Utah’s famous “Double Arch” rock collapses

A famous 190 million-year-old rock formation in southern Utah known as the Double Arch has collapsed, according to national park officials.

The popular natural phenomenon that covered Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area crashed last week, according to the National Park Service.

No one was injured when the rock formation collapsed at the popular hiking spot.

Park rangers said fluctuating water levels and erosion may have contributed to the collapse.

“[T]“This event is intended to remind us of our responsibility and remind us that we must protect the natural resources surrounding Lake Powell,” said Michelle Kerns, manager of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

The rocks that made up Double Arch – also called the “toilet bowl” because of the large hole in the formation – consist of fine-grained Navajo sandstone from the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic period, the National Park Service said.

But over time, the formation began to crumble and erode due to wind and rain, the agency said.

Ms Kerns said the rock formation may have been impacted or damaged by “human intervention”.

According to NASA, Lake Powell's water level has been steadily declining since 1999 due to global warming, which has made the western U.S. hotter and drier. Water levels have risen this year after reaching a historic low in 2023, but have not fully recovered to 1999 levels, when the lake was nearly full.

The rock formation was a popular hiking destination. In 2023, over 5 million people visited Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which spans 1.25 million acres in Utah and Arizona.

Several people took to social media to mourn the loss of the famous arches. One user posted a video of the rock formation floating above Lake Powell the day before the collapse. Another said she had a picture of her mother from 1969 floating beneath the rock in an inflatable boat.

“Sad it’s over,” she posted.

There are numerous arch-like rock formations in Utah's parks, including Arches and Zion National Park.