Dead Horse Point State Park
Wednesday 28 September, 2022
Sunrise view into Canyonlands from Dead Horse Point. Photo by Eric.
Dead Horse Point State Park lies on a ridge with outstanding views down into Canyonlands National Park.
I posed at the monument sign for Eric.
Why is it called "Dead Horse Point?" Everyone wants to know. The "legend," according to the Utah Department of Parks and Recreation, is that cowboys used the narrow neck just north of the point for culling herds of horses. They would separate the horses they didn't want at that neck, and then fence it off, leaving the unwanted horses to die of thirst looking out over the Colorado River. Park volunteers and rangers are quick to say that this is only a legend, that this horrific story may not actually be true. Knowing what I know of European settlement of the Western Hemisphere, however, I see no reason to doubt the story.
Our first night camping at Dead Horse Point, I made my way out to the point in the dark to photograph the Milky Way over the canyon.
It was easy for me to find my way back for sunrise.
Eric's views of the sunlight coming over the ridge were tremendous.
The Colorado River continuing to carve the canyon.
Sunrise from Dead Horse Point.
Detail down into the canyon. Old mining roads scar the canyon.
Views down into the canyon.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources gave us a generous camp check-out time of 12:00. We returned to camp after the sunrise shoot for a hot chicken sausage breakfast and to pack up our gear.
Before leaving the Canyonlands area, we hiked some of the rim trails in Dead Hose Point State park. Eric found this large lizard.
Eric liked this balanced rock.
Views from the overlook at Dead Horse Point.
A windowed rock.
Looking down from Basin Overlook.
The river cuts through the canyon.
Eric took my picture at Basin Overlook.
Eric's view from Basin Overlook.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources had left a geocache for us to find along the trail.
Under gray skies, we drove Mather out over yet another state line, to yet another amazing park.
On to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.