Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, Utah

While in Moab, Utah, we visited Dead Horse Point State Park which was on the same road to Canyonlands National Park. 

 

According to one legend, around the turn of the century, the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa top. Cowboys rounded up these horses, herded them across the narrow neck of land and onto the point. The neck, which is only 30-yards-wide, was then fenced off with branches and brush. This created a natural corral surrounded by precipitous cliffs straight down on all sides, affording no escape. Cowboys then chose the horses they wanted and let the culls or broomtails go free. One time, for some unknown reason, horses were left corralled on the waterless point where they died of thirst within view of the Colorado River, 2,000 feet below.  (Source Utah State Parks)

The views from the park were spectacular and we ended up walking the trail from the visitor center along the East Rim Trail to Dead Horse Point Overlook (about 4 miles round trip). 

The water on the right way off in the distance is the Colorado River

The water in the distance is the Solar Evaporation Ponds

Solar evaporation ponds are used in the process of mining potash. The mine is currently owned and operated by Intrepid Potash Inc., and the ponds cover about 400 acres of land.  

Potash, a water-soluble potassium salt, is solution mined from the Paradox Formation more than 3,000 feet below the ground. Water from the Colorado River is injected down through a well into the potash-bearing strata, where it dissolves the salts. The resulting brine is extracted from a different well and pumped into the evaporation ponds. 

Blue dye is added to the water to enhance evaporation. The dye increases the absorption of sunlight and therefore increases the rate of evaporation. As evaporation progresses, the ponds become shallower and turn shades of light blue while the potash precipitates out of solution and is deposited on the bottom of the pond. The ponds turn a tannish brown color when nearly all the water has evaporated and the potash is ready to be harvested.

 Here is more info from the Utah Geological Survey about the process:  https://geology.utah.gov/map-pub/survey-notes/glad-you-asked/glad-you-asked-what-are-those-blue-ponds-near-moab/

 

Dead Horse Point State Park is also known as the "Grand Canyon Stunt Double" since it's not allowed to film movies inside the Grand Canyon.  The final scene from "Thelma and Louise" was filmed at DHPSP.

More details about the filming of the movie:   https://www.visitutah.com/plan-your-trip/recommended-itineraries/thelma-louise-road-trip

From Dead Horse Point Overlook, we had a great view of a giant bend in the Colorado River.

We also took notice of vehicles driving down below and wondered what that was all about.  Well, we sure found out as we did the Shafer Canyon drive which I wrote about in the Canyonlands entry. 

Can you spot the white vehicle on the dirt road.  He was way.....down there!

During our visit to the park I completed another Junior Ranger program and was sworn in and received my badge.  We celebrated by having ice cream!

We had a great visit to Dead Horse Point State Park and highly recommend it when visiting Moab, Utah.  Next entry will be about our visit to Arches National Park.