By Wayne Brew | September 25, 2017

In the vicinity of Moab, Utah there are two amazing National Parks. To the west is the sprawling Canyon Lands National Park and to the Northeast is the smaller, but spectacular Arches National Park. I spent the day battling crowds (for parking and bathrooms) along with lightning strikes and a short burst of hail with my jaw gaping at the incredible landscapes. By the afternoon the sun was out and the hikes to the arches was easy. I could only imagine what the summer crowds are like!

On day 21 I drove south and east to visit the four corners monument where I sprawled out so I could be in four states at the same time. Only 30 miles away from four corners is another amazing landform called Shiprock. I made a valiant effort to get close to Shiprock, but the closest you can get on a paved road is still miles away. I started venturing over deeply rutted dirt roads until about 4 miles away where I had to give up and take my pictures. Shiprock is the remnant of an old volcano. The center of the volcano is made from very resistant rock that is magma that cooled slowly creating strong interlocking crystals. The cone of the volcano that surrounded the center (called a volcanic neck) was less resistant to erosion and has been washed away over time leaving behind a spectacular landform.