Round Window -- Balanced Rock Trail, Big Bend NP TX
N 29° 23.959 W 103° 12.154
13R E 674407 N 3253571
A small round window along the Balanced Rock Trail at Big Bend National Park
Waymark Code: WMTZZJ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/30/2017
Views: 2
This beautiful round window arch is located along the Balanced Rock trail to the famous Balanced Rock.
This fascinating geological area was created by a lava dome that split into boulders, some the size of houses and semi trailers, others the size of cars or suitcases.
This small window is formed by from a layer of sandstone (sedimentary rock) that was laid down over the lava dome, which later rose, cracking the surface of the earth and tumbling sandstone and granite boulders around..
A sign at the Grapevine Hills Trail (from which the Balanced Rock trail branches) reads as follows:
"GRAPEVINE HILLS TRAIL
The easy 2 mile round-trip trail follows a sandy wash through the jumble of boulders. After reaching a low pass, find a “window” of boulders by hiking another hundred yards along the ridge to the right.
This trail enters a realm of petrified fire. Here, under enormous pressure, a molten rock ballooned up beneath the earth surface. As erosion stripped away overlying layers the exposed domes fractured into a moonscape of giant boulders.
Grapevine Hills is a laccolith - a mushroom shaped intrusion of magma.
As the laccolith slowly cooled and hardened into granite, the overlying sedimentary layers began to wear away."
Photo of the Arch by itself?: yes
Type of Arch: Water Eroded
Type of Material:
A layer of sandstone rock over and old lava dome that has eroded, shattered, and formed the features in this trail
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Visit Instructions:
You must post a picture of you with a GPSr or Geocaching/Waymarking attire/equipment and the subject arch in the background.