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2015 Mar 3-Apr 8: all: Utah, Colorado hikes

275 images Created 30 Mar 2018

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  • The Castle is a rock formation of Wingate Sandstone above Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center, between Torrey and Fruita, Utah, USA. Wingate Sandstone rests upon the sloping, many-hued Triassic Chinle Formation, a former soil layer rich in clay derived from volcanic ash. The bottom of the slope is Moenkopi Formation, a dark brick-red mudstone and siltstone which surfaces most of the park west of the reef.
    1503SW3-008_Capitol-Reef-NP.jpg
  • Capitol Gorge, Golden Throne Trailhead, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River. This panorama was stitched from 10 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0017-26pan_Capitol-Gorge.jpg
  • Golden Throne is a sandstone monolith from the Jurassic geologic period. Start this hike from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0035_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Golden Throne is a sandstone monolith from the Jurassic geologic period. Start this hike from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0038_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja) flowers bloom red along Golden Throne Trail above Capitol Gorge, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Castilleja is a genus of about 200 species of annual and perennial herbaceous plants native to the west of the Americas from Alaska south to the Andes, plus northeast Asia. These plants are classified in the family Orobanchaceae and are hemiparasitic on the roots of grasses and forbs.
    1503SW-0052_Castilleja_red-flower.jpg
  • Golden Throne is a sandstone monolith from the Jurassic geologic period. Start this hike from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0055_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Golden Throne is a sandstone monolith from the Jurassic geologic period. Start this hike from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0059_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Golden Throne is a sandstone monolith from the Jurassic geologic period. Start this hike from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0068_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Golden Throne is a sandstone monolith from the Jurassic geologic period. Start this hike from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    1503SW3-016-17pan_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Golden Throne Trail starts from Capitol Gorge Trailhead, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0093_Golden-Throne.jpg
  • Capitol Gorge in late afternoon, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0115_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Swirling sandstone rock pattern, Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0116_sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Capitol Gorge Trail to the Tanks & Pioneer Register, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0118_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Capitol Gorge Trail to the Tanks & Pioneer Register, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0120_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • A family walks along the Capitol Gorge Trail, returning from the Tanks & Pioneer Register, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0126_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Desert varnish streaks canyon walls along Capitol Gorge Trail to the Tanks & Pioneer Register, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Manganese-rich desert varnish requires thousands of years to coat a rock face that is protected from precipitation and wind erosion. The varnish likely originates from airborne dust and external surface runoff, including: clay minerals, oxides and hydroxides of manganese (Mn) and/or iron (Fe), sand grains, trace elements, and usually organic matter. Streaks of black varnish often occur where water cascades over cliffs protected from wind. Varnish color varies from shades of brown to black. Manganese-poor, iron-rich varnishes are red to orange, and intermediate concentrations are shaded brown. Manganese-oxidizing microbes may explain the unusually high concentration of manganese in black desert varnish, which can be smooth and shiny where densest.
    1503SW-0130_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • The Tanks are water-filled potholes which refreshed pioneers and their stock animals along Capitol Gorge, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut through further north along Fremont River. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0143-46pan_The-Tanks_Capitol-...jpg
  • The Tanks are water-filled potholes which refreshed pioneers and their stock animals along Capitol Gorge, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut through further north along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0153-p6_The-Tanks_Capitol-Ree...jpg
  • The Tanks are water-filled potholes which refreshed pioneers and their stock animals in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut through further north along Fremont River. This panorama was stitched from 8 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0148-155pan_The-Tanks_Capitol...jpg
  • The Tanks are water-filled potholes which refreshed pioneers and their stock animals in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut through further north along Fremont River. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0156-61pan_The-Tanks_Capitol-...jpg
  • Lizard. Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0181_lizard.jpg
  • Capitol Gorge Trail to the Tanks & Pioneer Register, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0182_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Capitol Gorge Trail to the Tanks & Pioneer Register, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0183_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Desert varnish streaks canyon walls along Capitol Gorge Trail to the Tanks & Pioneer Register, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Manganese-rich desert varnish requires thousands of years to coat a rock face that is protected from precipitation and wind erosion. The varnish likely originates from airborne dust and external surface runoff, including: clay minerals, oxides and hydroxides of manganese (Mn) and/or iron (Fe), sand grains, trace elements, and usually organic matter. Streaks of black varnish often occur where water cascades over cliffs protected from wind. Varnish color varies from shades of brown to black. Manganese-poor, iron-rich varnishes are red to orange, and intermediate concentrations are shaded brown. Manganese-oxidizing microbes may explain the unusually high concentration of manganese in black desert varnish, which can be smooth and shiny where densest.
