Our first stop is the Kennecott Copper Mines. Copper was found in the Bingham Canyon in 1887, and so the mining began. To date, it is the largest artificially made excavation site in the world. Copper is created by volcanic activity. The mountain ranges in Utah were formed because of volcanic activity pushing up and creating all sorts of minerals in the mountain ranges.
Our second stop is at Little Sahara. Much of the sand is left by the Sevier River, which once flowed into Lake Bonneville about 15,000 years ago. Winds have picked up the sand and spread it around, creating large sand mountains. Many people consider all the sand to be a nuisance as it would cover the roads and fly around everywhere. A state park was created where the majority of the dunes are, and people often go there to ride their 4-wheelers and other motorized toys. The area is roughly 60,000 acres of sand.
We continue our road trip and head towards the Basin and Range Colorado Plateau Transition. This area has a little of the basin and range that is to the North of it, but it is also starting to look more like the Colorado Plateau that is to the East of it. You have enormous cliffs on one side and flat land on the other; the transition area is spectacular to see and explore.
Our third stop is in Frisco. This used to be an active mining community from 1879 to 1929. Silver was found, and a mine was created that would yield about $50 million in silver. At one point, it was the richest silver mine in the world. Volcanoes underground bring ore up towards the surface, which can then be mined. You would need to go into the ground to find the ore and bring it up, and then smelt it to create silver. Ore can also be found where a lot of seawater circulates. Cracks in the Earth’s crust can move the oar around as well. Since most of Utah was underwater for a long time, the ore could have made its way towards Frisco by way of water as well. Frisco is now just an awesome ghost town with abandoned homes and the mine.
Our fourth stop is at the Grand Wash in Capitol Reef National Park. Large cliffs extend above you as you hike down the wash. It is usually dry and accessible by car, but on some occasions it can be rained out quickly and sweep everything with it as water barrels down it. The walls of the wash are super flat and have been carved by the water that once occupied the entire area. Wind still whips through it and continues to flatten and smooth the rock. The large walls are created out of sandstone and show the different lines as they moved and shaped themselves over millions of years.
We next head more East towards the Colorado plateau, which is named for the river that runs through it. The entire area is full of Shale, siltstone, and sandstone layers with beautiful colors. These are younger rocks from the Pennsylvanian age and make up the most colorful part of Utah. The soil is very thin in this area, and there is sparse vegetation. Wind erodes the rocks, which allows water to seep in. The rocks are very porous and can be shaped easily. Most of what you see down there is from the last 6 million years.
Our fifth stop is Dead Horse Point. A small state park located on the edge of the plateau. Layers of sediment and dust blown by wind created layer upon layer of the mountains. Layers of mudstone, shale, and sandstone, together with petrified wood, volcanic ash, and uranium, make up the layers. The Colorado River runs right through it and has carved the path it takes now. The views are breathtaking as you can see for miles and enjoy all the wonderful colors.
Our sixth stop is Goblin Valley. Another small state park, but very cool. The goblins were formed through spheroidal weathering over millions of years. 170 million years ago, Goblin Valley was just a muddy tidal flat for an enormous sea. The waves and wind caused the creation of the hoodoos over time. You can climb on top of the structures and explore the many different shapes. It is a playground for kids and adults alike.
We are finally making our way back up and are now headed to the Middle Rocky Mountains. The mountain ranges were created after the Precambrian time, which included being folded and pushed up until we see what we have today. There is a lot of overlapping with 2 faults running along it all as well. There is a lot of volcanic material present in the mountain ranges. The rocks are erosion-resistant, and that is why the mountains have not changed much since and why they have remained so tall. Around 770 million years ago, the large continent of Rhodesia started to split right where the mountains are today. A lot of the ocean filled Utah, and the pressure of the plates caused the basin to sink and the mountains to rise. The Wasatch mountain range was forced up because of tectonic compression around 100 million years ago. Erosion over time created the gorges in the mountains where rivers could run freely and shape the mountains as they are today.
Our seventh stop on our trip takes us to the top of Mount Timpanogos. There are four different ways to get to the top of Mount Timpanogos, and all of them require you to be somewhat fit and be able to hike for a long time. It is the 2nd-highest mountain in the Wasatch Mountains. It is made of limestone and dolomite from the Pennsylvanian era. Many make it a bucket list item to hike to the top of Timp and look over both sides. The views are breathtaking.
And finally, our last and eighth stop is at Silver Lake Flats. This is actually a man-made lake in the middle of the mountain range. It is used for fishing and boating, and is a small paradise hidden away. It was built in 1971, and a dam was built to keep some of the water from running out of the canyon and flooding the Highland/Alpine area where people live. There are many natural springs in the mountains that need to be contained and redirected somewhat so that people can live in the valley area. The water helps the wildlife that live in the area. Utah has about 45 of those dams around the state to keep water in the mountains and away from the population below it. The lake holds fresh water and is a nice place to cool down when it gets hot in the summer.
I have been to every one of these locations except Frisco, but that one is still on my list of places to visit. The pictures in this essay are all from my adventures. After learning more about how Utah is divided into four distinct areas in the last two modules, I can see that this is reflected in all the places I have visited. This was a very fun and informative project that I enjoyed creating, as I looked back on places I had visited recently and long ago.
[Written for GEOG 3200 class UVU Summer 2023]
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