The Swirl

Between Kanab and Page, along the Utah/Arizona border, are several features, one of them the Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area, managed by the BLM. One such predominant feature is White Pocket, an ancient, petrified sand dune. Erosion has slowly worn away at this landmark, creating incredible shapes and forms, including this one I call "The Swirl," for obvious reasons. The foreground is Arizona, while the background is Utah.

Access to this area is limited due to its remote location, so it not a trip for the unprepared. Four-wheel drive is required due to the heavy, soft sand, and in fact I I have been stuck before while even driving in a Jeep! For those who are prepared, it is a destination that is other-worldly!

File info: 1302-4-4359 [16:9]

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona, USA

Photo size: 1.4 Mpixels (4.12 MB uncompressed) - 1600x900 pixels (5.3x3 in / 13.5x7.6 cm at 300 ppi)

Photo keywords: american southwest, american west, arizona, beauty, blm, blue, chad dutson, clouds, contrast, desert, desert southwest, desertscape, erosion, feature, form, landmark, landscape, national monument, nature, orange, otherworld, outdoor, red, sand, sandstone, shape, sky, southwest, swirl, the swirl, tree, utah, vermilion cliffs, white pocket, wild, wilderness, wilderness area

Published in: Colorado & Utah, Arizona & New Mexico, Desert, Dunes, Arches, 2013 Releases, 16:9 Panorama