één dag / 23 mijlen / 48 minuten
Colorado National Monument was established in 1911 by President Taft to preserve "extra-ordinary examples of erosion [that] are of great scientific interest, and it appears that the public interest would be promoted by preserving these natural formations as a National Monument". Rim Rock Drive is one of the most spectacular drives in the United States. Redrock canyons, crisp blue skies, and verdant green juniper highlight the fantastic views along the road for motorists and bicyclists. Several overlooks give you a place to stop and take in the view. Stargazers can choose their favorite overlook and enjoy beautiful views of the night sky. Several hiking trails are located near the road for anyone wanting to stretch their legs and explore the landscape. There are three tunnels along Rim Rock Drive.
Dag 1
9:05 - 0.0 mijlen / - 9:05
9:10 - 0.1 mijlen / - 9:10
9:15 - 0.0 mijlen / - 9:15
9:20 - 0.8 mijlen / 2 minuten - 9:22
As you ascend the hill from the west entrance, you will pass through the Redlands Fault. The most recent major movement along the Redlands fault resulted in rocks on the uplifted side being elevated over 1,600 feet (488 meters) above the equivalent down-dropped side. If you look to the west, you will see the horizontal layers in the cliffs of Wingate Sandstone fold down to the east to become almost vertical. The steep cliffs formed by erosion along the base of the fault dominate the skyline.
9:27 - 0.7 mijlen / één minuut - 9:29
Balanced Rock, a 600 ton (550 metric ton) boulder, has been left perched on a pedestal while most of the rock that once surrounded it has weathered away.
9:34 - 0.4 mijlen / - 9:35
This tunnel is 236 feet/71.9 meters long. Clearance above lanes of traffic ranges from a low point of 10'6"/3.2 meters at a point two feet inside the curbs to a maximum of 16'/4.9 meters above the centerline of the road.
9:35 - 0.2 mijlen / - 9:35
This tunnel is 182 feet/55.5 meters long. Clearance above lanes of traffic ranges from a low point of 10'6"/3.2 meters at a point two feet inside the curbs to a maximum of 16'/4.9 meters above the centerline of the road.
9:35 - 0.2 mijlen / - 9:36
9:41 - 1.0 mijlen / 2 minuten - 9:43
9:48 - 0.4 mijlen / één minuut - 9:50
Fruita Canyon below was carved by flash floods cutting through the Wingate Sandstone cliffs into the dark gray Precambrian metamorphic rocks at the bottom. Floods roared through Fruita Canyon during the last 10 million years, triggered by thunderstorms that can bring sudden, torrential rains to the surrounding mesas.
9:55 - 0.5 mijlen / één minuut - 9:56
Colorado National Monument has one visitor center open every day, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The Visitor Center is situated on a prominent sandstone ledge visible throughout the monument – the Kayenta Formation.
10:01 - 1.2 mijlen / 2 minuten - 10:03
Independence Monument is all that remains of what was once a continuous ridge that connected the mesa you are standing on to the massive rock called “The Island” to the east. Relentless erosion of the massive Wingate Sandstone has left this 450-foot (137 meters) highmonolith with its protective sandstone caprock of Kayenta Formation. One of the most popular rock-climbing destinations is this free-standing “monument”. On July 4th, local climbers raise the American flag on top, carrying on a tradition started by John Otto in 1909.
10:08 - 0.6 mijlen / één minuut - 10:10
10:15 - 1.2 mijlen / 2 minuten - 10:17
Monument Canyon was formed by a combination of erosional processes over the last two million years: flash flooding from thunderstorms cut the canyons and undermined the canyon walls; winter freezing and thawing cycles cracked the rocks; rockslides widened the canyons; and wind and rain scoured and smoothed alcoves, holes, towers and spires in the rocks.
10:22 - 0.7 mijlen / één minuut - 10:23
The Coke Ovens are named because of their similar appearance to conical-shaped coke ovens built by early miners to convert wood and coal into charcoal and coke for industrial uses. Here, a ridge between two canyons has eroded into a series of rounded domes. These huge domes of Wingate Sandstone are the remnants of earlier monoliths that lost their protective Kayenta caprock.
10:28 - 0.7 mijlen / één minuut - 10:29
Artists Point is named for the beautiful panorama of canyons, cliffs, and brightly colored rocks that you see in the foreground and hills adjacent to the overlook. Approaching Artists Point from either direction, most of the rocks on the above hillside are the Morrison Formation, exposing ancient stream channels and floodplain deposits.
10:34 - 1.3 mijlen / 2 minuten - 10:37
10:42 - 0.8 mijlen / één minuut - 10:44
On the morning of January 8, 2000, a section of cliff suddenly dropped onto Rim Rock Drive across the road from Liberty Cap Trailhead, completely blocking and shutting down the roadway for over a month.
10:49 - 2.4 mijlen / 4 minuten - 10:53
10:58 - 0.3 mijlen / - 10:59
Fallen Rock, in the opposite wall of the canyon, is a striking example of how giant slabs of sandstone break loose from the cliff wall and slide down to rest on the debris slope below-all without falling over. Look closely and you can see the Kayenta Formation caprock on top of Fallen Rock.
11:04 - 2.2 mijlen / 3 minuten - 11:07
11:12 - 0.6 mijlen / één minuut - 11:13
From here you can see a broad U-shaped canyon with vertical Wingate Sandstone walls. Within this canyon is a smaller V-shaped cut in the canyon that gives the appearance of a "canyon within a canyon".
11:18 - 2.8 mijlen / 5 minuten - 11:24
You are overlooking Columbus Canyon, one of the smaller canyons in the monument.The dark grey rocks at the bottom of the canyon are extremely old and hard Precambrian metamorphic rocks.
11:29 - 1.0 mijlen / 2 minuten - 11:32
This tunnel is 530 feet/161.5 meters long. Clearance above lanes of traffic ranges from a low point of 10'6"/3.2 meters at a point two feet inside the curbs to a maximum of 16'/4.9 meters above the centerline of the road.
11:37 - 2.4 mijlen / 6 minuten - 11:43
11:48 - 0.0 mijlen / - 11:48
11:53 - 0.1 mijlen / - 11:53