    1503SW-0187_desert-varnish.jpg
  • Sunset in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0204_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Sunset in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0216_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Sunset in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0221_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Pioneer Register, in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0229_Pioneer-Register.jpg
  • Sunset in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0231_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • Sunset in Capitol Gorge, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Gorge was the original route for travelers through Waterpocket Fold before State Route 24 cut along Fremont River.
    1503SW-0236_Capitol-Gorge_Utah.jpg
  • See Waterpocket Fold from Slick Rock Divide on the paved Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef NP is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0243_Capitol-Reef-NP.jpg
  • Exfoliating Navajo sandstone forms a pattern shaped like a panther head, in a fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period. Hike to Rim Overlook, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. (Along the way, don't miss the side trip to majestic Hickman Natural Bridge.) Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0251_sandstone-panther-head.jpg
  • Hike to Rim Overlook, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. (Along the way, don't miss the side trip to majestic Hickman Natural Bridge.)
    1503SW-0252_Capitol-Reef-NP.jpg
  • The majestic Hickman Natural Bridge has a span of 133 feet. The hike is 1.8 miles round trip with 400 feet gain in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0264-69pan_Hickman-Natural-Br...jpg
  • The majestic Hickman Natural Bridge has a span of 133 feet. The hike is 1.8 miles round trip with 400 feet gain in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. This panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0273-74pan_Hickman-Natural-Br...jpg
  • See fascinating patterns of eroded sandstone along the trail to Rim Overlook, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0276_sandstone-bluff.jpg
  • Jurassic period Navajo sandstone is topped by black lava boulders which were carried in debris flows and streams draining Pleistocene glaciers from high volcanic-capped plateaus to the west of Capitol Reef National Park, in Utah, USA. Walk across many wonders of geologic history along the Rim Overlook Trail.
    1503SW-0281_lava-boulders-on-sandsto...jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0282_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0283_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0288_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0290_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0293_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Hike to Rim Overlook, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. (Along the way, don't miss the side trip to majestic Hickman Natural Bridge.) Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone. This panorama was stitched from 13 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0305-17pan_Rim-Overlook.jpg
  • In the distance see the Henry Mountains from Rim Overlook, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. (Along the way, don't miss the side trip to majestic Hickman Natural Bridge.) Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone. This panorama was stitched from 4 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0319-22pan_Waterpocket-Fold.jpg
  • Honeycomb weathering. Hike to Rim Overlook, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. (Along the way, don't miss the side trip to majestic Hickman Natural Bridge.) Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture.
    1503SW-0335_Honeycomb-weathering.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0340_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0342_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0364_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0373_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0375_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0378_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Navajo Sandstone (fossilized cross-bedded sand dune of the Jurassic period) exfoliates into a pattern along Rim Overlook Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Iron oxides (hematite and goethite) bled through the Navajo sandstone layers to paint the rock yellow, orange, and brown. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, raised in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0379_Navajo-sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Hike to Rim Overlook starting from the Fremont River, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. (Along the way, don't miss the side trip to majestic Hickman Natural Bridge.)
    1503SW-0393_Fremont-River.jpg
  • Petroglyphs pullout on Utah Highway 24 in Capitol Reef National Park, USA: These petroglyphs (carvings in stone) were created about 300-1300 CE and are attributed to the Hisatsinom (called the Fremont Culture by Euro-American archeologists). Today's Hopi and Zuni people say these markings confirm presence of their ancestors in Capitol Reef. The Paiute Tribe calls the former inhabitants Wee Noonts (People Who Lived the Old Ways).
    1503SW-0398_petroglyphs_Utah.jpg
  • Petroglyphs pullout on Utah Highway 24 in Capitol Reef National Park, USA: These petroglyphs (carvings in stone) were created about 300-1300 CE and are attributed to the Hisatsinom (called the Fremont Culture by Euro-American archeologists). Today's Hopi and Zuni people say these markings confirm presence of their ancestors in Capitol Reef. The Paiute Tribe calls the former inhabitants Wee Noonts (People Who Lived the Old Ways).
