Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Day 16 Capital Reef & Goblin Valley


Capital Reef NP encompasses a 100 mile long fault called the Waterpocket Fold.

The rocks are tilted on the west side exposing the rock layers creating a wall or Reef'. The central valley has depressions to hold water and the capital comes from ...

The Capital Dome

Capital Reef has the most dramatic color layers and types of rock than the others we've seen.

There's a wide variety of strata in the rocks, horizontal & vertical layers, tilted & texture,

alternating with white, red, gray, brown and even green.


This was the 1st of the Tan-Brown- Grey rock layers we've seen.


There were some arches, petroglyphs & rocks on Capital Gorge road but I didn't want to drive another 20 miles of gravel.

Navaho Dome

This brown banded stata is about 6"-24" wide. It was a small band of rock that we only saw in certain sections of the reef face.


Some wild erosion.

Wanda took some great photos

1 of 3 mule deer we saw

We left Capital Reef for about a 2 hour drive through the desert.

We stopped at the Hollow Mountain gas station for a break. They actually hollowed out the hill for the store, bathrooms, garage for service !
Goblin Valley is about as far away from anything as we've ever been.
Barren desert for 50 - 75 miles in any direction.

Wanda's 1st impression was that we were walking on the Moon or Mars, like we were on another planet.

Goblins as far as you could see in this enclosed little valley.

Goblins and Molly's Castle in the background.

The wild green green rocks are such a contrast with the brown.

Like brown chocolate formed into hard marshmallow mushrooms.

Rows and rows in some areas
and a jumble of shapes in others.

Walking through the maze of goblins would get you lost except you could see the flag at the picnic area as a point of reference to find your way back.

We wandered around looking for unique shapes and faces in the rocks.

A sneering duck & baby ducks

Elephant

The Skull
2 faces - a guy w/ moustache & beard and ?
Mushroom Crown

Flattened Richard Nixon

Three birds.

We could have spent all day wandering thru the rocks. It was a very intimate experience with rocks. This was certainly one of the best 4th of July's we've ever had!


















































































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