Mesa Arch

{{Infobox landform

| name = Mesa Arch

| type = Rock arch

| photo = Mesa Arch Canyonlands sunrise.jpg

| photo_caption = Mesa Arch, August 2016

| elevation_ft = 6099

| elevation_ref = {{cite gnis|id=1434923|name=Mesa Arch|accessdate = 2020-08-30}}

| map = Utah#USA

| map_caption = Location in Utah

| location = Canyonlands National Park
San Juan County, Utah, U.S.

| coordinates = {{coord|38.3878595|N|109.8636644|W|type:landmark_region:US-UT_source:gnis|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| geology = Navajo Sandstone{{cite book|first=Stewart M|last=Green|title=Best Day Hikes Moab|publisher=Falcon Guides|year=2020|page=121}}

| age =

| topo = USGS Musselman Arch

}}

Mesa Arch (also known as Rotary Arch and Trail Arch) is a pothole arch on the eastern edge of the Island in the Sky mesa in Canyonlands National Park in northern San Juan County, Utah, United States.{{gnis|1434923|Mesa Arch}}{{cite map|url=http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=38.3887&lon=-109.8657&z=14|title=MyTopo Maps - Mesa Arch, Moab, UT, USA|website=mytop.com|publisher=Trimble Navigation, Ltd.|accessdate=18 Mar 2019}}{{cite map|url=http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/education/foos/moab.pdf|title=Geology of the Moab Region (Arches, Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands)|last=Foos|first=Annabelle|website=nature.nps.gov|publisher=National Park Service|page=13|year=1999|accessdate=18 Mar 2019|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211084259/http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/education/foos/moab.pdf|archivedate=11 February 2017|via=Wayback Machine}} Mesa Arch is a spectacular natural stone arch perched at the edge of a cliff with vast views of canyons, Monster Tower, Washer Woman Arch, Airport Tower, and the La Sal Mountains in the distance. Access is via a relatively easy hiking trail, just a half-mile long from the park road.

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Mesa Arch. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below −0 °C (32 °F) and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=off|sp=us}} of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.

References

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