Arch Rock is a 40-foot volcanic natural bridge off the east end of Anacapa Island, cut by wave erosion. It serves as a symbol of both Anacapa and Channel Islands National Park.
Details
- Type
- Arch
- Accessibility
- Limited accessibility
Overview
The arch is volcanic rock, shaped by the same wave action that carved Anacapa's sea cliffs and caves. It stands 40 feet high near the east end of the island, close to the Landing Cove. Boats and kayakers pass it on trips along the Anacapa shoreline.
History and Name
The Chumash name is pasawapʰ hoti, which means 'house of the cormorant'; it was also recorded as 'aɬwaštimot̓o. These place names were documented by ethnographer J.P. Harrington between 1915 and 1955 through interviews with Chumash consultants Fernando Librado (Kitsepawit) and Juan Estevan Pico. Artist James McNeill Whistler illustrated the arch in an 1854 engraving for the U.S. Coast Survey, one of the earliest depictions of the feature.