Monitor and Merrimac
From here, you have an excellent view of the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes to the northeast. These prominent land forms tower 600 feet above their Navajo sandstone base. They can be seen from many points as you travel along the highway.
The Monitor and Merrimac Buttes were named after the Civil War ironclad ships of the same names. If you look at a likeness of the old ships, their shapes bear a striking resemblance to these two buttes. The Merrimac (the large rock on your left) was the Confederate ship, called the "Virginia" by the southern forces. The Monitor (on the right) was the Union ship sent to destroy the Merrimac. The resulting sea battle changed maritime warfare forever. Long after both ships lie on the sea bottom, their rock counterparts remain locked in perpetual battle.
The Monitor and Merrimac Buttes are composed of Entrada sandstone. (This is the same rock layer that forms many of the arches in Arches National Park.) This Entrada sandstone is composed of three "members", or components -- Dewey Bridge, Slickrock and Moab Tongue. The different "members" of the Entrada layer erode at varying rates. Specifically, the softer Dewey Bridge member erodes more quickly, causing the Slickrock cliffs to collapse. This process has created the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes, as well as other towering monoliths in the area.
Geological
forces have created the stunning landforms that we enjoy today.Erected by Bureau of Land Management.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.
Location. 38° 38.746′ N, 109° 44.174′ W. Marker is near Moab, Utah, in Grand County. Marker is at the pavilion in the Bureau of Land Management's Monitor and Merrimac Viewpoint, off Utah Route 313, about four miles west of US Highway 191. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Moab UT 84532, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Navajo Sandstone (here, next to this marker); Dalton Wells (approx. 4.9 miles away); Rubber Rabbitbrush (approx. 6.6 miles away); Harriman's Yucca (approx. 6.6 miles away); Utah Serviceberry (approx. 6.6 miles away); Moab Utah UMTRA Project (approx. 7.8 miles away); Ancient Sand Dunes (approx. 8.2 miles away); Balanced Rock (approx. 10 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Moab.
Also see . . .
1. The Geologic Story of Canyonlands National Park (USGS). (Submitted on November 11, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Merrimac Butte at Wikipedia. (Submitted on November 11, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 11, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 381 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 11, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.