A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM: AND: [Captioning sponsored by THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION] Jim: INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT IS ONE OF MANY FREESTANDING ROCK FORMATIONS IN THE COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT ON THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE ROCKIES NEAR GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO.

CANYONS, CLIFFS, PLATEAUS AND MESAS-- IT'S BOLD COUNTRY.

PERHAPS A LITTLE OVERPOWERING AT FIRST BUT YOU MIGHT LEARN TO FEEL COMFORTABLE HERE IF YOU PAUSE TO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE AREA'S BEAUTY-- THE LARGE AND THE SMALL.

HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE AND WE'RE ON WINDOW ROCK TRAIL HIGH ABOVE MONUMENT CANYON AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT THIS IS.

THIS IS A PHENOMENAL PART OF THE UNITED STATES, JIM BECAUSE IN THE WEST YOU REALLY GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE GEOLOGY.

THERE'S NOT SO MUCH VEGETATION HERE THAT WE CAN'T TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROCKS AND THAT'S REALLY A MAJOR PART OF THE STORY HERE-- THE WAY ROCKS HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY CONTINENTAL SHIFTING FORCING UP ROCKS TO FORM PLATEAUS LIKE THE ONE THAT WE'RE ON.

AND THEN HOW WATER COMES ALONG-- ICE AND FLOWING WATER-- AND SHAPES THESE INTO BEAUTIFUL CANYONS.

AND THEN, AS YOU'VE SAID, THOSE ARE THE BIG THINGS; THE SMALL THINGS-- THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT ARE VERY COMMON HERE HOW THEY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO REALLY WIDE TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND, OF COURSE, THESE ROCK OUTCROPS.

THERE ARE SOME PLANTS THAT SEEM TO DO VERY WELL HERE.

A LOT OF DIVERSITY.

DESERT-LIKE SITUATION, THOUGH AND I THINK THAT'LL BE FUN, TOO.

AND, AS I SAID, IT CAN BE OVERPOWERING UNTIL YOU APPRECIATE THE SMALLER THINGS.

YEAH, AND I THINK THE COMBINATION OF THE LARGE AND THE SMALL IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN TODAY AND THE TRAIL JUST BECKONS SO WHY DON'T WE HEAD ON?

LET'S GO.

THE ROCKS HERE THAT YOU SEE STICKING OUT ALL ALONG THE TRAIL ARE SANDSTONES.

YOU CAN SEE THEM SPARKLING IN THE SUNLIGHT A LITTLE BIT WITH THOSE SAND GRAINS.

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS, REALLY, ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE UP MOST OF THIS PLATEAU THAT WE'RE WALKING ON.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT PLANTS THAT DO WELL HERE; THERE IS ONE THAT REALLY DOMINATES-- ONE OF THE TWO TREES THAT DO WELL HERE AND THAT'S... DO YOU KNOW THE NAME FOR THAT ONE?

IT'S IN THE JUNIPER FAMILY AND LOTS OF THEM HERE.

OKAY, UTAH JUNIPER IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

NEVER GETS TO BE A TREMENDOUSLY LARGE TREE.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SOIL HERE TO GROW IN AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES ON THAT.

THAT COULD BE A PRETTY OLD INDIVIDUAL.

BUT YOU SEE THE FRUIT ON IT.

ONE OF THE PLANTS THAT HAS THAT BERRY- LIKE CONE-- ONE OF THE CONIFERS.

THE OTHER TREE THAT DOES WELL UP HERE IS A RELATIVE, THE PIÑON PINE THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IN A FEW MOMENTS.

YOU SEE THE WAY, THOUGH, IT HUGS SOME OF THE ROCK HERE.

HANGS IN THERE.

OH, YEAH.

KIND OF A ROUGH PLACE TO LIVE AND TO GET ROOTS IN.

THERE'S ANOTHER PLANT, NOW THAT'S ONE OF THE STRANGEST-LOOKING THINGS.

THAT LOOKS SOMEWHAT LIKE SEA CORAL LIKE YOU'D FIND IN THE OCEAN.

YEAH, IT'S ALMOST CORAL-LIKE OR AN UPSIDE-DOWN BROOM OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.

IT'S KIND OF A STRANGE THING.

ONE OF THE NAMES FOR THAT IS JOINT FIR.

