On the way to Canyonlands today (there are three sections; we went to the Needles area), we stopped at what is called Newspaper Rock.  The rock is perhaps 20' wide and at least as high and is full of petroglyphs.  No one knows for sure what the different symbols mean.  Some are easily recognized as buffalo, big horn sheep, circles with different symbols in the center but their meaning is unclear.  It is believed, for instance, that many hands drawn in close proximity is supposed to mean a family gathering such as a wedding.  There were so many different 'pictures' on this one rock, I wonder at their meaning and over what period of time they were put there.

We first went to the Visitor Center in Canyonlands and got information from the Ranger on several different trails.  We walked two short ones (it was hot in the sun).  At the end of the first, we saw what was once a grain storage bin set into the crevice of a rock by Native Americans.  The second was a bit more challenging (we had to climb two latters to get to higher levels) but was well worth the effort.  Again we saw petroglyphs and then a few pictographs.  It was evident that the overhang areas were used by Native Americans and one supposedly used by pioneers.  Interesting.

Example of a "needle"

Storage bin in rock crevice

A pictograph

Water seeps through this rock giving life to plants and small animals

These things belonged to some pioneer(s) who lived in this overhang area until 1875

Canyonlands is a wilderness of rock at the heart of the Colorado Plateau.  Water and gravity are the primary architects of this land, cutting flat layers of sedimentary rock into hundreds of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires.  It remains primarily untrammeled--roads are mostly unpaved, the trails primitive, and rivers free flowing.  Bighorn sheep, coyotes and other native animals roam its encompassing 527 square miles.







8/30/12

Today we left Capitol Reef and headed for Natural Bridges National Monument.  On the way we drove through Glen Canyon.  We were still seeing a lot of sandstone formations but, unlike Capitol Reef, they were almost entirely one color - reddish brown.  A pronghorn antelope ran across the road in front of us just before we reached the Glen Canyon area.  Poor thing ran into a fence after crossing and acted so confused.

There are three natural bridges in the Monument: Sipapu, the second largest natural bridge in the world; Kachina Bridge, a massive bridge which is considered the "youngest" of the three; and Owachomo Bridge which is the oldest of the three.

Sipapu Bridge

In Hopi mythology, a "sipapu" is a gateway through which souls may pass to the spirit world.

Owachomo Bridge

Kachina Bridge

Kachina is a massive bridge and is considered the youngest of the three bridges because of the thickness of its span. The relative small size of its opening and its orientation make it difficult to see from the overlook.

Owachomo means "rock mound" in Hopi and is named after the rock formation on top of the southeast end of the bridge.  This bridge could collapse at any time (the middle of arch top is relatively thin and is the most likely spot to give way and collapse the bridge).

8/29/12

Spent the day exploring Capitol Reef National Park.  The Park got it's name from one of the formations that looks like the Capitol Dome in Washington, DC.  65 million years ago, a great buckle in the Earth's crust formed that stretches across south-central Utah.  The great force, which later caused the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau, is called the Waterpocket Fold.  This Fold created a barrier, another name is a reef. Thus the name, Capitol Reef.  The Park is filled with many different formations of varying colors.  It is a truly beautiful place whose look  changes as the sun shifts in the sky.  

In addition to the sandstone formations, we saw petroglyphs that are believed to have been drawn by the Fremont tribe.  For those of you who don't know the difference between a petroglyph and a pictograph:  A petroglyph is a symbol that is 'pecked' (with a tool) into the rock; a pictograph is one that is painted on the rock.  Pictographs don't last as long as petroglyphs.

Water freezing and thawing eventually cracks the rock and pieces fall out forming a hollow like this one.

Looking down the Grand Wash

Capital  Dome

Another type of formation

The sandstone formations and structures found in Utah (primarily) are the result of this part of North America being under the sea millions of years ago.  The sand, plants, animal life and minerals in the sea plus nature's "cementing" materials plus time, volcanic activity, wind and water are the bases for all of the sandstone in its various forms here.  The black coloring that appears on some rock faces is caused by manganese. They are unsure about how it gets there - either by seepage from within the rock or airborne particles.  I vote for seepage after seeing some of the rock faces.