Legends of Moab

Discover the Legends of Moab Not only is Moab a great place for Jeep Safari's, hiking, climbing, river rafting and pretty much anything you can think of to do outdoors. The Legends of Moab & its history are something everyone should know, so that travel becomes not just a grand adventure, but a meaningful and educational grand adventure. Here are some of the Legends and History of Moab that I have recently learned about:

History of Dead Horse Point & its Legends

This is 5200 acres of beautiful deserts, steep cliffs, and sunsets that will knock your socks off. I didn't realize this was a State Park actually, so be sure to stop by the visitors center and pay the entrance fee.

Where does the name Dead Horse Point come from?

The name Dead Horse Point comes from the story, that in the 1800's this area was used to herd wild Mustangs. When you walk or drive along the Road you come to an area where, it is said, that a herd of 'unwanted' Mustangs was herded into this small area next to the 2000 ft cliff and eventually died from thirst due to the brutality of Drovers during that time.

The truth is, that yes the area was often used as a place to herd mustangs because of the natural corrals that were created by the surrounding cliffs. The story has changed over time but really was just that because it was so often used as a herding location, the unforgiving nature of the desert in Summertime caused many horses to die from exposure or thirst. It seems to depend on where you get your information from, which of these perspectives is true.....I will let you decide.

Interesting facts about Dead Horse Point

Beyond the Legend, a rather depressing one at that, this place is an iconic photography location for weddings, landscape photography, and filmmaking. You would have seen Dead Horse Point featured in the final shot of the film 'Thelma & Louise'.

If you come at sunset, you can get stunning photos of the red rock and play of light and dark on the cliffs and surrounding area. Sunrise is the best time to get the clearest photos of the picturesque Colorado River winding around the canyons. It is also an ideal place for those who love Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing or hiking.

Your hike will begin just at the Visitor's Center and is 1.5 to 2 miles long with an easy trail, well marked, slight elevation gain. We frequently stopped and took photographs, enjoying the views, to complete the trail it took us 45-minutes, even with all the photography breaks. We took the walk back to the Dead Horse Point Visitors Center, which took about 25 minutes & was accompanied by a spectacularly colorful sunset.

Legends of Moab within Indian writings:

Along Potash Road in Moab, you will find Indian writing and Petroglyphs. These unique and historical drawings are so ancient, that the drawings are typically dated by what is depicted (500 AD for bow and arrows, 1500 AD if horses are seen).

I stood in wonder at how archaic these writings are, what their meaning was to the people of that time period & if we will really ever know why exactly they chose to make the effort of carving them into the stone.

How were the Petroglyphs Discovered?

Archeologists discovered the petroglyphs prior to construction of Potash Road. There are many other Indian Petroglyphs throughout Moab, to view more of them visit Discovermoab.com where a map will be provided & tips on how to find them.

Johnny Depp filmed a portion of Lone Ranger along Potash Road, so if you see the film keep a look out for it.

Dinosaur tracks in Moab

To see the toe prints of the dinosaurs and more of the Indian Petroglyphs, follow this map and bring your binoculars! One of the few places you can likely see something like this, so don't miss it!

Legends of Moab and the Fisher Towers

Located 16 miles South of Moab, with a rather bumpy dirt road that approaches it, is the Fisher Towers. These sandstone giants (of up to 1,000 feet) each have different names, with the largest tower being called the Titan Tower, with the popular climbing route called Sun Devil Chimney.

There is not just one tower, but several towers each with distinct names. One of the more famous towers, is the corkscrew tower (part of the Ancient Arts formation), due to its draw for Rock Climbers along the Stolen Chimney route.

These unique natural wonders are 245 MILLION years old! Named after a miner who lived in the area in the 1800's. Would you rather have a natural wonder or a celestial star named after you? I like to imagine that he was a great cook of fish stew, told wicked campfire stories, and never gave up his dream of finding copper in those sandstone mountains.

Legends of Moab in the Miners Town

In the 1800's there was a mining town near here. The Mining community consisted of only 75-80 families. The mining, tragically, didn't last for very long and most of the families moved to other towns for better work. Some of the mines actually still survive today, although most are too dangerous to explore now.

Where to Stay in Moab:

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