Cedar Mesa, Utah - April 14, 2007 (Re-run)

 Cedar Mesa is a huge tract of land, some 400,000 acres, that was home to many of the Anasazi culture more than 1000 years ago.  Among its many attractions, Muley Point lies at the southwest edge of the mesa, offering stunning views of the canyons and desert below.  While it has gained popularity over recent years, in 2007 it was truly a hidden gem.  From the rim, there is a drop of 1000 feet into John's Canyon, and from the floor of that canyon it is another 1000 feet down to the San Juan River as it meanders through a series of hairpin turns called goosenecks by locals.  Monument Valley can be seen in the distance, about 40 miles away.

It's a wonder than plants can survive on what first appears to be solid rock, but they somehow manage.  Potholes collect water from periodic rains, and small cracks fill with sand that erodes from the sandstone.

 The only way off the mesa at this end is a dirt road carved into the cliff side, called the Moki Dugway.  This road drops about 1200 feet into Valley of the Gods, using steep switchbacks to make the descent.  Although the road is plenty wide enough for vehicles to pass, many people are reluctant to drive it, due to the sheer drop offs.  The old junker resting below a cliff was surely placed there to intimidate the faint of heart.  Without wheels, I doubt that it was driven over the rim.