Halfway between Page, AZ and Kanab, UT is the Coyote Buttes area where the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument meets the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. You might say the scenery is monumental as this area contains some of the most interesting and colorful scenery in the country - and much of it is remote and lightly visited. The most popular feature in the area is The Wave, which I visited in 2017. This time we opted for a self-drive trip to the old Paria town site, and a guided trip to White Pocket.
The old townsite of Paria was abandoned a hundred years ago after repeated floods. The scenery in that valley is fantastic. The bentonite clay on some of the hills provides a pallet of color. The little Paria River was flowing too.
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The colorful hills near Paria, UT
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Colorful backdrop
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Bentonite clay in muticolor.
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Elena at the Paria River
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Bebop contemplates the color
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White Pocket is hard to get to. It’s about a 45 mile drive on dirt, gravel, sand, and deep sand “roads." Some of the road has washboard sections as well. We hired someone with 4-wheel drive to get us out there and walk us around to the best spots. The rocks have many colors, but there is a distinct white sandstone cap, and a dark red underlayer that make up the predominant features. The cap rock has fractured in many places like mud drying in the sun. We roamed around for about 4 hours in this very unusual formation.
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Wide view of White Pocket
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White Pocket, Red Swirls
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Elena checks out the filling under the white cap.
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The lone pine of White Pocket - right behind you Bebop
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Red and white sandstone.
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Bebop stands out on the white rock.
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Multicolor swirl.
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Bebop and another swirl.
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Family on the edge.
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Family on the ledge.
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Paul hanging on.
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Amazing colors.
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Checking out distant views.
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Bebop on lizard watch.
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Yes, we climbed all the way up there.
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- Paul
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