North of Moab and south of the entrance to Arches National Park is a road that heads off to the west. Utah Highway 279, or the Potash Road. According to my map, it follows the Colorado River until it simply deadends at a settlement called Potash, site of a potash extraction operation. It turned out to be a quite pretty and fascinating excursion.

I stopped a number of times simply for the view of the Colorado River in the canyon country. Other stops got me out exploring a bit. At one stop, there were a number of petroglyphs, similar to those at Newspaper Rock several miles to the south near Canyonlands - Needles District. I also got to see some petrified dinosaur tracks.

One place I parked the car and followed a trail (for about 1 1/2 miles, if I remember correctly) to Corona Arch and an excellent nearby example of a pothole arch. Corona Arch is one of the prettiest in the region - not quite like Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, mind you, but as pretty as any of the other arches in that park. And there were far fewer people on the trail than you find at Arches.

Jughandle Arch (if I remember the name correctly), was right along the highway, saving a second hike.

The pavement ends near the potash extraction operation. Our proximity to Canyonlands is apparent from the surrounding landscape. I believe that the somewhat rough dirt road that continued on connects drivers to White Rim Road in Canyonlands.

The Potash Road itself is paved and generally easy driving, other than it/s a bit winding at some points. But it/s quite pretty and well worth an afternoon.

Mark Wasson, http://www.markwasson.com > Trips has detailed summaries of my trips