Coal Mine Canyon, Valley in Coconino County, Arizona.
The valley features multicolored sandstone layers with steep cliffs, narrow ravines, and geological formations extending across a four-mile gorge.
The region contains remnants of past mining activities, with abandoned vehicles and structures scattered throughout the landscape.
The canyon lies at the intersection of Hopi and Navajo Reservations, representing territorial boundaries between these Native American nations.
Visitors need a $15 permit from Navajo Parks & Recreation to access the canyon, and reaching the viewing points requires driving on unpaved roads.
The sandstone walls display contrasting mineral tints over short vertical distances, creating patterns different from other canyons in the Southwest.
Location: Coconino County
GPS coordinates: 36.14667,-111.03222
Latest update: March 20, 2025 00:57
Rock pillars and spires shaped by erosion stand as natural monuments across various locations worldwide. These geological structures, known as hoodoos, display different colors and shapes based on their mineral composition and environmental conditions. From the red rocks of Utah to the limestone formations of Turkey, these sites present geological formations created over millions of years through wind and water erosion. These formations develop through differential erosion, where softer rock layers erode faster than harder layers, leaving slender columns often capped with protective harder rock. Visitors find such structures in desert landscapes, canyons, and plateaus where conditions favor their formation and preservation. The color palette ranges from white to orange, red, and gray, depending on the minerals present such as iron oxide, limestone, or clay.
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