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Dead Horse State
Park and Canyonlands National Park entrances are located together a
few miless north of Moab. The extremeties of the parks involve
driving up to the Island in the Sky area of the park and will take
most of the day to visit. As you enter the Island in the Sky
area you have an overview of the Shafer Trail, leading back to Potash
Road and Moab. This road is only suitable for 4x4 vehicles and
drivers with no regard for their own safety! |
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As can be seen
from this photo, the Shafer Trail is narrow and has a sheer cliff
alongside. Not much room to pass another vehicle or to navigate
in rain or snow! |
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You can hardly see
this lizard amongst the browns of the wood, foliage and sandy soil. |
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The dark brown
nodules on the sandy soil is Cryptobiotic crust. Cryptobiotic
soil crust is a living groundcover that forms the foundation of high
desert plant life throughout canyon country. This knobby, black crust
is formed and loose soil particles are joined together, and an
otherwise unstable surface becomes very resistant to both wind and
water erosion. |
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Best photographed
at sunrise, Mesa Arch provides a grand view of Dead Horse State
Park. We arrived around lunchtime, but still enjoyed the vista. |
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Upheaval Dome was
caused by either salt erosion or a meteorite - nobody knows
which. It is within a massive hole and forms a dramatic feature
within the landscape. |
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Looking back
towards Moab you can see the La Sal Mountains and the emerald blue
evaporation ponds from the salt company's excavations. |
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