Rattlesnake Canyon, Natural canyon in Mesa County, Colorado, United States.
Rattlesnake Canyon features nine natural stone arches spread across a remote landscape of red sandstone cliffs and desert vegetation.
The canyon stands within McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, established to protect 123,400 acres of Colorado's geological formations and natural resources.
The Bureau of Land Management maintains this area as part of Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness, preserving its natural state for future generations.
Access requires either a 15-mile round-trip hike from Pollock Bench Trailhead or a high-clearance vehicle to reach the Upper Trailhead via Black Ridge Road.
This location holds the second-largest concentration of natural stone arches in the United States, including Cedar Tree Arch with its 76-foot span.
Location: Mesa County
GPS coordinates: 39.16500,-108.86200
Latest update: May 17, 2025 10:35
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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Saddlehorn Caretaker's Residence
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Fruita Bridge
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Balanced Rock
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Saddlehorn Campground
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West Lower Tunnel
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Saddlehorn Oil Storage Building
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