Looking ahead to several days with no commitments, I have decided on a road trip to the Four Corners region, where the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet. Though I have been to that area in the past, there are several routes through its varied landscape that will give me a new perspective on the terrain and topography. Now that we have entered the summer tourist season, I will skip Mesa Verde National Park which I had the pleasure to visit almost thirty years ago.
Geologically, the Four Corners is a land of volcanic features, superimposed on uplifted and eroded late Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments. Tributaries of the Colorado River drain the landscape; the San Juan rises from numerous rivers and creeks along the south flank of the the San Juan Mountains and then heads westward to join the Colorado in Lake Powell while the Dolores River drains the west flank of both the San Juans and the Uncompahgre Plateau as it flows NNW to merge with the Colorado northeast of Moab, Utah. Other prominent natural features include Ship Rock (a remnant volcanic neck), Sleeping Ute Mountain, the La Sal Range (east of Moab) and the Chuska Mountains (on the New Mexico-Arizona line).
Planning to leave Denver early tomorrow morning, I will follow U.S. 285 southwest, crossing Kenosha Pass to drop into South Park. From there, the highway crosses Trout Creek Pass to enter the Upper Arkansas River Valley and then turns southward, climbing over Poncha Pass to reach the broad San Luis Valley. Within that valley I will switch to U.S. 160, heading west and then southwest, climbing along the South Fork of the Rio Grande River to Wolf Creek Pass. Beyond that pass, a long descent will take me through Pagosa Springs and into Durango, where I will likely spend the first night. More details in coming posts.
See also: San Juan Volcanism
Geologically, the Four Corners is a land of volcanic features, superimposed on uplifted and eroded late Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments. Tributaries of the Colorado River drain the landscape; the San Juan rises from numerous rivers and creeks along the south flank of the the San Juan Mountains and then heads westward to join the Colorado in Lake Powell while the Dolores River drains the west flank of both the San Juans and the Uncompahgre Plateau as it flows NNW to merge with the Colorado northeast of Moab, Utah. Other prominent natural features include Ship Rock (a remnant volcanic neck), Sleeping Ute Mountain, the La Sal Range (east of Moab) and the Chuska Mountains (on the New Mexico-Arizona line).
Planning to leave Denver early tomorrow morning, I will follow U.S. 285 southwest, crossing Kenosha Pass to drop into South Park. From there, the highway crosses Trout Creek Pass to enter the Upper Arkansas River Valley and then turns southward, climbing over Poncha Pass to reach the broad San Luis Valley. Within that valley I will switch to U.S. 160, heading west and then southwest, climbing along the South Fork of the Rio Grande River to Wolf Creek Pass. Beyond that pass, a long descent will take me through Pagosa Springs and into Durango, where I will likely spend the first night. More details in coming posts.
See also: San Juan Volcanism
