After a quick picnic lunch, I headed out on the 1 1/2 mile East Rim Trail. I was immediately blown away by the view. As you can see, it was a picture perfect day, with temps in the low 60s.
The blue pools you see in the distance are potash evaporation ponds. There is a potash mine, and they use water to bring the potash to surface. After it dries in the sun, they collect the potash salts that are used for fertilizer. Here's a better photo of the basin.
Oh, here's a little bit of trivia. You know the movie Thelma And Louise? At the end of the film, they are supposed to be at Canyonlands National Park and drive off a cliff. Well, the car actually went off the cliff at Dead Horse State Park! If you watch the movie clip, you'll see some of the above views in the background! And, in a funny coincidence, they were filming some sort of movie at the park while I was there. I guess I should have asked what the title was.
For the return trip, I took the 2 1/2 miles West Rim Trail. I added a few spur trails to get some additional views. It was well worth the extra hiking. Here's two more panoramic shots from the Meander Overlook and the Shafer Canyon Overlook.
While I was walking along the trails, I kept seeing Hopi Chipmunks. But, they were too fast and didn't stay still long enough for me to get a pic. I DID get a couple of other animals, though. I think this is a Side Blotched Lizard. And, I also got a sweet photo of a Cordilleran Flycatcher...the first time I've seen one of these!
Tomorrow, I'm planning another early wakeup. I'll be visiting one of my favorite parks, Arches National Park. I have a pretty long hike on my itinerary, but I plan to take it slow since I have the whole day.
1 comment:
Absolutely gorgeous! I can almost hear the silence except for maybe a breeze or bird. Scenes like that make one realize just how small and insignificant we really are. I just LOVE how Mother Nature humbles us! :-)
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