Photograph of Coyote Buttes sandstone. Few locations across 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 water into Buckskin Gulch and the Paria River Canyon. The Paria eventually drains into the Colorado River at the head of Marble Canyon just above Grand Canyon National Park. This panoramic photograph was captured with a 6x17 panorama format camera. All photos in these fine art photo galleries may be ordered as fine art framed prints or for stock photography usage.