Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Ancient Sand Dunes

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 13, 2020

1. Ancient Sand Dunes Marker

Inscription. This vast area was once covered by extensive sand dunes. Some 200 million years ago, winds from the northwest carried tons of fine-grained sand into this area, creating an immense desert.

Over time, the sand drifts were covered by other layers of sediment, compressed, and cemented by quartz and calcite into Navajo Sandstone.

Erosion has since washed away the overlying layers, exposing the "petrified" dunes.

[Background photo caption reads]
These ancient dunes are often erroneously referred to as "petrified," implying that they were once organic, like wood. Here this term simply means sand cemented into rock.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.

Location. 38° 39.944′ N, 109° 35.249′ W. Marker is in Arches National Park, Utah, in Grand County. It can be reached from Arches Scenic Drive. Marker is at the Petrified Dunes Viewpoint, off Arches Scenic Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Moab UT 84532, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Canyon Country.

It is also in the American Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Gone but Not Forgotten (approx. 2.7 miles away); Inspiring Views, Sacred Mountains (approx. 2.7 miles away); Balanced Rock

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(approx. 2.7 miles away); Double Arch (approx. 3.1 miles away); How Arches Are Formed (approx. 3.1 miles away); Utah Serviceberry (approx. 3.8 miles away); Harriman's Yucca (approx. 3.8 miles away); Rubber Rabbitbrush (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arches National Park.

Also see . . .
1. Arches National Park. (Submitted on November 13, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. The Geologic Story of Arches National Park. (Submitted on November 13, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Ancient Sand Dunes and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 13, 2020

2. Ancient Sand Dunes and Marker

Ancient Sand Dunes image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 13, 2020

3. Ancient Sand Dunes

Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 958 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on November 14, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 13, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.