YOU SEE THE JOINTED BRANCHES THERE AND IT IS A RELATIVE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT OF THE JUNIPERS AND THE FIRS.

REALLY A STRANGE- LOOKING PLANT.

ANOTHER NAME FOR IT IS MORMON TEA.

CAN YOU DRINK IT?

YEAH, YOU CAN MAKE A TEA OUT OF THE BRANCHES, THERE.

AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.

BUT TYPICAL OF A PLACE LIKE THIS... AND, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF PLANTS THAT REALLY DO WELL IN ALMOST DESERT- LIKE SITUATIONS.

I GUESS THE BEST NAME FOR THIS AREA, THOUGH IS PIÑON PINE- JUNIPER FOREST.

IT'S FAIRLY DRY HERE THIS TIME OF YEAR, ISN'T IT?

SO DRY AND YET SO MANY PLANTS SEEM TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE SUMMER.

WELL, THERE ARE CERTAIN SPECIES THAT REALLY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS GRABBING WATER AND HOLDING ON TO IT.

AND THERE'S ONE SPECIES THAT DOMINATES IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES-- THE SAGEBRUSH THERE, THAT CLUMP OF BLUE RIGHT NEXT TO THE JOINT FIR THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT A MOMENT AGO.

SAGEBRUSH IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT DOES VERY WELL HERE OFFERS SHADE FOR A NUMBER OF ANIMALS AND ALSO FOOD SOURCE FOR A NUMBER OF ANIMALS.

LOOK AT THE FLOWERS, THOUGH, UP ON THE TOP.

THOSE VERY TINY THINGS ARE FLOWERS?

NOT VERY SHOWY.

THEY PRODUCE, THOUGH, LOTS OF POLLEN.

IT'S A WIND- POLLINATED PLANT AND, OF COURSE, THAT CAUSES ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN PEOPLE A NUMBER OF TIMES.

LOOK AT THE LEAVES ON THAT PLANT, NOW, TOO.

THEY'RE SO TYPICALLY THREE-TOOTHED.

SEE THOSE THREE LITTLE PROJECTIONS ON THE END OFTENTIMES?

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SPECIES OF SAGEBRUSH BUT THAT HAS THOSE TYPICAL LEAVES AND WHITE-TAILED DEER WOULD BROWSE ON THE LEAVES OF THAT PLANT AND COTTONTAILS AND OTHER ANIMALS DOWN HERE.

AND SAGEBRUSH GROWS MUCH HIGHER, TOO AND GETS ITS COVER.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, IT REALLY DOES DOMINATE IN MANY AREAS OF THE WESTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

AND SMELLS SO GOOD.

AFTER A GOOD RAIN YOU GET THAT NICE AROMA THAT IS TYPICAL OF SAGEBRUSH COUNTRY.

WHY DON'T WE JUST DUCK BEHIND THIS JUNIPER AND SEE WHAT'S DOWN THERE ON THE LOWER LEVEL?

NOW WE'RE COMING TO SOME FLOWERS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE SHOWY.

NOW, THESE DON'T KNOCK YOU DOWN BUT YOU SEE THE YELLOW CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS THERE?

IT'S NOT A MUSTARD FLOWER BY ANY CHANCE.

NO, NO, IT'S... RABBIT BRUSH IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

RABBITS FIND SHELTER UNDER IT AND NIBBLE ON IT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT CLUSTERS OF YELLOW FLOWERS AND WHEN YOU SEE CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS THAT EQUALS NECTAR AND THAT BRINGS LARGE NUMBERS OF BUTTERFLIES AS YOU SEE COMING IN, AND OTHER INSECTS.

LOOK AT... LOOK AT THE BEE, TOO, ON THAT THING-- BIG BEE OVER THERE ON THE SIDE THAT'S WORKING OVER THAT, GETTING NOT ONLY NECTAR BUT ALSO POLLEN FROM... FROM THE RABBIT BRUSH.

AND THEN THE BUTTERFLIES.

IS THAT A SKIPPER?

YEAH, AND LOOK AT THE TONGUE COMING OUT.

NOW, YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT CLEARLY ON THAT SKIPPER STICKING THE TONGUE INTO INDIVIDUAL FLOWERS AND SLURPING UP NECTAR.

