Dead Horse Point

Saturday evening, July 12

One of the places we had wanted to visit since beginning to plan our trip was Dead Horse Point.  It is an overlook of the Colorado River with access just outside of the entrance to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands NP.  It therefore made sense to stop there on the way out of Canyonlands.

Dead Horse Point is actually part of Dead Horse Point State Park.  The park is actually fairly large and there are a large number of overlooks in multiple directions,.  However, it was getting late when we arrived.  We did not even stop at the visitor's center since the gate guard said it was closing in 5 minutes.  We went directly out to the point, i.e. Dead Horse Point.

According to legend, the point was once used as a corral for wild mustangs.  Cowboys could easily block off the neck to the point with brush, since it is only 30 yards wide.  They then chose the horses that they wanted.  For unknown reasons, the other horses were left to die, hence the name.

The point is a very nice location, with multiple observation points and large picnic shelter type areas for shade.  There is even an elevated observation deck so that photographers can take portraits of people below with the river in the background.

We spent some time there looking around and taking pictures.  The views are stunning.

Looking to the east from Dead Horse Point

The gooseneck in the Colorado River south of Dead Horse Point

One of the many informative plaques

 

A shot of the river 2000 feet below in the setting sun. 

Potash ponds (solar evaporators) looking east from Dead Horse Point

The potash ponds are visible to the east as large blue ponds.  Potash is one of multiple potassium compounds used primarily as a source of potassium in fertilizers.  It was originally mined in underground mines.  More potash is now being recovered from those former mines by pumping water into mines, allowing the potash to dissolve, then pumping the water (now saturated with potassium salts) to the surface.  This solution is allowed to evaporate in the sun, leaving the solid potassium salts behind.  I could not figure out the blue color, since potassium salts are white, but finally found that a blue dye is added to help with absorption of sunlight.

One of the interesting things we discovered about Dead Horse Point State Park is the large number of movie scenes that have been filmed here.  Here is a collection of links to selections that I could find on YouTube that show some of the scenery.

Ending scene of Thelma and Louise (1990) Although the movie wanted you to believe the final scene was in Grand Canyon, it was actually below Dead Horse Point.  The "launch" site is now known as Thelma and Louise Point.  It is off of the unpaved road, a continuation of Potash Road, I think.  I am not 100% sure, but the I think Thelma and Louise Point is the ledge overlooking the river at the far left of the picture below.
 

Looking over the edge with the Colorado River canyon near the top and the main gooseneck on the right.  I think Thelma and Louise Point is near the upper left.

Opening scene of Mission Impossible II (1999)  Apparently Tom Cruise was really up there, but with a harness which was later digitally removed from the image.  He is crazier than I thought.

The Spirit Platform in Lone Ranger (2013)  We have not seen this movie (the trailer made it look dumb to me), but there are scenes from both Dead Horse Point and Monument Valley.  This YouTube clip is about the scene at Dead Horse Point.  Since I only see undeveloped rock near the edge, rather than the improvements at the overlook, I am guessing this may be at the overlook north of the point but still on the east side.

The opening scene of the pilot for my all time hero MacGyver was also filmed here.  I am not sure if all of the opening scene was even shown in the U.S. since it is listed among scenes that were cut and I could only find it here in Czech, but cool none the less.

This was a busy day but a very good one...several locations in Arches NP, lots of Canyonlands NP including a very hot climb up Upheaval Dome, and then great views from Dead Horse Point.