November 5, 2022
DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK
UT-313, Moab, UT 84532
“Dead Horse Point State Park is a state park of Utah in the United States, featuring a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. The park covers 5,362 acres of high desert at an altitude of 5,900 feet.” - Wikipedia
At the urging of a friend, I decided to check out Dead Horse Point State Park. Before I talk about my trip, let’s talk about the park’s name. “According to one legend, the point was once used as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa. Cowboys rounded up these horses and herded them across the narrow neck of land onto the point. The neck, which is only 30 yards wide, was then fenced off with branches and brush, creating a natural corral surrounded by precipitous cliffs. The cowboys then chose the horses they wanted and, for reasons unknown, left the other horses corralled on the waterless point, where they died of thirst within view of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below.” (Source: Dead Horse State Park Brochure)
Upon entering the park by car, you happen upon the visitor center. Walking toward the building you get your first glimpse of the canyon below. The view was breathtaking. The canyon seemed closer than it did when I visited Canyonlands National Park, which is right next door. From the visitor center I drove about 1.5 miles to Dead Horse Point, which is the end of the line. The observation deck and trails overlooked the Colorado River and the vast canyon. Again, the views were breathtaking.
While the views I experienced were stunning, to truly enjoy this park one needs to hike some of the trails. It appears there are some easy trails, and then progressively more difficult ones. Had the temperatures not been in the 40°s again, I may have tried walking one or two, as I believe a hike or two would have really enhanced my visit. Though, I was not disappointed with what I did see. I could see camping in this park and then spending a couple days hiking Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park for some spectacular views.
On my way to the park I stopped and took pictures of these two impressive buttes. They are named the Merrimac and the Monitor Buttes after the Civil War ironclad ships of the same name.
I thought the dark areas look like someone had painted a mural. Again, Mother Nature is a wonderful artist.
The view from the Visitor Center
The blue pond areas are solar evaporation ponds used by a local mining company to "harvest" salt from below the surface. A local refinery transforms this concentrated form of potassium chloride into plant fertilizer.
The Colorado River
I'm sure this formation has a name, but I don't know what it is.
The Colorado River
I thought these formations looked interesting.
These people are actually on one of the trails in the park.
The Colorado River
Dead Horse Point
This a photograph I took on the drive back to Moab.