Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah, USA - a dark tale and spectacular views

We visit Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah, USA. From Dead Horse Point, we have fantastic views of the red rock landscape and the Colorado River, which has shaped this rugged landscape. The 180-degree bend of the Colorado River far below us is particularly impressive. Today's weather makes the panorama appear dramatic and gloomy, fitting the sad legend of Dead Horse Point. On the way back to Moab, we make a detour to the Colorado Riverway Recreation Area and drive on a scenic route directly along the Colorado River.

It takes just over half an hour to drive from Moab to Dead Horse Point State Park. The weather today is gloomy, the sky is gray, there's a strong wind blowing, and the atmosphere is correspondingly oppressive and melancholy. Not the bright orange-red you'd normally find on the Colorado Plateau, but rather a dull brown and ochre that makes the canyons appear even more dramatic. But that fits the sad legend of Dead Horse Point! We're here on a high mesa, connected to the rest of the world only by a narrow land bridge called "The Neck." In the late 19th century, cowboys took advantage of the terrain's natural features to round up wild mustangs. They chased the horses onto the rocky outcrop and blocked the narrow neck of land, trapping the animals on the mountain. They then selected the horses they could use for breeding or riding. The other animals were left there to die of thirst, while the waters of the Colorado River flowed directly beneath them—out of reach! A sinister story that lends the landscape an additional, almost ghostly touch. The view from the Dead Horse Point Overlook of the river's famous horseshoe bend, almost 600 m (2000 ft) below us, is nevertheless absolutely breathtaking—perhaps precisely because of the clouds. The gloom lends the scene incredible depth. And bright sunshine really wouldn't fit the barbaric story!

In addition to the rocks and canyons, we can also see two lakes deep below, which seem somewhat unreal in the barren landscape. These are the Potash Ponds, artificial basins for the extraction of potash (potassium carbonate). The water, rich in potassium salts, evaporates due to sunlight. The remaining salts, the potash, are used for various industrial purposes, such as fertilizer or for the production of glass and soap.

We walk around Dead Horse Point on the Rim Trail and head back towards Moab. Now we want to see the Colorado River up close, having only seen it from above so far. Therefore, just before Moab, we turn off and drive a little further along the Colorado. The red rocks are impressive even from below. At one point, we stop and walk to the banks of the Colorado. The river is the longest in the Southwest and the lifeline of the region. However, it is heavily used for dams and irrigation, so practically no water reaches its mouth anymore. It is considered the most endangered river in the USA, as it is slowly drying up due to climate change and excessive water extraction.

Our time in Moab is coming to an end! We spent some wonderful days here and saw and experienced a lot.    • Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA - Isl...      • Arches National Park, Utah, USA - explorin...      • Delicate Arch Trail, Arches NP, Utah - Hik...  

Tomorrow we'll leave Moab and continue north!

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You can find the complete channel playlist about our stay in the USA here:    • USA Roadtrip  

Visit in May 2024

Chapter:
00:00 Intro
00:41 Dead Horse Point State Park
09:40 Drive along the Colorado River
12:06 Outro