UH... THAT'S A NICE ONE, THAT IS A BEAUTY.

LOOK AT THE MARKINGS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING-- THE LITTLE WHITE BLOTCHES ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING.

PAHASKA SKIPPER PROBABLY IS THE SPECIES NAME.

AND NOW, LOOK.

REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ANIMALS GETTING SHADE AND SHELTER FROM THE SUNLIGHT IN A PLANT?

LOOK AT THAT BUTTERFLY BEAUTIFULLY CAMOUFLAGED.

WITH THE EYESPOTS.

WITH THE EYESPOTS.

AND THOSE EYESPOTS MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S A LARGER ANIMAL, DON'T THEY?

THAT'S ONE OF THE SATYRS-- MEAD'S SATYR IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT ONE.

AND THEY GET OUT OF THE SUNLIGHT THERE.

AND LOOK ON THE OTHER SIDE OVER THERE THERE IS ONE OUT GETTING NECTAR FROM THE RABBIT BRUSH.

THESE PLANTS REALLY DO MAKE THIS WORLD LIVABLE FOR ANIMALS-- GETTING NECTAR, AGAIN, RIGHT THERE.

AMAZING COUNTRY.

AND THE SLOWER YOU GO THE MORE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS YOU'LL SEE.

LOOK DOWN THE WAY.

THE COTTONTAIL RABBIT.

DESERT COTTONTAIL NIBBLING ON THE SAGEBRUSH THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JUST A MOMENT AGO.

LONG EARS ON THAT THING, BIG EYES.

OF COURSE VERY SENSITIVE TO SOUND.

HE HEARD US AND SLIPPED AWAY.

YOU MIGHT SEE A LOT OF COTTONTAILS IN THIS AREA ALONG THE TRAIL BUT WHAT ELSE DO THEY EAT?

THEY LIKE FAIRLY SOFT VEGETATION TO NIBBLE ON-- LEAVES OF QUITE A FEW PLANTS HERE SERVE THEM WELL-- COMING OUT SOMETIMES TO EAT AND SOMETIMES NIBBLING IN THE SHADE.

OF COURSE WHEN YOU LOSE LEAVES-- IF YOU'RE A PLANT-- YOU LOSE WATER, DON'T YOU?

SURE DO.

THERE'S A PLANT THAT CAME UP A LONG TIME AGO WITH A WAY TO CONSERVE WATER RESOURCES.

FIRST THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY LARGE LEAVES AT ALL-- LEAVES ARE TINY.

WHAT LOOKS LIKE LEAVES THERE ARE STEMS ON THE CACTUS.

NEEDLES AND SPINES ON THAT.

MM-HMM, PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS AND THOSE SPINES IN A SENSE SORT OF PROTECT ITS INVESTMENT OF WATER.

VERY IMPORTANT TO GATHER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND THEN TO CONSERVE WATER RESOURCES HERE.

THAT'S ONE PLANT THAT DOES IT.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE CLUSTER OVER HERE OF PLANTS THAT BASICALLY IS DOING KIND OF THE SAME THING-- YUCCA.

AND LOOK AT THE LEAVES ON THAT.

SHARP.

SPANISH BAYONET IS ONE COMMON NAME FOR IT.

DOESN'T HAVE REALLY A LOT OF SPINES LIKE THE CACTUS THERE BUT THE TIP END OF THOSE LEAVES IS REALLY, REALLY SHARP, AND IF YOU BACK INTO IT YOU'LL REALIZE WHY YOU CALL THAT SPANISH BAYONET.

AGAIN, DOING WELL HERE.

ONE OTHER YELLOW FLOWER-- LOOKS ALMOST LIKE THE RABBIT BRUSH THAT WE SAW EARLIER... A LITTLE LOWER GROWING.

MORE DEFINED BLOSSOMS.

YEAH, YEAH, UH-HUH ANOTHER ONE OF THE COMPOSITES VERY CLOSELY RELATED TO THE RABBIT BRUSH BUT, UH... COMMON NAME FOR THAT IS SNAKEWEED.

SOMETIMES CALLED BROOM SNAKEWEED.

THE SHRUBBY LOOK-- IF YOU COULD TAKE THAT OFF YOU COULD PROBABLY USE IT AS A YARD BROOM-- SO THE NAME BROOM.

