This sandstone is often rich in uranium. The old mine tunnels you saw at stop number three were dug into Shinarump. Incidently, Shinarump also affects the number and variety of plants growing here today. Notice how the Shinarump ledge erodes into debris that litters the clay slopes beneath. This rock rubble forms a protective cover that slows down the rate of erosion, traps precious moisture and changes the texture of the soil.
Plants gain a foothold more easily.
Grand Wash. Although a through road from 1884 to 1962, the drive now ends about two miles from here. Grand Wash. For some, Capitol Gorge is erosion's most dramatic handiwork at Capitol Reef National Park. The right fork of the road here leads to Pleasant Creek, one of the few perennial streams in the park. As wagonmasters did a century ago, carefully consider the weather before you proceed into the gorge. Soaring to your front left is an eroded layer of sandstone that, like the Wingate, was once desert sand.