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Coyote Buttes, Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, Arizona    ID# 617-AZ-CB-9
Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona. Few locations on the Colorado Plateau can rival the sandstone formations of the Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness along the Utah/Arizona border. A unique confluence of geological events produced a dizzying display of hoodoos, swirled sandstone, coral-colored sand dunes and windswept stone basins. These stripes of yellow, orange, pink and red were caused by the precipitation of manganese, iron and other oxides which were contained in the water which percolated through these rocks when they were sand dunes approximately 190 million years ago. During brief summer thunderstorms and sparse winter rains, these basins deliver precious silt-laden waters into the canyons of the Paria River where they eventually mix with the clear silt-starved waters of the Colorado River as it enters the Grand Canyon just below Glen Canyon Dam. As the beaches and riverside habitat in Grand Canyon continue to erode and degrade due to the adverse effects of Glen Canyon dam, the Paria River now provides one of the main sources of life-giving sediment for the Grand Canyon ecosystem. All photos in these galleries may be ordered as fine art framed prints or for stock photography usage.

This image is from James Kay Gallery 2 - Arizona Canyonlands