AND THEN SNAKEWEED USED TO BE USED TO TREAT SNAKE BITE IN SHEEP AND SUPPOSEDLY WORKED.

BUT A VERY COMMON PLANT HERE THIS SEASON OF THE YEAR.

NOW, LOOK... SEE THE, UH...

THE DEAD JUNIPER TREE LYING DOWN?

LOOK AT THE LIZARD ON IT.

NORTHERN PLATEAU LIZARD IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT ONE.

REALLY ONE OF THE FENCE LIZARD TYPES.

CAMOUFLAGED AS WELL.

BEAUTIFULLY THERE, YEAH, AND SCALY.

AGAIN, REPTILES DO FAIRLY WELL HERE.

THEY CAN'T REALLY CONTROL THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE WELL BUT WHEN IT'S HOT, THEY STAY IN THE SHADE.

WHEN THEY GET TOO COOL THEY EASE OUT INTO THE SUNLIGHT.

ONE OF THE REPTILES DOING WELL IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

LIZARD DIVERSITY HERE IS VERY GREAT.

EVEN WITHOUT THE GREENERY AND THE LEAVES THE JUNIPER TAKES ON A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEAUTY.

YEAH, AND IT'S BEEN SCULPTED BY THE WIND I GUESS, COMING UP IN HERE AND BY THE OTHER ELEMENTS.

NICE HOME FOR THAT LIZARD, EVEN IN DEATH.

AND, OF COURSE SLOWLY BECOMING PART OF THIS SOIL.

AND WHAT A VIEW THAT LIZARD HAS.

OH, WOW, LOOK AT THAT VIEW BEHIND IT.

IT'S HARD NOT TO BE AMAZED AT THE BEAUTY HERE.

NATURE DOES SOME WONDERFUL THINGS WHEN SHE FORMS CANYONS.

WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SANDSTONES BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT MAKES UP MOST OF THE WALLS, AS I'VE SAID.

LET'S JUST HEAD ON DOWN THE TRAIL.

THESE TRAILS GET YOU CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THAT CANYON BUT THEY'RE SAFE, AREN'T THEY?

WELL MAINTAINED AND SAFE.

EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

AND THERE ARE LOTS OF CLUES TO BE READ IN THE ROCKS HERE.

I AM...

THIS IS...

THIS IS AMAZING.

THIS IS THE SANDSTONE... NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT IT, JIM.

IT'S NOT JUST A PILE OF THE SAME STUFF.

YOU SEE THAT THERE ARE LAYERS IN HERE?

DOWN HERE, FAIRLY FLAT.

THEN AS YOU GO UP THEY'RE TILTED A LITTLE BIT.

THESE ARE REALLY TILTED A GREAT DEAL-- LOOK AT THAT.

THEN THEY'RE FLAT AGAIN, THEN TILTED AND FLAT AND ON AND ON.

NOW, WHAT IN THE WORLD TODAY WOULD GIVE A LOOK LIKE THIS... TO SAND?

OCEAN WASHING IT INTO A BEACH AND WIND... WIND BLOWING IT INTO DUNES.

THESE ARE BASICALLY SAND DUNES THAT, IN A SENSE, HAVE BEEN FROZEN IN TIME FOR US.

FANTASTIC.

AND YOU CAN SEE, REALLY THIS IS A CROSS SECTION OF THE DUNE SO A LOT OF THIS SANDSTONE ROCK THAT FORMS A MAJOR PART OF THOSE CANYON WALLS IS OLD SAND DUNE MATERIAL-- AT LEAST THIS FOR SURE IS.

AND YOU SEE IT ERODES OUT INTO LITTLE SPACES AND THAT ALLOWS LOTS OF ANIMALS TO LIVE IN THERE VERY WELL.

I SEE.

I'M AMAZED... LOOK RIGHT ON THE EDGE HERE... ROBBER FLY SITTING THERE.

LOOK AT THAT LITTLE INSECT-- SORT OF A FUZZY FACE.

ALMOST LIKE HE'S GOT A BEARD.

ONE OF THE PREDATORS-- RUBBING WITH HIS FRONT LEGS A LITTLE BIT-- THAT FLIES THROUGH THE AIR GRABBING OTHER INSECTS AND TAKING THE LIFE AWAY FROM THEM.

