of the fallen arch, necessitating its closure.

Devils Garden is one of the most popular trails in the park and we expect it to reopen soon, perhaps routing visitors around the Wall Arch area.

News outlets around the world have reported on the collapse. Here's an article from International Herald Tribune, France: Iconic stone arch collapses in southern Utah park

That article and many others have one bit of incorrect information. They use a statement similar to this: "Nevertheless, it was the first collapse major arch in the park since nearby Landscape Arch fell in 1991."

A large hunk of rock fell from Landscape Arch in '91, but that span still stands. Landscape is regarded as the largest natural arch in the world. It is a thin, delicate-looking arch, and one day it will fall, but at this writing it still stands.

- Dave Webb