Southwest 2021-13: Moab, Utah: Dead Horse Point and Grandstaff Trail

 March 19-20, 2021

    Doug had heard of Dead Horse Point, also near Moab, so off we went. A few miles past the entrance to Arches National Park we turned west on 313 and followed it for 22 miles to Dead Horse Point. 

Like Arches National Park, the formations on 

nearby 313 were also stunning.

    Passing colorfully striped cliffs typical of the area, 313 climbs steeply and goes through several switchbacks the first fewmiles. Then it travels across the top of a mesa.

     The Colorado Plateau that encompasses this area was created by centuries of accumulation of sediment—the layers of color seen in the cliffs—brought by wind and water, plus volcanic eruptions and erosion. 

    Much of the land surrounding Moab is BLM land. In fact, 42% of the state of Utah is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Like the campground we stayed in, Grandstaff, along the Colorado River, there are numerous other BLM Campgrounds in the Moab area. We drove through one located on top of a mesa with no protection from the wind. We were glad to be down by the river.

La Sal Mountains

    We had splendid views again of "Marilyn's" La Sal Mountains, which the Dead Horse Point State Park brochure describes perfectly: "Volcanic activity formed the high mountains that rise like cool, blue islands out of the hot, dry desert."

    At about 15 miles on 313, you can go straight, to Canyonlands National Park Island in the Sky Visitor Center, or turn left as we did, to go to Dead Horse Point.

The Infamous Neck and Dead Horse Point

    Legend has it that in the late-19th century, cowboys used to round up wild horses and drive them across the narrow—only 30 yards wide—neck of land that opened onto a somewhat larger area. They fenced the point off with branches and brush across the "neck." They didn't need to worry about the other sides as they were already "fenced" by the 2,000-foot drop down the sheer cliff faces to the Colorado River. The cowboys culled the horses they wanted and sometimes, apparently, rather than setting the others free again, left them to die of thirst.

    Arrived at Dead Horse Point, we walked along the rim of another amazing gorge formed by the Colorado River. We could not get enough of the views of the river wending its way below, the buttes in the canyon, and the cliffs across the canyon.

Colorado River 2,000 feet below us at Dead Horse Point.

The Moab Adventure Center website says it all: 

"Wait, that's not the Grand Canyon?"

Bright Blue Areas Are Solar Evaporation Ponds 

from the nearby Mine

Marring the view are bright blue ponds that use the sun, water, and blue dye to extract potash to convert to fertilizer.

La Sal Mountains in the background. Colorado River below.

We saw a few vehicles on the 4WD drive road far below crossing Shafer Basin. Obviously Doug was ready to go.

    Potash Road begins a few miles north of Moab off 191 and goes to several BLM campsites along the Colorado River. There are also petroglyphs, dinosaur tracks, rock climbing areas, and arches. At 15 miles, it becomes the 4WD road across Shafer Basin, seen in the picture above, ending at Island in the Sky in Canyonlands National Park.

Twin Buttes, driving back down the hill

to the main road to Moab.

Another balanced rock.

We may not have seen dinosaur tracks, 

but we did pass some feuding dinosaurs.

    Our last day in Moab was the day of the Canyonlands Half Marathon, which is run on the River Road where we were camped at Grandstaff Campground. That meant the road would be closed.  Grandstaff Trail starts across the street from the campground, and the previous days, the two parking lots for the trailhead had been jammed. So half-marathon day was the perfect day to hike the trail!

Marilyn picks her way along Grandstaff Trail.

The 4.4-mile out-and-back trail requires lots of balance crossing multiple streams on stones and edging up and down along rocks, which might be wet, slippery, muddy, and/or sandy.

The trail passes by this cave. 

At the end of Grandstaff  Trail is a view of 243-foot-long Morning Glory Bridge, which looks like an arch, but is technically a bridge because it was formed by water flowing uner it. An arch is formed by weathering processes. 

We were glad for hiking poles...and envious of younger folks who fairly skipped along the trail.

Resting area with shade and sounds of the stream below.

Marilyn decided about halfway there that going on would not be wise, given the terrain we'd already traversed. 

Doug taking it easy when we decided not to go further.

We rested while, enjoying the sounds of wind and rippling water.

We encountered a few groups who had rappelled from the cliffs and were taking the trail back to the road.

Amazing and colorful rock formations are everywhere, 

not just in the nearby national parks.

 

    It was clear on our way back down the trail that the half marathon was over and the road had been reopened, for we ran into more and more people. 

    Around 5:oo PM, our friends' daughter and 9-year-old grandson headed out to do the Grandstaff Trail. They made  the 4.5-mile roundtrip hike to Morning Glory Bridge in about 90 minutes. Ah, to be younger.  

    The next day, we'd regrettably have to leave Moab and head south.