    1503SW-0399_petroglyphs_Utah.jpg
  • Cottonwood trees line the petroglyphs boardwalk on Utah Highway 24 in Capitol Reef National Park, USA.
    1503SW-0420_Petroglyphs-Boardwalk.jpg
  • Cottonwood trees line the petroglyphs boardwalk on Utah Highway 24 in Capitol Reef National Park, USA.
    1503SW-0421_Petroglyphs-Boardwalk.jpg
  • Historic Fruita orchard, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Fruita Rural Historic Landscape is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The orchards contain 3100 trees including cherry, apricot, peach, pear, apple, plum, mulberry, almond, and walnut. The National Park Service now maintains the orchards year round with historic cultural irrigation practices, pruning, mowing, pest management, planting, mapping, and grafting. Established in 1880, the Mormon town of Junction became known as Fruita by 1904, and was called "The Eden of Wayne County" for its large orchards. Fruita was abandoned in 1955 when the National Park Service purchased the town to be included in Capitol Reef National Park.
    1503SW-0425_Fruita-orchard_Utah.jpg
  • Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA: Built in 1896, the Fruita one-room schoolhouse served as Mormon church & community center and schooled students until 1941. Established in 1880, the Mormon town of Junction became known as Fruita by 1904, also called "The Eden of Wayne County" for its large orchards. Fruita was abandoned in 1955 when the National Park Service purchased the town to be included in Capitol Reef National Park, later restoring the schoolhouse, Gifford house and barn.
    1503SW-0441_Fruita-Schoolhouse.jpg
  • Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA: Built in 1896, the Fruita one-room schoolhouse served as Mormon church & community center and schooled students until 1941. Established in 1880, the Mormon town of Junction became known as Fruita by 1904, also called "The Eden of Wayne County" for its large orchards. Fruita was abandoned in 1955 when the National Park Service purchased the town to be included in Capitol Reef National Park, later restoring the schoolhouse, Gifford house and barn.
    1503SW-0446_Fruita-Schoolhouse.jpg
  • The Castle is a rock formation of Wingate Sandstone, west of Fruita, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Wingate Sandstone rests upon the sloping, many-hued Triassic Chinle Formation, a former soil layer rich in clay derived from volcanic ash. The bottom of the slope is Moenkopi Formation, a dark brick-red mudstone and siltstone which surfaces most of the park west of the reef.
    1503SW-0447_The-Castle.jpg
  • Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, plus thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone. This panorama was stitched from 5 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0455-59pan_Waterpocket-Fold.jpg
  • Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0462-64pan_Waterpocket-Fold.jpg
  • Two motorcycles cruise Utah State Route 24 through the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park, USA. The 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold is the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0470_Capitol-Reef-NP_motorcyc...jpg
  • Desert varnish in Grand Wash, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Manganese-rich desert varnish requires thousands of years to coat a rock face that is protected from precipitation and wind erosion. The varnish likely originates from airborne dust and external surface runoff, including: clay minerals, oxides and hydroxides of manganese (Mn) and/or iron (Fe), sand grains, trace elements, and usually organic matter. Streaks of black varnish often occur where water cascades over cliffs protected from wind. Varnish color varies from shades of brown to black. Manganese-poor, iron-rich varnishes are red to orange, and intermediate concentrations are shaded brown. Manganese-oxidizing microbes may explain the unusually high concentration of manganese in black desert varnish, which can be smooth and shiny where densest. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0478_desert-varnish.jpg
  • Hike through Grand Wash, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0482_Grand-Wash.jpg
  • Hike through Grand Wash, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture.
    1503SW-0493_sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Hike through Grand Wash, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture.
    1503SW-0497_sandstone-pattern.jpg
  • Hike through Grand Wash, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0504_Grand-Wash.jpg
  • A miniature double arch erodes in Grand Wash, in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Capitol Reef National Park is centered upon the 100-mile-long Waterpocket Fold, the steep eastern limb of the Circle Cliffs Uplift, formed in Late Cretaceous time, during the Laramide Orogeny. Pressure caused by the subduction of the Farallon Plate beneath the North American Plate along the west coast caused several huge folds like this in southeast Utah, USA. Steeply tilted Triassic and Jurassic rocks form the hogbacks of the Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef, which is built of dark-red dune-formed Wingate Sandstone, thinly bedded river deposits of the Kayenta Formation, crested by the massive, white, dune-formed Navajo Sandstone.
