Check out the petrified sand dunes.  The work of eons-ago wind is frozen in time.  Very cool.

Sandstone cliffs tower above the canyon floor.  Black, crumbly ‘A’a lava, spewed intermittently from long silenced volcanoes, caps some cliffs and litters the canyon beneath.  It has affected erosion of the softer stone beneath it creating unexpected shapes.  It’s sharp, loose-underfoot debris makes walking a challenge where ever it collects.  We check out The Pioneers Names cliff…dates written in an alcove of the cliff with what they believe is axel grease date back to the 1870s.  Must have been quite the journey through here back then.   We hike about 3 ½ miles getting close up looks of formations and great overlook views of the entire canyon.

Opposite in scale from these enormous formations are the tiny crater-like shapes in the dust at our feet.  Equally awesome!  This is where it sprinkled rain last night.

The park is worthy of a stop.  We are here Monday AM.  Crowds might be bad on weekends.  We are just outside St. George, Utah so lots of regular local users.