Near Moab in Grand County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Tracks in the Canyon

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, May 19, 2016

1. Tracks in the Canyon Marker

Inscription. Human activities have changed the face of Canyonlands. Livestock grazing in the late 19th century altered plant communities. The roads and seismic lines you see below were constructed in the 1950s in a search for uranium and oil. Mining and grazing activities eventually ceased with the creation of Canyonlands National Park, but the impacts are still visible today.

Desert plants endure poor soil, infrequent rain, intense heat and strong winds. Annual precipitation in less than 10 inches. Because of these challenges, seeds only germinate once every few years. This means that desert plant communities recover very slowly from any disturbance.

Grazing has ceased, mining has stopped, abandoned roads have been closed and backcountry travel is regulated. Natural revegetation is slowly repairing these impacts. Visual rehabilitation has begun to conceal the scars on the landscape, but full biological recovery will take many years in this arid environment.

Erected by Canyonlands National Park, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Exploration.

Location. 38° 20.76′ N, 109° 51.615′ W. Marker is

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near Moab, Utah, in Grand County. It can be reached from Grand View Point Road, on the left when traveling south. Marker is at the Buck Canyon Overlook, 9.5 miles south of the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, in Canyonlands National Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Moab UT 84532, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Canyon Country.

It is also in the American Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Protecting Wilderness (approx. 2.2 miles away); John Wesley Powell on the Green River (approx. 2.7 miles away); Green River Overlook (approx. 2.7 miles away); Aztec Butte (approx. 3½ miles away); The Neck (approx. 7.7 miles away); Indian Ricegrass (approx. 8.1 miles away); There's Something in the Air (approx. 8.2 miles away); The Legend of Dead Horse Point (approx. 10.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Moab.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, May 19, 2016

2. Tracks in the Canyon Marker

Tracks in the Canyon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, May 19, 2016

3. Tracks in the Canyon

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, May 19, 2016

4. Tracks in the Canyon

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 9, 2025

5. Tracks in the Canyon Marker

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 9, 2025

6. Tracks in the Canyon Marker

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 9, 2025

7. Tracks in the Canyon Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2016, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 594 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 8, 2016, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 5, 6, 7. submitted on June 22, 2025, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.