Page 2 of 5 - Ute Canyon Overlook, Upper Ute Canyon Overlook, and Fallen Rock at the Colorado National Monument.
sign: Ute Canyon
Lee Duquette walking from the car to the overlook

Below: A Water Carved Landscape at Ute Canyon Overlook
panorama of a water carved landscape at Colorado National Monument
Lee Duquette reading the sign at Colorado National Monument
scenery at Ute Canyon Overlook in Colorado National Monument
tree on a cliff at Ute Canyon Ovelook in Colorado National Monument
looking out from Ute Canyon Overlook in Colorado National Monument
scenery at Ute Canyon Ovelook in Colorado National Monument
scenery at Ute Canyon Overlook in Colorado National Monument
panorama at Ute Canyon Overlook in Colorado National Monument

Below: The Highest point on the Rim Rock Drive is just after leaving the Ute Canyon View: 6,640 ft. elevation
sign: Upper Ute Canyon View

Do you see the Egyptian Mummy below? Some say there is an outline of a mummy on the far wall of the canyon.
panorama from Upper Ute Canyon overlook in Colorado National Monument
close-up view from Upper Ute Canyon overlook in Colorado National Monument
scenery from Upper Ute Canyon overlook in Colorado National Monument
grotto and markings at Upper Ute Canyon overlook in Colorado National Monument
grotto

sign: Fallen Rock

Below: A Slow Fall: Geologic processes are relentless! They combine to separate Fallen Rock from the cliff face and they continue to erode the canyon today. Fallen Rock's slow fall occurred over many centuries instead of in seconds.
sign about the slow fall of Fallen Rock
sign showing where Fallen Rock is in the canyon

Below; As temperatures drop below freezing during cold nights, water freezes to ice and expands. Rocks crack and are pushed apart. Warmer daytime temperatures melt the ice and the cycle begins again. Water physically and chemically breaks down rock into particles small enough to be blown away by the wind. Century after century, these same geologic processes continue, sometimes with spectacular results!
sign about weathering of Fallen Rock
Fallen Rock in Colorado National Monument

Below: Instead of toppling face forward when it separated from the cliff, Fallen Rock slid feet forward more than 100 feet to rest on the debris slope below, where it has likely stood for thousands of years.
panorama from Fallen Rock Overlook in Colorado National Monument

Because Colorado National Monument has so many overlooks, and so much spectacular scenery, the photos have been divided into 5 separate pages. This will allow the photos to upload faster onto the internet.

Page 3 of 5 - Highland View, Artists Point, Coke Ovens Overlook and Monument Canyon