Cathedral
Gorge State Park is located near Panaca, Utah, and a great weekend destination.
In the 1930s the CCC built a campground and picnic areas in the park that are still in use today; however, the stone water tower that they constructed did not ever work very well, so years later it was abandoned and new wells were drilled.
Million
years ago there was volcanic activity in the area, followed by block faulting
and a fracture in the bedrock that allowed two sides of the fault to move independently
in opposite directions. The faulting formed a depression in earth’s crust that
is now known as Meadow Valley.
Over
millions of years rains eroded and exposed the volcanic ash and pumice, forming
the multi-colored cliffs and spires that we see today. Because the ash
and pumice erode at different rates, there are many passageways that can be
negotiated between the spires. Kids love this place because it is a great place
to explore slot canyons and discover “new passageways.”
About 15 years ago we visited the park during the winter after a snow storm, which adds a different perspective to the formations.
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