Water, however, is scare. A total of less than nine inches falls during the year, with one third of it as late summer downpours. Their shallow root system quickly gathers up any moisture from the surface before it has time to evaporate. Shrubs and trees cannot absorb the moisture as efficiently and therefore are fairly scarce in this section of the park. The green blanket of native grasses, however, provides a beautiful foreground for the red rock pinnacles of the Needles.
Photographic opportunities are endless.
During our evening in Chesler Park we went on an extraordinary hike that took us down into an intricate series of narrow canyons formed by the fracture of massive blocks of Cedar Mesa Sandstone. The narrow passageways created a extensive maze to explore. We wandered aimlessly through the stone corridors as the cool evening air gently circulated through the passageways, as if the breath of the Land was enveloping us. Occasionally, when the breeze would pause and silence welled up from all around us, I could hear the heartbeat of the Land. It came not only from my surroundings, but from within my own soul.