Page 12 - oct mag5a_Neat

by Chris Dempsey

Drive around the scenic loop in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and you will be enthralled with
the beauty and diversity that is around every corner. Surrounded by colorful sandstone forma-
tions and cli s with towering limestone peaks in the background, every mile presents a
bevy of photographic opportunities. But to experi- ence the absolute best that Red
Rock Canyon has to o er, leave your vehicle at one of the designated parking
areas, lace up your hiking shoes, grab some water and snacks and, as
you heard in those old western movies, head for the hills.

One of the most beautiful places in Red Rock Canyon is the Calico Hills on
the northeast side of the canyon. The rst three miles of the scenic drive around
the canyon includes three parking areas where access to the Calico Hills is
possible. A form of rock known as Aztec Sandstone, these hills started out as
sand dunes one hun- dred and sixty million years ago.
Today, they top out 900 feet above the desert oor.
The color of the sandstone ranges from pale cream to deep
red, depending on the amount of iron
oxide retained in the rock.

The sand- stone also exhibits a condition
called cross bedding, which is a pattern of

curving, angled lines caused by the wind
blow- ing across the face of the rock
during its formation.

The Calico Hills are noted for a
variety of unique rock formations. As
the sand dunes were com-
pacted, variations occurred in
the den- sity of the rock.
Pockets of softer material
were quicker
to erode than
adjacent sandstone
with higher density, resulting
in unusual formations that seem to defy the laws of
gravity. A mushroom shaped formation can be
seen just o the Calico Hills trail near the
Calico II Overlook.

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