As reported by CNN, one of the 'more popular and photographed arches' in Arches National Park collapsed this week. No one reported seeing it collapse and luckily no one was hurt. The article also says it was the first collapse of a major arch since Landscape Arch fell in 1991, but I’m pretty sure that Landscape Arch is still standing (I saw it only a few years ago) even if it did drop a few big pieces back in '91. The Wikipedia page seems to confirm that it is still standing.
I'm glad that I got to see Wall Arch before it collapsed along with so many of the other great formations at the park. If you haven't been to Utah or you've got some National Parks on your list that you've been putting off for a long time, hopefully this is a good reminder to get outdoors and see what you can. The same forces that created so much of our beautiful landscape are certainly capable of changing it at any time.
While there are still plenty of other arches and interesting rock formations to keep visitors going to Arches for a long time to come, it’s a stark reminder that many of the rock formations that have become iconic parts of our landscape are really not to be taken for granted. As my father said today: “First the Old Man of the Mountain and now this?”