    1503SW-0512_tiny-sandstone-arch.jpg
  • Three Sisters hoodoos. Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0514_Three-Sisters-hoodoos.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0517_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • A panorama of hoodoos (mushroom-shaped rock pinnacles) fills Goblin Valley State Park, in the San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA. The park is in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville in central Utah. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. Mount Ellen, at the northern end of the Henry Mountains, rises on the right (south). This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0518-25pan_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0529_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • A quadcopter drone buzzes noisily above Goblin Valley State Park, San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA. While I was quietly absorbed in taking pictures of the amazing Goblin Valley, behind me the sudden sound of a swarm of angry insects made me jump in fright. I then spotted the annoying source: a quadcopter drone piloted under remote control by a distant person who was recording me and the State Park scenery with a flying camera. I suggest that use of drones should be banned in pristine, formerly-quiet natural areas such as State and National Parks, with the exception of special flying permits charged a fee to support the park.
    1503SW-0543_quadcopter-drone.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0547_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0550_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0552_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0553_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0560_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0571_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • A boy in yellow shirt runs through a panorama of hoodoos in Goblin Valley State Park, in central Utah, USA. Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in fascinating Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes. This panorama was stitched from 3 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0580-82pan_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Mount Ellen, at the northern end of the Henry Mountains, rises prominently to the south of Goblin Valley State Park, in the San Rafael Swell, Utah. Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah, USA. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat.
    1503SW-0585_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Clouds cast subtle shadows across blue sky at dusk over Goblin Valley State Park, in the San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA.
    1503SW-0593_blue-sky-shadows.jpg
  • Sunrise illuminates our campervan in Goblin Valley State Park Campground, San Rafael Swell, in central Utah, USA. Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes.
    1503SW-0597-p1_Goblin-Valley-Campgro...jpg
  • Sunrise illuminates our campervan in Goblin Valley State Park Campground, San Rafael Swell, in central Utah, USA. Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of rock (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes. This panorama was stitched from 6 overlapping photos.
    1503SW-0597-603pan_Goblin-Valley-Cam...jpg
  • Sunrise in the Campground at Goblin Valley State Park, San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA. Admire fanciful hoodoos, mushroom shapes, and rock pinnacles in Goblin Valley State Park, in Emery County between the towns of Green River and Hanksville, in central Utah. The Goblin rocks eroded from Entrada Sandstone, which is comprised of alternating layers of sandstone (cross-bedded by former tides), siltstone, and shale debris which were eroded from former highlands and redeposited in beds on a former tidal flat.
    1503SW-0605_Goblin-Valley.jpg
  • Sandstone erodes into honeycomb depressions in Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture.
    1503SW-0619_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • Sandstone erodes into honeycomb depressions in Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture.
    1503SW-0622_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • Sandstone erodes into honeycomb depressions in Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture.
    1503SW-0623_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • A white salt crust forms an abstract pattern over orange-red sandstone in Crack Canyon, in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA.
    1503SW3-055_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • A hiker explores the beautiful slot of Crack Canyon on public federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0628_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • A hiker explores the beautiful slot of Crack Canyon on public federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0629_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • A hiker explores the beautiful slot of Crack Canyon on public federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0631_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • Explore the beautiful sandstone slot of Crack Canyon on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0633_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • A hiker explores beautiful Crack Canyon on public federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. As part of the Colorado Plateau, the San Rafael Swell is a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone (160-175 million years old) that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60-40 million years ago. Since then, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, and buttes. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0638_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0640_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • Intricate honeycombs of weathered sandstone decorate Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW3-063_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • A miniature arche erodes from orange and pink sandstone in Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0647_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
  • Driftwood lodges into the sandstone honeycomb weathered over time in Crack Canyon, on federal BLM land in San Rafael Swell, near Goblin Valley State Park, Utah, USA. Honeycomb weathering: rainwater soaks into sandstone, dissolves its cement, and redeposits it near the surface as the water evaporates, forming a resistant outer layer, pockmarked with holes into the soft inner layers enlarged by wind and moisture. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers American public lands.
    1503SW-0662_Crack-Canyon_pattern.jpg
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Portfolio of Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com

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