Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah
A trip to Dead Horse Point State Park is a must for families visiting the northern reaches of Canyonlands. Here, 300 million years of geological history are revealed. Yet you need not be a geology buff to enjoy this small corner of paradise. Dead Horse Point boasts the best views of the Colorado River from the rim. And the panorama is even more spectacular than the images on the movie screen be it Thelma and Louise or Mission Impossible II. Be sure to pack a picnic dinner. Sunsets at this Utah state park are extraordinaire.
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The Legend of Dead Horse Point
According to local legend cowboys once used the promontory we know today as Dead Horse Point as a natural corral for wild mustangs. As the story goes cowboys rounded up mustangs, herded them out to the point and fenced the neck or narrow strip of land connecting the point and mesa top with branches and brush. The cowboys would then select the best mustangs and let the others go free. On one occasion, the cowboys left the horses corralled where they died of thirst within view of the Colorado River 2000 feet below. Like most legends this one has a message. What do you think this story is trying to tell us? |