AND THAT'S WHY HE'S CALLED THE ROBBER FLY?

ROBBER FLY, SITTING ON THAT ANCIENT SAND DUNE THAT'S NOW FROZEN IN SPACE.

MILLIONS... WELL, YOU SAID...

MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD.

I SEE SOMETHING OVER HERE.

LOOK, LOOK OVER THERE...

SOARING.

OH, YEAH.

GOLDEN EAGLE, RIGHT THERE.

NOW, THEY NEST ON THE CANYON WALLS.

AND LOOK AT THAT THING SOARING.

SEE THE SIZE OF IT: BIG BEAK, BROAD WINGS-- FANTASTIC ANIMAL.

YOU ASKED WHAT GOT DESERT COTTONTAIL RABBITS-- OR WHAT THEY WERE EATING.

THIS IS EATING DESERT COTTONTAIL RABBITS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

SNEAK ON THEM AND TAKE THEM AWAY VERY RAPIDLY.

LET'S HEAD ON DOWN.

GOSH, THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE.

THIS RELATIVELY DRY CLIMATE REALLY MAKES FOR A RATHER OPEN TRAIL, DOESN'T IT?

AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKY, RUDY.

AND LOOK, LOOK AT THE, UM... SANDSTONE FORMATIONS.

OH, YEAH.

THEY CALL THAT SADDLEHORN I GUESS BECAUSE OF THE SHAPES BY THE WIND AND THE RAIN.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY WIND AND WATER REALLY DOES CHANGE THE WORLD, ABSOLUTELY SHAPING IT INTO THAT SHAPE.

SEE THE VERTICAL JOINTS THAT YOU SEE VERY WELL THERE?

AND WATER GETS IN AND EXPANDS WHEN IT FREEZES AND CAUSES THAT TO EVENTUALLY BREAK UP.

AND NO VEGETATION.

NOT REALLY ON THE SIDES.

I CAN SEE, I THINK A LITTLE BIT MAYBE ON THE TOP A LITTLE BIT PEEKING OVER.

BUT I DON'T SEE MUCH VEGETATION EVEN ON THE TOP.

THE ENTRADA FORMATION IS THE NAME FOR THAT BLOCK OF SANDSTONE AND WE'LL LOOK AT SOME OTHER FORMATIONS IN A FEW MINUTES.

THAT, TOO, WAS A SAND DUNE?

A POSSIBILITY, YES, UH-HUH.

AND LOOK OVER HERE IN THE SHADE.

THERE'S ANOTHER COTTONTAIL.

OH, YEAH.

FROM REALLY ANCIENT TO MODERN-DAY.

THE DESERT COTTONTAIL-- LONG EARS, AGAIN, BIG EYES, COTTONY TAIL.

WHAT'S IT EATING?

I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT'S NIBBLING ON THERE BUT YOU SEE IT'S IN THE SHADE KEEPING COOL AND ALSO KEEPING OUT OF THE SIGHT OF THAT GOLDEN EAGLE THAT WE SAW FLYING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIPS ARE VERY STRONG HERE.

NOT A LOT OF SHADE UP HERE.

NO.

HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT GIVES A LITTLE SHADE, THOUGH.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE OF THE TREES.

WE SAID TWO DOMINATED-- YOU REMEMBER THE JUNIPER, AND THEN...

THE PIÑON PINE.

PIÑON PINE.

AND IF YOU GET CLOSE YOU CAN SEE THAT THOSE LEAVES ARE NEEDLELIKE IN BUNDLES OF TWO, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF THAT SPECIES OF PIÑON PINE.

I SEE THE CONES ON IT.

IT IS ONE OF THE CONIFERS.

BUT I WAS HOPE... YEAH, HERE'S ONE ON THE GROUND.

CONE?

GET YOUR CONE IN HAND YOU CAN SEE VERY CLEARLY WHY THEY SOMETIMES CALL THIS THE NUT PINE.

I CAN SEE THE NUT.

IS THAT EDIBLE?

THAT IS, YES.

A LOT OF ANIMALS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

JUST ONE SEED LEFT, BUT, YOU KNOW IF YOU CAN LOOK CAREFULLY YOU SEE THE LITTLE CUPLIKE THINGS WHERE THE OTHER SEED WERE.

SOMETHING HAS COME AND TAKEN THEM AWAY.

