FOREST RECREATION DEPARTMENT 



NATURE STONE-MASON AND ARCHITECT 



ARTHUR H. CARHART, EDITOR 



SCENIC ODDITIES IN AND NEAR LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST 



BY CHARLES DEMOISY, JR., SUPERVISOR OF LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST 



TO the tourist, 

 recreationist, 

 geologist, or 

 student in archae- 

 ology, an excellent 

 o p p o r tunity for 

 viewing and study- 

 ing some of the 

 most sublime and 

 grotesque scenic 

 and geologic won- 

 ders of the United 

 States, is offered in 

 the region of the 

 La Sal National 

 Forest and the 

 Natural Bridges 

 National Monu- 

 ment in San Juan 

 County, Utah. This 

 area, heretofore 

 visited by compara- 

 tively few, mostly 

 local ranchers and 

 stockmen and pio- 

 neer geologists and 

 archaeologists, also offers opportunity to the adventurous 

 for exploring a wild, undeveloped country showing, as 

 yet, little evidence of man's dominion. 



In the extreme southeastern part of the State, the 

 native sand rock has been carved by the great sculptural 



THE EDWIN NATURAL BRIDGE 



At once sublime and grotesque the natural bridge presents both beauty and engrossing problems in 

 geology. . The magnitude of the arch is well shown here in contrast to the human figures standing 

 on top of it. Nature, by wind and water action has here builded a monument to her forces equal 

 to many man-made structures of the same type and by far more graceful than most bridges. 



forces of wind and 

 stream erosion into 

 strange, fantastic 

 shapes leaving a 

 myriad of benches, 

 canyons, peaks and 

 pinnacles, cliffs and 

 chasms, in perfect 

 miniature of that 

 wonder of wonders 

 in scenic interest, 

 the Grand Canyon 

 of the Colorado, to 

 which the drainage 

 of this country is 

 tributary. 



Outstanding in- 

 stances of this 

 strange work of 

 Nature are "Big 

 Indian," "Church 

 Rock," "Looking 

 Glass" rock, typi- 

 fying in minutest 

 detail the objects to 

 which their names 

 refer; the picturesque "Ship Rock," near where four 

 State corners meet, standing out like an ancient sailing 

 vessel on the ocean horizon; the Bear's Ears, freakish 

 shaped mountains and famous landmarks, and, by far 

 the most interesting scenic attractions of the entire section, 



If all our National Forests could be heard from, few could offer more unusual scenic attractions than those found in 

 and near the La Sal. Mr. Demoisy graphically tells of a few of the unusual bits of landscape to be found there. And yet, if 

 we could only get like information from nearly any National Forest we would find that in each can be found some 

 striking thing worth seeing. 



To know your National Forests is to become familiar with the greater values of scenic America. The 160,000,000 acres 

 of National Forest territory are not all replete with scenic wonders and yet every one of them carries some charm. The 

 aggregate scenic wealth within these Forests is one of the greatest aesthetic heritages ever owned by a nation. 



Knowing the La Sal you know but one of the more than one hundred and fifty National Forests. But in thus meeting 

 the La Sal National Forest as here presented you become familiar with one more of the scenic wonderlands of the Forests 

 and thus may come so much closer to knowing the majority of these stupendous lands of scenic surprises and unexcelled 

 vacation lands. Arthur H. Carhart, Editor, Recreation Department. 



HO 



