Dead Horse Point State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dead Horse Point State Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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View of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park from Dead Horse Point
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 Dead Horse Point State Park
Location in Utah
Dead Horse Point State Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | San Juan County, Utah, U.S. |
| Area | 5,300 acres (21 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,900 ft (1,800 m) |
| Established | 1959 |
| Visitors | 560,783 (in 2017) |
| Operator | Utah State Parks |
Dead Horse Point State Park is a state park of Utah in the United States, featuring a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. The park covers 5,362 acres (2,170 ha) of high desert at an altitude of 5,900 feet (1,800 m).
Amenities
The park has several overlooks, a visitor center, and picnic areas. The Kayenta Campground has 21 RV campsites with electricity and tent pads. The Wingate Campground features 4 yurts, 20 RV campsites and 11 hike-in tent-only sites. There are five additional yurts at the Moenkopi Yurt area. A coffee shop serves food and beverages.
Dead Horse Point State Park features an 8-mile (13 km) hiking trail that includes loops and overlooks on the East Rim Trail and the West Rim Trail. The Intrepid Trail System contains 17 miles of single-track mountain bike trails with loops of varying levels of difficulty. Bikes are also allowed single-file on paved roads.
Hunting is not allowed in the park. Safety concerns include the relative isolation of the park (gas, food and medical care are over 30 miles (48 km) away in Moab), lightning danger and unfenced cliffs.
Dead Horse Point name
According to legend, the park is so named because of its use as a natural corral by cowboys in the 19th century, where horses often died of exposure. Dead Horse Point has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
In film
Dead Horse Point State Park appeared in the final scene in the 1991 film Thelma & Louise.
Images for kids
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View from Dead Horse Point lookout
