CASCADE FALLS
- DUCK CREEK VILLAGE, UTAH -
G'day folks,
An improbable waterfall springs from an orange-white cliff face, tumbling into the headwaters of the Virgin River above Zion National Park.
Southwestern Utah is known for the spectacular colors of its scenery and is home to several national parks and monuments. The orange-and-white Claron Formation (formerly known as the Wasatch Formation), in particular, is responsible for both Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument. By comparison, the Pink Cliffs formed by the Claron above the Virgin River Rim almost seem dull. Except for one thing: Cascade Falls.
At one point water springs out of the Pink Cliffs and drops into the headwaters of the Virgin River, making an attractive and surreal waterfall. It emerges at an elevation of about 8,800 feet, while the ridge above tops out at over 9,400 feet. The source of the water is shallow Navajo Lake, which has a natural dam of basalt lava and floods the bottom of a valley beyond that ridge. The lake lies at an elevation a bit over 9,000 feet and is a little more than a mile, as the crow flies, from Cascade Falls. The Claron Formation is sufficiently permeable that the lake water has found a path through it.
Clancy's comment: Wow. Looks like a great trail, and excellent scenery.
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