The Geologic Story of Colorado National Monument: Revised EditionLohman, Stanley William
Science
The Geologic Story of Colorado National Monument: Revised Edition
Lohman, Stanley William
Colorado National Monument (Colo.); Geology -- Colorado -- Colorado National Monument
[Illustration: NORTHWEST END OF REDLANDS FAULT, passing through col
to left of updragged remnants of Chinle Formation and Wingate
Sandstone. Fault, which here is normal, ends against unbroken Lizard
Canyon monocline in next canyon to northwest. Looking west from
point just south of Wingate Drive a few hundred feet west of South
Broadway. (Fig. 41)]
MONUMENT CANYON TRAIL
About half a mile north of the last turn, South Broadway rejoins
Broadway (Colo. Highway 340) at a stop sign. After we turn left on
Broadway and reach the first curve, we get a nice view westward into
Monument Canyon, as shown in figure 42. The Park Service hopes to
establish a new trailhead at the bridge one-tenth of a mile west of the
curve, from which a new section of trail will follow the normally dry
wash southwestward to join the old Monument Canyon Trail. After we cross
the creek leaving the canyon, we pass a low hill of the Salt Wash Member
of the Morrison Formation on the left. Just beyond the hill, the dirt
road leading southwest to a farmhouse formerly was the beginning of the
Monument Canyon Trail (fig. 3). There is a new temporary trailhead a
quarter of a mile north, but it is hoped that a permanent one can be
built at the bridge about a quarter of a mile to the southeast, as noted
above. Hikers may see buffalo along this trail and should watch out for
outcast bulls.
[Illustration: LOOKING WEST INTO MONUMENT CANYON, from curve on
Broadway just northwest of end of South Broadway, showing
Independence Monument. This monument was seen in figure 6 and will
be seen again in figure 51. Redlands fault ends in this canyon;
Lizard Canyon monocline can be seen on extreme right. (Fig. 42)]
DRAINAGE DIVIDE
[Mile-marker 8]
About half a mile north of the farm road we reach the highest point on
Broadway (Colo. 340) at a drainage divide. Inasmuch as the three
Redlands Lift Canals end east of the divide, there is quite a contrast
between the lush irrigated lands east of the divide and the nearly
barren desert to the west, a view of which is shown in figure 43. To the
southwest of the divide is an excellent view of the
northeastward-dipping beds on the Lizard Canyon monocline. On the left
about a mile northwest of the divide we pass the other entrance of
Monument Canyon, then Lizard Canyon, and a switchback on Rim Rock Drive
ascending the ridge between Lizard and Fruita Canyons. The water well
beneath elevated tank on left is 650 feet deep and formerly flowed at
about half a gallon a minute from the Wingate Sandstone. Household needs
are obtained by pumping.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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