BY TAYLOR MOILANEN Red Rocks. Map of Location Red Rocks is spread out among Utah, Denver, New Mexico, Nevada, California, and Arizona.

BY TAYLOR MOILANEN

Red Rocks

Map of Location

Red Rocks is spread out among Utah, Denver, New Mexico, Nevada, California, and Arizona.

When and Why

Red Rocks became a state recreation area in 1969, when it became obvious, off-road vehicles were damaging the hills and canyons. Red Rocks was upgraded to park

status in 1982.

How it was Formed

The rocks were formed about 290-296 million years ago when the Ancestral Rocky Mountains were eroded during the Pennsylvania epoch. Later, uplift during the Laramide Orogeny tilted the rocks to the angle at which they sit today.

Type of Rocks

Most of the park is covered in eroded white, grey, and red sandstone.

Red White Grey

Landforms/Features

Red Rocks is know for it’s operating amphitheater. It gets many visitors looking at it’s red sandstone outcrops. It also has many places like the mushroom-shaped Seat of Pluto to the inclined Cave of the Seven Ladders.

How the land is Changing

The land is changing in many different ways. If it rains the sandstone becomes very brittle and could break of very easily. Also when more rivers are created from rain or snow it carves out different parts of the park.

Environmental Issues

Denver got a $48,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency Region 8, Denver Recycles is a program to help keep waste out of the city and county of Denver as well as Red Rocks. Recycling bins can be found almost anywhere in Denver.

Technology

Most of the Red Rocks technology is part of the amphitheater. The speakers, microphones, and stereos.

Animals/Plants

Desert bighorn sheep are occasionally seen at the higher elevations. During spring and summer rainstorms, it’s very rare to see tiny red-spotted toads emerging from pools of water. The Conservation Area is protected habitat for the Desert Tortoise. Some 600 species of plants are known in the area. Common types in the valley floor include the Joshua tree, banana yucca, and blackbrush. Higher up the Utah juniper it is common to see scrub live oak. Agave is easy to spot in red rock niches, with its thick low leaves and flowering stem. Ponderosa pines may be found at the top of the valley, where it connects to the Spring Mountains.

Animal/Plant Pictures

Bibliography

WikipediaGoogle/Google Imageshttp://desertrocksportslv.com/climbinfo.htmlwww.redrocksonline.com/PARKAMENITIES/

ReduceReuseRecycleRockon.aspx

Pictures