Share Our World: Pothole Point Trail

On our trip to Southern Utah we went to three National Parks. In Canyonlands National Park we went a few places including Pothole Point.

According to AllTrails:

Pothole Point Trail is a 0.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Monticello, Utah that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, running, and nature trips and is accessible year-round. ¹

When we went I thought it was just a place to get out and wander around and look at great views.

There is actually a hiking loop with at 39 feet elevation gain, so very flat. We didn't follow a trail we just wandered around on the rocks.

Cairns

There were cairns to mark the path on the rock.

Cryptobiotic Soil

While this might just look like I took a picture of the ground, this ground is super fascinating. There is a layer of crust over the soil protecting the desert. It is super important to not break this crust and walk only on the marked trails.

There is so much to learn about cryptobiotic soil I could do a whole post about it. For now I will link a few posts

A Desert Hiker’s Guide to Cryptobiotic Soil: Don’t Bust the Crust!
Biological Soil Crust of Southeast Utah