A Survey of the Recreational Resources of the Colorado River Basin

Cover

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Summary

The Colorado River Basin

Geology

Plant and Animal Life

Prehistory of Man

Recreational Benefits of Reservoirs

Potential Reservoirs

The Grand Canyon

Canyon Lands of Southeastern Utah

Dinosaur National Monument

Conservation of Recreational Resources

Life Zone Map

Bibliography

A Survey of the Recreational Resources of the Colorado River Basin

OUTSTANDING AND UNIQUE SCENIC SECTIONS (continued)

Hole in Rock area.—From the little town of Escalante, Utah, the Straight Cliffs of the Kaiparowits Plateau point the way and Navajo Mountain marks the center of interest in the Glen Canyon section of the Colorado River country. Here is scenery, bold, stark, gigantic. Natural bridges, 300 feet high, are lost in the canyons. Great domes of sandstone around Navajo Mountain appear as a downy cushion base for the mountain. The views from the plateau and from Navajo Mountain are breath taking. Navajo Point at the southeast end of Kaiparowits Plateau, elevation 7,500, is 5 miles horizontally from the Colorado River and 4,000 feet above it. The crest of Navajo Mountain, 8 miles east of the Colorado, is 7,015 feet above the river. A few miles to the southwest is the Crossing of the Fathers where Escalante made his arduous crossing in 1776. It is one of the few Indian crossings and the first crossing used by the Mormon missionary, Jacob Hamblin, on his early trips to the Zuni Pueblos. A few miles to the north is Hole in Rock where the Mormon settlers bound for the San Juan Valley made their heroic crossing of the 1,400-foot-deep canyon of the Colorado in the winter of 1890, a crossing so difficult it was only used once and abandoned for the easier Dandy Crossing at Hite.

It is a land of natural bridges. Rainbow Bridge, the largest and most beautiful, and three others are found in the canyons around the base of Navajo Mountain. At least six fine bridges are known to exist in the twisting half-domed tributary canyons of the Escalante River. Two in Coyote Canyon, one in Willow Creek, and one in Davis Canyon have been visited by members of the survey staff. Another said to be about as large as Rainbow Bridge, was seen by the Nevills Expedition in 1940 and named by them "Gregory," in honor of Dr. Herbert Gregory, a noted American geologist.

Music Temple, famous resting point for all river expeditions since Powell's first party stopped there in 1869 for a night of singing and carved their names on the wall, is on the left side of the river between the mouth of the San Juan and Arch Canyon. North of the Escalante River Canyon is the Waterpocket Fold.

There are two unimproved roads leading to this section. From the Navajo country to the south and east there is a road to Rainbow Lodge located on the south slope of Navajo Mountain. From the lodge an 18-mile trail leads to Rainbow Bridge. From State Highway 23, the unusually scenic road between the towns of Escalante and Boulder, an automobile trail runs southeast along the base of the Straight Cliffs for 51.3 miles to Sody Tank, 6 miles west of Hole in Rock. There is a horse trail from Sody Tank up the face of the Straight Cliffs to the top of the Kaiparowits and to Hole in Rock.

Figure 97.—Southeastern end of the Kaiparowits bench and Navajo Mountain from near Sody tank.

Figure 98.—Colorado River and Navajo Mountain from the southeastern end of the Kaiparowits bench. Navajo Mountain rises 7,100 feet above the river.

Figure 99.—Hole in Rock.

Figure 100.—View across Colorado River from left side of Hole in Rock. The point where the man is standing is about 1,400 feet above the river.

Figure 101.—The Colorado River Canyon at Hole in Rock.

Figure 102.—The Crossing of the Fathers. Escalante crossed the Colorado at this point in 1776. (Air photo)

Figure 103.—The Escalante River Canyon in Hole in Rock area. (Air photo)

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Last Modified: Mon, Sep 6 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
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