Painted Desert

The Bentonite Hills are located outside the park boundary on Bureau of Land Management land. The Bentonite Hills appear as softly-contoured, banded hills in varying hues of brown, red, purple, gray, and green. The hills are composed of the Brushy Basin shale member of the Morrison Formation. This layer was formed during Jurassic times when mud, silt, fine sand, and volcanic ash were deposited in swamps and lakes. Bentonite clay (altered volcanic ash) absorbs water and becomes very slick and gummy when wet, making vehicle or foot travel difficult or impossible. Repeated cycles of absorbing water and then drying results in a popcorn-like appearance on the clay's surface.
There are no trails through the Bentonite Hills. The surface is easily damaged, scars from footprints and tire tracks take many years to heal.

[@craigcanoe3]

Beautiful!!!! In 1955 or 1956 on a trip from Los Angeles to Indinapolis with my Grndmother we stoped t the "Painted Desert" Thank you for bringing back those memories...

[@manuelacorrea453]

The work of the ALMIGHTY no words to describe it

[@vallorypoole8117]

@manuelacorrea453 / AMEN NO ARTIST LIKE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER...

[@mec8690]

Magnifique mon ami !

[@MacNeilsOnWheels]

Amazing

[@Yiannis172]

thanks

[@AZGeek520]

Nicely done, Yannis.

[@Yiannis172]

Thank you ,its a small sample i am working in a bigger version