Utah Backcountry Desert

A view of a rustic Utah Desert and Mexican Mountain Wilderness landscape. It's amazing how beautiful a desert can be. I love the different colors in the rock mountain layers. This is along Buckhorn Draw Road or Lawrence Road. We took it on our way to see the San Rafael Swinging Bridge and Buckhorn Wash. It was well worth the drive. The Mexican Mountain Wilderness is characterized by features resulting from erosion of the multi-colored sedimentary rocks of the eastern San Rafael Swell. Brightly colored cliffs, buttes, ridges, alcoves, and pinnacles dominate the landscape with elevations ranging from 4,700 feet in the southeast to 6,900 feet on Mexican Mountain. Roughly half the area is barren rock with pinyon-juniper woodlands, brush, and grass covering the remaining land. This vegetation along with riparian growth provides for diverse habitat making the wilderness home to bighorn sheep, cougars, raptors, and several reptile species. Two endangered plant species, the Maguire daisy and Wright fishhook cactus also grow there.

This photo was taken by Jennifer White with Timeless Moments Photography. All images are copyrighted © Timeless Moments Photography/Jennifer White. All rights reserved.