Scenic Drive Picnic Area: Life in the Balance

A sign outside the scenic drive picnic area provides information on the fragile desert.

NPS/Isabel Gonzalez

Quick Facts

Location:

Canyonlands: The Needles

Significance:

Wayside Panel

Amenities

4 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Picnic Shelter/Pavilion, Picnic Table, Scenic View/Photo Spot

The word "desert: may bring to mind a baren, lifeless landscape, but if you look closely, you will see a place teeming with life. Pinyon and juniper trees thrive. Grasslands spring up between rocky outcrops. Coyotes howl, raven soar, and lizards bask in the morning sun. Depressions in the rock called potholes can abound with life. Even the dirt is alive.  

Infrequent rain fill potholes, and, within hours, a surprising community starts to appear. Tiny creatures emerge, racing to reproduce before the water evaporates. This may only last a few days and is not always successful.  

Once the pothole dries, eggs lie dormant - sometimes for decades - until the next rain when the cycle starts again. 

The dirty you see is also a vital living community. When left undisturbed, biological soil crust prevents erosion, stores moisture, and provides critical nutrients for plants. This fragile crust can take decades to reach maturity.  

As you explore Canyonlands, watch for the desert's many unique inhabitants. Please help us preserve the delicate balance that allows life to thrive here. 

Below this main body of text are three seperate images of fragile desert life. An image of the pothole ecosystem is accompanied by a caption that reads, dry depressions in the rock come to life following seasonal rains. These fragile ecosystems are easily damaged. Please do not dip fingers, hands, or feet in the water.  

An image of a tadpole shrimp is acompanied by an image that reads, this tadpole shrimp is one of many life forms you may see in a pothole. Fairy shrimp, clam shrimp, snails, insects, and numerous larvae also thrive in these temporary pools.  

An image of mature biological soil crust is accompanied by an image that reads, biological soil crusts are living communities of cyanobacteria, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi. Careless steps can destroy decades of growth; please stay on the trails.