Soldier Pass Arch

Sandstone lends itself to the formation of natural arches. Horizontal layers of sediments called "bedding planes" characterize the red sandstones around Sedona, Arizona. In the walls of Brins Ridge off the Soldier Pass Trail, a fifteen-foot thick slab of cliff face has separated from a vertical rock formation. As erosion widens the gap between the separated rock and the parent cliff wall, TWO adjoining natural arches will be formed in this area. Thousands of years from now, the winds of time will transform the arches back into sand. March 11, 2009 And, YOU thought the Golden Arches were attractive, right? Photo taken within the sandstone cave.