East Provo Canyon & the Wasatch Mountains

East Provo Canyon & the Wasatch Mountains east of Provo

Utah: Provo and scenic drive on US 189 into East Provo Canyon & the Wasatch Mountains east of Provo.

May 25, 2007.

We are in Lakeside RV-Park on west Center Street in Provo (next door to Utah Lake State Park located on Utah Lake). We forgot all about Memorial Day until late last week when "the lights came on". Joyce immediately got on the cell-phone and started trying to locate a place for us to settle in for the long Memorial Day weekend. She got lucky and found the last vacancy at Lakeside RV-Park. That is why we are here but we are happy to be here. It is a nice park costing 27.41 per-night for FHU and plenty of shade from mature cottonwood trees. Down the street is Utah Lake State Park where rates are $18 per-night for water & electric and central dump station. They were full or we would have probably been there. Either would be just fine, in our opinion, although Lakeside RV is much nicer and overflows with more expensive RV's -- if you get my drift.

Heading into East Provo Canyon on US 189 near Provo, Utah

After checking in to our RV-Park we headed out for an afternoon adventure. Our adventure takes us on US-189 into East Provo Canyon.

Layers of sedimentary rock folded along rift

A closer look at the base of that mountain reveals multiple layers of sedimentary rock. Note that some of that rock is contorted into odd shapes.

That dip in the sedimentary rock is know as a syncline a fold that is concave upward. Extraordinary forces shape otherwise flat rock into that shape.

Anticline along rift in East Provo Canyon

Not far from that syncline but on the opposite side of the highway is this anticline, a fold that is convex upward. An anticline always has the oldest rock in the center. This my friend is a classic anticline. This area has been subjected to tremendous forces. You are looking at an ancient fault line running down the center of that anticline.

Many times water finds a fault to flow in. However, this waterfall does not appear to be located in a fault.

Sincline along rift in East Provo Canyon

While across the canyon water is not flowing in this obvious fault. This fault is creating a sicnline.

Wild rose in East Provo Canyon

Joyce snapped this picture of a wild rose while we were walking to that waterfall.

Obsidian

This is a large boulder at the bottom of the canyon near that waterfall.

It seems so odd seeing this obsidian boulder here with all this sedimentary rock.

Fault buckling this rock

On the right is multiple layers of sedimentary rock that has bent but if you look up you can easily see where the fault broke the layer of sedimentary rock causing the formation to angle at about 45-degrees toward the canyon floor. This canyon has some awesome geology going on.

Sundance

Shortly we pass through these twin tunnels and not long after that we turn left on SR-92 also known as Alpine Loop. Alpine Loop Road goes past Robert Redford's Sundance Resort. We couldn't go by Sundance without visiting.

Columbine

Landscaping was enjoyable at the resort as was the assortment of antiques assembled around the store.

The flower is a columbine. They come in a variety of colors.

Antique on display at Sundance Resort

Columbine

These columbine show off some of the beautiful array of colors they come in.

Columbine

View of Wasatch Mountains from Sundance Resort

The view from Sundance is inspiring. I can see why the place is such an attraction.

Wasatch Mountains

Wasatch Mountains

From Sundance we continued on Alpine Loop Road as it circles up the east side off this mountain.

View from Alpine Loop Road east of Provo

At this point we have climbed as high in elevation as Alpine Loop Road would go. We never got above the tree line but we did get into dense stands of aspen.

View from Alpine Loop Road east of Provo

At this point Alpine Loop Road is gingerly continuing to loop around the east and north side of the mountain.

View from Alpine Loop Road east of Provo

At some point on our descent Joyce snapped this picture of a retreat deep in one of the canyons. It must have been 700' or more below us.

Alpine Loop Road (SR-92) connects with I-15 at exit 287 about 22-miles north of where our motorhome is located back in Provo.

This was a good day. We have experienced some wonderful geology.

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Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix