Uncovering the Beauty and History of the Colorado River

I described Route 128, that follows the Colorado River to Moab in Utah. It's a scenic route that I had driven some five years ago, but I had never continued to follow the river from that point. So in the early morning, I continued from where I had arrived in Moab on a locally known route as Potash Road. The river is beautiful here, gently flowing through a magical landscape on a sunny morning. I enjoyed finding colorful flowers on the river bank, especially since I hadn't seen any blooms yet in Ottawa, where I had left when there was still a thick layer of snow.

I stopped at a climbing area known as Wall Street, spoke to some of the guys from West Virginia climbing there, and witnessed their impressive skills. It must be an exciting experience, and I was blown away by their abilities but was convinced this was not something I would ever do.

Another highlight of the Potash Road is the many prehistoric native american rock art panels in numerous locations. The rock art found here is believed to have been created during the Archaic (6,000-1,000 B.C.) and Fremont (450-1300 A.D.) periods. The petroglyphs are pecked or carved onto rock surfaces, usually in areas with a dark patina called "desert varnish." I found animal and human-like figures, circles, and abstract lines or shapes.

One of the most impressive rock art panels is the "Bear Panel," which depicts a hunting scene. A large bear figure is shown, with several small human figures pointing bows and arrows at the animal. The petroglyphs surrounding the bear are likely associated with the Fremont period, while the bear is of an unknown style. Many archaeologists believe the panel could be related to a protohistoric group of Ute or Paiute Indians, as bears were associated with sacred ceremonies and dances in their culture.

Potash Road is also a perfect location to look for the tracks of small to large theropod (meat-eating) dinosaurs. Experts love this spot, where the unique tracks provide a glimpse into the past for paleontologists. They see far more than visitors like me. They can understand the approximate size of the animal, the speed it was moving, the direction it was heading, and other interesting observations about its daily life that they would not be able to learn from bones alone. The track slabs look like they are exposed on their side for tourists, but they fell from the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone cliffs.

I learned at this site that tracks of theropod dinosaurs are relatively common in the Early Jurassic rocks of the Navajo Sandstone and occur in several places around the Moab area. Although I noticed only the two big 'footsteps,' experts distinguish tracks representing up to 10 different animals in this stone.

From these larger tracks, called Eubrontes, paleontologists can tell that the animal was just over 5.6 feet tall at the hip. Some of the other animals that left traces behind would have been as small as a modern-day turkey, just 1.5 feet tall at the hip, and they moved at a speed of about three miles per hour.

---

If you got this far, I'm unsure where to go from here. I have so many travel stories to tell that I could easily change The Planet into a travel blog. But this newsletter has always been a mix of news, opinions, and personal experiences. The summer was always more for travel, and the other seasons were more about climate change and environmental challenges.

And there will be more travel this long summer which you may want to follow.

Let me know what you prefer: travel, environment news, a mix, a book, a split in two newsletters, anything else you can think of, like maybe other subjects, or just keeping it as it is. Any thoughts on frequency and length are also welcome. You can write directly (theplanet@substack.com) or use the comments button.

---

Oh, and there is that other thing: please subscribe. There is, of course, the free version, but I would appreciate more paid supporters who make it possible for others who can't afford to pay to read this publication for free.