BUT NUT PINE MAKES REALLY GOOD SENSE.

MOST PINECONES ARE LARGER THAN THIS AND THE SEED ARE SMALLER AND HAVE WINGS ON THEM, SEE?

MM-HMM.

BUT AGAIN, PIÑON PINE IS UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT IT DOES HAVE THAT LARGE NUTLIKE SEED.

RUDY, YOU SAID ANIMALS COULD EAT IT.

COULD I EAT IT?

SURE, YES, IT'S EDIBLE BY HUMANS AND INDIANS, LIVING HERE IN THE PAST REALLY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT.

AND THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED A PIÑON JAY THAT ALSO TAKES GOOD ADVANTAGE OF THESE PIÑON PINE NUTS IN THIS FOREST.

NOW, I SEE SOMETHING ELSE.

LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE.

A LIZARD!

OH, YEAH, NOW, THAT'S A CLEAR ONE.

ONE OF THE WHIPTAILS.

LONG YELLOW STRIPES ON IT.

PLATEAU WHIPTAIL LIZARD IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT ONE.

AND THAT ONE, LIKE THE OTHER LIZARD FEEDS ON INVERTEBRATES THAT IT FINDS UP HERE.

DISTINCTIVE MARKINGS.

OH, BOY, ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

AND THOSE WHIPTAILS REALLY ARE DIVERSE HERE IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.

LOTS OF THINGS TO SEE HERE.

WHY DON'T WE JUST KEEP ON GOING DOWN THE TRAIL?

SANDSTONE ROCK THERE IS JUST AS CLEAR AS THE OTHER WITH THAT CROSS-BEDDING.

OLD SAND DUNES.

LOOK AT THE VEGETATION ALL OVER THE PLACE.

GRABBING HOLD.

YEAH, AND ANOTHER TREE NOW.

THIS IS ONE WE HAVEN'T SEEN YET.

IT'S A LITTLE STRANGE.

THAT'S KNOWN AS SINGLE-LEAF ASH.

MOST ASH LEAVES ARE COMPOUND AND HERE YOU'VE GOT A SINGLE LEAF.

REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT HOLDING IN WATER?

THAT'S A BROADLEAF PLANT.

BUT YOU DON'T WANT YOUR LEAVES TO BE TOO BROAD; IN OTHER WORDS, LOSE A LOT OF WATER INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

SO THIS ONE ACTUALLY HAS A SINGLE LEAF.

OPPOSITE LEAVES AND THE WAY YOU CAN REALLY TELL IT'S AN ASH IS BY LOOKING AT THE FRUIT WHICH IS HANGING DOWN THERE.

YOU CAN BARELY SEE IT.

SEE IT, JIM?

KIND OF BROWN WINGED FRUIT.

STRANGE, STRANGE PLANT.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY BROADLEAF PLANTS.

MOSTLY CONIFERS, YEAH, THAT'S THE FIRST DECIDUOUS.

NOW, THERE'S THE...

THE JUNIPER AGAIN, UTAH JUNIPER BUT NOW LOOK AT THE BULGES ON IT.

WE'VE SEEN THE FRUIT.

THAT IS NOT FRUIT.

THAT'S A GALL, RIGHT?

THOSE ARE GALLS-- LITTLE TUMORLIKE GROWTHS PROBABLY CAUSED BY A LITTLE WASP OR ONE OF ITS RELATIVES LAYING EGGS IN THERE AND ONCE THAT EGG HATCHES IT CAUSES THAT TUMORLIKE GROWTH AND THAT'S A PARASITE ON THAT HOST.

WILL IT HARM THE TREE?

USUALLY DOESN'T KILL THE TREE BUT VERY OBVIOUS, ALMOST LOOKING LIKE A NATURAL PART OF THE TREE.

REALLY LOOKING KIND OF LIKE FRUIT TO MOST PEOPLE UNLESS YOU'VE SEEN THE FRUIT.

NOW, THERE...

THERE'S LOTS OF FRUIT ON THE JUNIPER NEXT TO IT.

BUT LOOK... LOOK IN THE TOP.

LOOK AT THAT SQUIRREL.

LOOK AT THAT SQUIRREL.

THE ROCK SQUIRREL IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT.

IS HE EATING...?

