Moab Off The Beaten Path Tips by Trekki

Desert Varnish

During my travels in Southwest US, I often came across these funny vertical stripes on the walls. Looked as if someone had poured down varnish from the walltop.

Later on, I learned that this indeed is called "desert varnish".

I checked the web, and found the following infos:
(for more details please check NPS.gov website, the Canyonlands' one):

Desert varnish only appears where water flows over rocks, and bacteria are present. It is composed of fine-grained clay minerals, which contain black manganese oxide and red iron oxide, or hydroxides.


Now directly from NPS/Canyonlands Website:

Desert varnish consists of clays and other particles cemented to rock surfaces by manganese emplaced and oxidized by bacteria living there. It is produced by the physiological activities of microorganisms which are able to take manganese out of the environment, then oxidize and emplace it onto rock surfaces. These microorganisms live on most rock surfaces and may be able to use both organic and inorganic nutrition sources. These manganese-oxidizing microorganisms thrive in deserts and appear to fill an environmental niche unfit for faster growing organisms which feed only on organic materials.
The sources for desert varnish components come from outside the rock, most likely from atmospheric dust and surface runoff. Streaks of black varnish often occur where water cascades over cliffs. No major varnish characteristics are caused by wind.
Thousands of years are required to form a complete coat of manganese-rich desert varnish so it is rarely found on easily eroded surfaces. A change to more acidic conditions (such as acid rain) can erode rock varnish. In addition, lichens are involved in the chemical erosion of rock varnish.

Bowtie Arch

Bowtie Arch is just besides Corona Arch - another beautiful example of arches formation here of Navajo Sandstone Sandstone.

Location of Corona Arch (in Moab area)

Map of the area around Moab - to find Corona Arch, Bowtie Arch and Pinto Arch.

Description of Corona Arch - see other off-the-beaten path tips.

The map is taken from the book:
"Hiking the Southwest's Canyon Country"
by Sandra Hinchman, published by Mountaineers.(mine is ed. 1990 and was USD 12,95 in 1996).

"The Skull"

Close to Corona Arch, I came across this very funny looking rock formation - it just looks like a big skull - ok, nose is missing.

Not yet sure of the name, still research doing on this question.

But it's near Corona Arch, just past it.

Corona Arch - one of the many arches off the park

Corona Arch, which resembles the famous Rainbow Bridge, is located out of Moab, in the west.

The arch (composed of Navajo sandstone) has around 150 feet in diameter.

To go there, you need to drive north out of Moab on US-191. Turn left at Potash Road into UT-279. The road follows the north-western bank of Colorado River, for about 10 miles. There is a sign to show where to turn right to park the car.
When hiking to Corona Arch, you will also see Pinto Arch (or Gold Bar Arch) and Bowtie Arch - and finally Corona Arch.
Round-trip hike is around 2-3 hours, moderate hiking (some steep paths).

Detailed Map is placed in a separate tip.