Green River Overlook

Coming south east on I-70 through the town of Green River(where the Arby's has a great bathroom according to Renee:) Exit mile 181 at elevation 4782. Walking out to a pavilion looking south the first outcrops we see are the North end of Arches National Park. Also the first visible evidence of the Salt Valley Graben( graben being a German word for Ditch). We have learned already that grabens and Anticlines form in many ways. This one forming from salts deep below the earth's surface moving upward and creating a dome. Cracks at the surface allow water to creep down and dissolve the salt creating a cavern of open unsupported space beneath the ground. The earth collapses and leaves these fins above ground that we can see from this point.