Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Colorado National Monument




Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument high country rises over 2,000 feet above the grand valley of the Colorado River. The monument is situated at the upper edge of the uplift of the greater Colorado Plateau. The Rocky Rim Road that travels 23 miles through this camp was built primarily by workers in the CCC camps during the Depression years. We listened to a knowledgeable park ranger who reiterated the history of when and how this road was built by these young men, many like Grampy Sylvester who seeked employment with the government through such a difficult time in our country’s history. This is the same uplift which created the geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks. It is a semi-desert area with many pinyon pine and Utah juniper trees. It has been quite the experience looking at the formations caused by the great uplift from Northern Arizona through Utah to Colorado. I must say we now know more about geology than we ever expected to learn about. Once we got into the rock formations it was difficult not to keep going and witness these marvels as we traveled through these national parks.

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