Red Rock Canyon State Park is located in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. The canyon is composed of sandstone cliffs thousand’s of feet high, resting on ancient limestone and topped with volcanic rock. Check out these amazing formations! They reminded me of The Valley of the Kings in Egypt. (Click to enlarge).
The formations are approximately 14 million years old. The park is full of fossilized dinosaurs including elephants, extinct rhinos, three-toed horses, saber-tooth tigers and much more. It contains the richest concentrations of fossilized flora and fauna in Western North America. It is still being excavated by the Museum of Natural History.
Check out the people climbing in one area of the park. I included them so you could how massive these structures are!
The canyon sits on top of what was once an ancient inland lake. It is composed of sedimentary and igneous rock layers.
The vibrant red colors in the rock are from leeching iron oxide.
Red Rock Canyon was lifted by three seismic faults which pushed ancient rock to the surface. Wind, rain and sand erosion carved the beautiful structures in the sandstone.
This area was used as a trade route by Native Americans for thousands of years and is home to delicate desert flora and fauna.
Winter is a great time to visit! It is empty and not too hot. Cheers to you from the pristine and empty Red Rock Canyon!
Thanks for taking us to this magical place. Isn’t it amazing how the elements gave shape to such amazing rock structures that look like palaces left behind by some extinct civilization. Another site for my bucket list….
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Oh you expressed that so beautifully…..”palaces left by ancient civilizations” is a wonderful description!
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The rock structures are fascinating.
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They really are! I was amazed. Cheers & thanks~
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Pingback: Winning the One Lovely Blog Award!! | Madeline Scribes
🙂🙂 Thank you! Thank you!
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I have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog award because I think you are awesome and deserve to be recognized. Thank you for your words and your thoughts.
http://madelinescribes.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/winning-the-one-lovely-blog-award/
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Oh you are so thoughtful and I so appreciate it! Mil grazi my friend!
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Qué lugar mas maravilloso…
Unas fotos increibles.
Tienes un blog muy bonito.
Saludos.
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Es mu amable! Muchas gracias y tiene un buen dia! Su recetas son maraviloso tan bien!
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Sandstone makes such royal and magnificent structures as it weathers away! I loved these photos and your words to accompany them! Thanks for sharing this! It made my day! Wish it were the warm desert here! Smiles, Robin
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Yes I wish some of the warmth would cross over the internet! Loved your post on your date that younger guy….boy he was good one to pass up wasn’t he!!! lol~
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I love the title right-away! I love everything ancient, probably because I have always been “categorized” as ancient by my friends. L-O-L!!!
This place looks so beautiful. It looks as if it is not a part of this planet! It makes me imagine of some exotic creatures living in a desert-like planet.😀
The plant in the last photo looks so cute. I wonder if the “white hairs” are flowers of needle-like leaves!
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Yes the ancient places are spiritual and exude peacefulness. I love being around them. There were so many mythical creatures here long ago. So many dinosaurs including huge “bone crunching” dogs that I had never hear of. I know this will get your imagination going Hari! And yes the flower was a prickler…….the kind that sticks to your sock and itches!
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Absolutely stunning! And those columns do look manmade don’t they? Good comparison between them and The Valley of the Kings. Cath.
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They were always there and I never knew of them. I agree with you! They are amazing. Thank you for the appreciation and cheers to you~
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You’re welcome. It’s always humbling to see such magnificent natural structures. There’s so much to see in the world. It makes me want to travel more!🙂
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Me three!!!!🙂
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Hi Cindy,these wonders are nature’s infinite architectural work no man can match.Outstanding post.Thank you for liking my recent post.jalal
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The glory of our wonderful planet! Cheers Jalal~
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What an astonishing place. Nice photos.
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That is an appropriate word…..astonished is what I was!🙂
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Alrighty now…if I weren’t jealous before I definitely am now – beautiful!!!
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Isn’t it though and quite a surprise to me as well!!
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Beautiful photography, Cindy. I often share your blog with Tom as he’s passionate about fine photography.
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Awww, how nice! Tell him I said Haw Do!
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Beautiful shots capturing the grandeur of such unusual sights, Cindy! It looks like the ruins of an ancient city or the set of a fantasy movie. Great idea including the people for perspective of the size.
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Grazi Halim & great to hear from you! Hope you have an awesome New Year my friend~
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These are gorgeous.
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Amazing what you can drive by and not notice! Thank you Jamie~
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The sandstone rock makes such lovely castles and almost Roman columns, doesn’t it? I enjoyed your photos and the descriptions, too. Robin
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So happy you did and yes they do look like classical sculpture! Cheers to you~
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Red Rock Canyon state park is absolutely incredible and the rock formations are amazing ! Beautiful photos you’ve took and shows us that this gorgeous park is more than worthy to visit it🙂 !
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You are very kind ma deah and very appreciated too! Thank you~
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🙂 !
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Liebe Cindy ein wunderschönes Wochenende wünsche ich dir und sei ganz lieb gegrüßt in Freundschaft Klaus
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Danke Klaus! Freundschaft!🙂🙂
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Thank You for liking my art piece Cherry Bowl Display !!!🙂 *Cynthia
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🙂
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Thanks for your amazing photos of this magnificant terrain.
I did not see the man till I read your text,then i could see the the scale.
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It is strange how something can be close by and one never know about it. I was born in Socal. Jim was not. He is the one who found this place. Go figure…..
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Stunning captures! Thank you for all the interesting information on this amazing place!
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Thank you for your interest and comment! Cheers to you~
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Stunning Cindy! I grew up not far from there. Have you been to Red Rock National Park just outside Las Vegas? It is very different but equally beautiful.
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Yes I have been there and saw the wild horses. So gorgeous..isn’t your son a floor manager in LV?
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Beautiful! Yes, Josh is the one who took me to Red Rock. He also his own financial planning practice that he is planning to go full-time with in the near future.
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Smart cookie like his mom! Cheers to you from the sunny Carib!
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Wow, incredible place! It is a must see! Thank you!
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Mil grazi & I hope you do! Cheers to you~
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Ms Cindy thank you for posting these pictures, they are beautiful.
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Nice post! : )
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ps. the pictures are sublime
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Mil grazi & cheers to you~
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I love, love, love red rock canyons. I especially love Bryce National Park
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Yes, I do too, both Bryce & Zion!
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I love Zion too…..
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