A major geological feature in southern Utah known as the “Double Arch,” “Hole in the Roof” or “Toilet Bowl” has collapsed, National Park Service officials said Friday. No injuries were reported.
The popular arch at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area fell Thursday, and park rangers suspect that changing water levels and erosion from waves at Lake Powell contributed to its demise.
National Park Service
Michelle Kerns, superintendent of the recreation area that spans the Utah-Arizona border, said the collapse serves as a reminder of the need to protect the mineral resources surrounding the lake.
“These characteristics have a lifespan that can be influenced or damaged by human interventions,” she said in a statement.
The arch was formed from 190-million-year-old Navajo Sandstone from the late Triassic and early Jurassic periods. The fine-grained sandstone was eroded by weathering, wind and rain, the statement said.
The recreation area covers nearly 2,000 square miles and is popular among boaters and hikers.
