Pipe Spring and coral pink dunes,

10 Sep 2014

Flying from Colorado City.

I had stopped at the Pipe Spring National Monument on the way here, and found a really interesting history.

This was a natural spring that flowed up to 50 barrels a day, so was a really valuable asset in this very dry desert country.  The Mormons came and built a fort right on top of the spring, so that the Indians couldn't get access.  The industrious Mormons grazed thousands of cattle, including a large herd of milking cows, from which they made butter and cheese to contribute as their tithing to the building of the temple in St George UT at the time.  Very ingenious how they directed the spring water, cold from directly out of the earth, through the cheese and butter making room, to keep it cool.  The room was also almost a cave in under the fort, to keep out the heat. This was the 1870's, and the surrounding pasture was lush native grass that carried the large herds of cattle.  But severe over-grazing and the droughts of the 1890's completely decimated the grass, and left only sage brush,  so the property was abandoned.....

Pipe Springs fort and farmstead.

The spring flowed out from under the fort in into those cool pools
what a blessing in this desert all around.....

The 'Coral Pink' sand dunes.

Quad bike 4-wheelers are allowed to play here....