Dead Horse Point State Park

Utah has so much to see and such large parcels of public lands. There are 5 national parks and numerous national monuments and state parks.

Saturday, June 17, was a transit day as we moved east from Torrey into Moab, UT. Our base camp for 4 days is Canyonlands RV Park on the north end of Moab. I'll provide a review of this campground in a few days.

Sunday, June 18, we took a break from the National Parks to visit Dead Horse Point State Park. Sitting between Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse presents multiple viewpoints of another Colorado River-carved canyon rivaling Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon but on a much smaller scale. Dead Horse Point is a 30-yard wide mesa high above the river - mostly rock and scrubby trees with gorgeous views of the canyon below. There is a legend about this place: Years ago, cowboys would round up the wild Mustangs that grazed the range at the top of the mesa and use the narrow point as a way to coral the ponies. They blocked off the narrow part of the mesa with dead trees and brush. Between the rim and the "fence", the ponies were contained within the coral. The stories vary, but on one occasion, for an unknown reason, the cowboys left the ponies in the coral and did not return for them. Without food and water the Mustangs died. Sad story- if it's true.

One unique thing about Dead Horse Point: it provides the broadest view of the Colorado River from its rim trail as the river meanders through the canyon it created.

In the background, beyond Moab, are the La Sal Mountains.