Unraveling the Geological Mysteries of Canyonlands National Park

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Ever wondered how the majestic landscapes of Canyonlands National Park came to be? Join me, the Natural Medic, as I unravel the geological mysteries etched into the breathtaking vistas of the Islands in the Sky District. From the dizzying heights of the Grand Viewpoint Overlook, feast your eyes on the intricate canyons crafted by the Colorado River, where the river's legacy has carved stories into the very rocks we stand upon. We'll traverse the historical White Rim Road, peering into the storied layers of Kayenta and Wingate, and marvel at the stoic LaSalle Mountains towering in the background. Even without stepping foot on every trail, the allure of the park's hidden gems, like the Mesa Arch and the enigmatic upheaval dome, will captivate your imagination.

As we navigate these awe-inspiring terrains, we'll delve into the mystery that surrounds the upheaval dome—an ongoing debate of meteorite impact versus salt dome uplift that keeps scientists on their toes. Despite time constraints, the thrill of potential future explorations keeps the adventure alive in our hearts. Picture yourself on the challenging syncline loop trail or discovering the arches that rival those of the famed Arches National Park. Whether you're a geology enthusiast or an outdoor adventurer, this episode promises an invigorating blend of natural wonder and scientific intrigue, sparking a sense of wanderlust for one of nature's most outstanding phenomena.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello there, this is the Natural Medic.
I'm at Canyonlands NationalPark, the Islands in the Sky
District, and I'm at Grand Point.
Overlook, let's take a look.
Whoa, look at that, Isn't thatcrazy?
So what you're looking at isthe Colorado River Canyon.
The river is cut so deeply youcan't even see the river.

(00:24):
Before 1921, the portion of theColorado River above the Green
River was known as the GrandRiver.
That's why they call this theGrand Viewpoint.
Down here, directly in front ofus, you have the Totem Pole.
In the distance, you have theAjo Mountains, the Needles
District of the Canyonlands,which I was at yesterday, and

(00:50):
you have the confluence it's wayover there, off to the right,
looking this way which JohnWesley Powell mapped in 1869,
which is where the joining ofthe Green River and the Colorado
River happens.
If you look down on the edge,there's a road down there called

(01:12):
the White Rim Road.
It's a 100 mile road that goesaround the park, this district
of the park, and you can take itby mountain bike or by
four-wheel drive vehicle.
It usually takes about two daysto do it.
You've got to take care of yourown supplies and be pretty much
self-sustainable in order to doit.
You can see it running out pastthe canyon right there, along

(01:34):
with a number of mining roads.
Speaking of carving thosecanyons, this is a diagram here
showing the different visiblerock layers.
This is a diagram here showingthe different visible rock
layers Over here.

(01:56):
Topmost layer is the Kayenta,the Wingate, the Chinle, the
Moenkopi, White Rim, Organ Rock,Cedar Mesa and there are some
other ones that may not bevisible but spires that have
formed those spires which we'lllook at in just a second.
They have a hard cap rock ontop, along with the flat
portions of the canyon topswhich have kind of formed some
mesas and things like that.
And of course we are herestanding right there.

(02:18):
But if you look down thereagain, you can see those spires
with the caps on top.
You can see the hard top wherethe White Rim Road goes and you
can see other areas as well.
Over here to our left is theLaSalle Mountains, which we've
been seeing the entire week I'vebeen here, or the entire few

(02:48):
days I've been here, which arearound the side of Moab.
You can see them from archesvery clearly and they reach a
height of 12,721 feet.
The White Rim Sandstone is ahard layer that follows the edge
of the canyons.
As you see, if you want tofurther explore I'm not doing
this today you can go down thistrail here and hike along the

(03:11):
rim of the canyon here.
Pretty cool, all right.
The other end of the road thereis the upheaval dome.
I'm not gonna be able to do anyof the trail today.
I'm running out of time, butthis is what it looks like and
you have several trails that getyou a good view of it.
I'm not going to have time todo any of them.
The first overlook is a milelong, takes an hour round trip.

(03:37):
Second overlook is 1.8 and 1.5hour round trip.
Then, if you do the entiresyncline loop trail, which I'm
assuming is a loop all the wayaround here, including over
there behind the ridge, and thattakes six to eight hours and
it's 8.3 miles in a 1300 footelevation change, I would love

(04:00):
to do that, but today don't havethe time.
Definitely want to come anothertime, but anyway, they don't
really know what happened.
Scientists have hypothesizedthat it's a remnant of a
meteorite impact or a salt domeuplift, and the recent evidence
favors an impact hypothesis.
So who really knows?

(04:23):
And I'm not going to get to seeit until my next trip out here,
so stay tuned for that.
Okay.
So Mesa Arch.
Unfortunately I won't be ableto go on that one either, but I
will another time.
It is not the only.
The famous arches are not onlyin Arches National Park, but

(04:43):
they are also in Canyonlands.
This is a short, relativelyeasy trail.
It's a half a mile loop, takesabout 30 minutes to do it and
it's located that way.
Another time I will do it.
It is a half a mile loop, takesabout 30 minutes to do it and
it's located that way.
Another time I will do it.
It is a natural Stone arch thathas been here for a long time
and eventually it's going tocollapse, like other arches, but
right now we can enjoy it.

(05:04):
On to the next spot.
Okay for our final trick here.
In a overview of the island inthe sky district of Canyonlands
National Park, you're looking atSchaefer Road.
It comes around this little bendhere in a place called the Neck
.
It goes down and then you cansee right here.

(05:25):
That's pretty wild.
Not something you want to do inthe wintertime, but other times

(05:47):
of the year probably a prettyfun ride.
You can definitely see why theycall Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands, because when youlook at the grand viewpoint fun
ride, you can definitely see whythey call Canyonlands National
Park Canyonlands, because whenyou look at the grand viewpoint
you can see how the rivers havecut into the landscape and given
the area a unique spot.
Unfortunately, the weather andtime was encroaching upon my

(06:10):
visit, so I hope to get outthere another time time and
actually I would like to drivethat road around the, the white
rim road around the canyon rim.
That would be amazing.
Um, anyway, hope you enjoyedthis video if you did give it a
thumbs up so I can get out tomore people.
And until next time, pleaseleave your comments below and

(06:31):
I'll see you next time.