Tag Archive: desert

Sandstone Cave in Stormy Weather – Moab – Utah

Sandstone Cave in Stormy Weather - Moab - Utah

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This view comes from a failed attempt to build modern “cliff dwelling” in the famous sandstone cliffs of southern Utah. As the story goes, the man who constructed this was doing it in violation of Bureau of Land Management rules, and to make matters worse, the sandstone was of a variety to soft for hazard free living. Evidence within the cave makes it clear the structure will eventually cave in on itself. In any event it made for a nice shelter from a spring storm outside of Moab. In the distance you can see the storm clouds approaching and the green fields of a farm that hugs the banks of the Colorado River. The fields, the storm, cave opening and sandstone all made for a beautiful contrast.

See more images from the Colorado River watershed.

Golden Canyon Sunrise – Death Valley – California

Golden Canyon Sunrise - Death Valley - California

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The entrance to Golden Canyon in Death Valley National Park in California as the sun rises. The image combines the warmer yellow tones of the rising sun on the desert canyon with the cool blue tones of the remaining shadow.

If this place feels familiar, its because millions of people have seen it before. Golden Canyon stands in as the part of Tatoonie where R2-D2 is moving alone through Jawa Canyon at sunset, during Episode 4, Star Wars: a New Hope.

Topock Marsh Sunrise – Needles, California

Needles Sunrise - Topock Marsh - Lake Havasu

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The Needles, which rise as silhouetted rock pinnacles in this sunrise photo are a group of mountain peaks adjacent to Topock Gorge, and the Colorado River on the northwestern edge of the Mohave Mountains. They range in height from 1207 to 1600 feet. They are reflected in the foreground by the water of Topock Marsh, created with the establishment of Lake Havasu, a dammed section of the Colorado River. As part of the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, Topock Marsh serves as critical habitat for migratory waterfowl, songbirds, fish, and other wildlife (including my first sighting that morning of a Bobcat in the wild). Topock Marsh and Lake Havasu form the border of California and Arizona and offer a beautiful oasis of life in the harsh Mojave and Sonoran deserts.

US Fish and Wildlife Service – Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
State of Arizona – Lake Havasu State Park
See more images from the Colorado River watershed.