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Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point is in the Canyonlands area of Moab. It is a remarkable area, with sweeping and dramatic vistas. Superb views of the Colorado River far below, highlighted by the red rock, and offset by the greenery from a recent rain. Beautiful.
This morning Les Cook joined us for a 5 mile hike along the west rim, followed by a return along the east rim. So we got to see both sides of this magnificent canyon. The enormous vistas, and deep drop offs, make you feel insignificant.
Twisted dead trees attest to the savage nature of this land
Les enjoying the canyon views
Green river, far below on the horizon
Romola giving additional beauty to the canyon
A stunted tree in front of an expansive view
Recent rain left puddles
You can see for miles and miles
Colorado River carving its way down the canyon
Canyonlands National Park
Although we’ve been to Moab before, we’ve never been to Canyonlands NP so it was high time we went. We left mid afternoon so we could get late light, especially because I hoped to get some sunset pictures. We took our sunset pictures at the Green River overlook, and although the sunset was not the most spectacular, we got some nice pictures.
We started at Grand View, aptly named because the view is just spectacular. You look down into the valley below, and further into the canyons carved by the Colorado and Green rivers. We stopped and hiked at several locations to get as much in as we could.
Another short hike took us to Arch View. Pictures of this Arch are some of the popular sunrise photographs that you will see all over Moab. Although not as spectacular in the afternoon, it still was quite a site to see this arch, perched right at the edge of a 1,000 ft. drop off.
But I think for us the most spectacular view was of Upheaval Dome. To get there, you have to traverse a short but steep climb, at which you are greeted with an unusual sight. Inside a huge crater is a strange upthrust of greenish rock. In fact, popular theory has it that this was a meteor, hence the crater and the strange colored rock found nowhere else.
Anyway, if you have a chance to visit Canyonlands, do it. It’s worth the trip.
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- Finally, the sunset is painting the sky
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- Dramatic monument, sunset, and shadows
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- Every view seem better than the one before
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- The sunset is beginning to color the cliffs
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- The strange upthrust in the middle of the Dome
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- Upheaval Dome from the rim
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- Looking through Arch View to the cliffs beyond
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- Arch view
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- A view of the Grand View wall
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- Different shape rocks make every view unique
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- And, here Romola is viewing the grand vistas
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- Romola is peeping through a gap in some huge rocks
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- I like the look of this solitary tree against the enormous background
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- Another look into the canyons
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- A closer look at the formations in the canyons
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- Looking down from Grand View into the canyons
Our visit to Canyonlands NP was spectacular.