AND, BOY, YEAH, JUST TAKING IT... SPLITTING THEM OPEN PUTTING SEED IN THOSE CHEEK POUCHES.

JUST TAKING HIS TIME, ONE AFTER THE OTHER AND REALLY, WE ARE FAIRLY CLOSE TO IT.

DOESN'T SEEM TO MIND.

BUT NOT SWALLOWING.

NO, THAT'S A STRANGE ONE.

ONE OF THE GROUND SQUIRRELS THAT DOESN'T STAY ON THE GROUND OR JUST AROUND THE ROCKS BUT ACTUALLY GETS UP INTO THE TREES ESPECIALLY THAT TREE THERE.

AND, UH... AND TAKES SEED AND PUTS THEM IN THE CHEEK POUCHES; GOES BACK TO ITS HOME IN THE ROCKS TO FEED ON IT.

THAT'S STRANGE.

NOW, HERE'S ANOTHER TREE-- ONE WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.

LOOK AT THE LITTLE TEENY LEAVES ON THAT TREE.

TINY!

AGAIN, YOU DON'T WANT REALLY BROAD LEAVES.

YOU LOSE TOO MUCH MOISTURE, AS A RULE.

WHAT KIND IS THAT?

AND THAT ONE IS CALLED CLIFF ROSE AND IT LOVES OPEN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS ON CLIFFS, CANYON-WALL AREAS.

HAS AN INTERESTING FLOWER ON IT.

USUALLY FLOWERS EARLIER IN THE YEAR.

BUT THOSE TINY LOBED LEAVES-- VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

SORT OF A SCRUBBY GROWTH TO IT.

RUDY, THERE'S SUCH A DIVERSITY OF THINGS HERE BOTH THE SMALL THINGS AND THE BIG THINGS.

LET'S WALK CLOSER TO THE CANYON.

AND SPEAKING OF BIG THINGS THIS IS REALLY LARGE, ISN'T IT?

AND SO HARD TO DESCRIBE TO ANYONE.

I MEAN, IT'S REALLY UNBELIEVABLE THAT NATURE CAN DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

TAKES A WHILE BUT SHE'S PRETTY GOOD AT CARVING UP THE LANDSCAPE.

AND FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT YOU GET A PRETTY GOOD FEELING THAT THIS USED TO BE ALL BASICALLY CONNECTED, RIGHT?

THIS IS ONE PLATEAU THAT WAS ONCE SOLID.

ACROSS HERE, THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

ALL RIGHT, THEN WATER BEGAN TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED.

THE TOPS...

IF YOU GO ACROSS THERE ON ALL THOSE MONOLITHS STICKING UP-- THE TOPS ARE ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL, AREN'T THEY?

THERE'S A HARD LAYER OF SANDSTONE THERE.

KAYENTA SANDSTONE IT IS CALLED.

IT IS HARDER THAN THE WINGATE SANDSTONE WHICH IS BELOW IT AND WHICH IS MUCH THICKER.

SO THAT'S REALLY CAP ROCK, ISN'T IT?

SO ONCE THE CAP ROCK IS GONE MORE OF THE SANDSTONE GOES AWAY.

ABSOLUTELY, AND WHILE IT'S STILL THERE IT PROTECTS THAT WINGATE SANDSTONE FROM ANY RAIN COMING FROM THE TOP SO IT WON'T ERODE AWAY QUITE AS RAPIDLY AS IT WOULD IF IT WERE NOT PROTECTED.

AND SO BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT YOU END UP HAVING THOSE LITTLE MONOLITHS FORMING WHERE THERE'S SOME OF THE CAP ROCK LEFT.

THOSE, I UNDERSTAND, ARE CALLED THE... THAT'S CALLED THE PIPE ORGAN RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF US.

AGAIN, THE VERTICAL JOINTS THAT WE SAW EARLIER IN THE SANDSTONE STILL VERY CLEAR.

AND THIS IS JUST LAYERS OF ROCK-- THE KAYENTA SANDSTONE IS ONE AGE; THE WINGATE SANDSTONE BELOW IT IS OLDER, RIGHT?

ONCE YOU GO DOWN, YOU'RE GOING BACK IN TIME.

AND EVEN YOUNGER MATERIAL YOU SEE OVER HERE STACKED UP ON THE TOP OF THAT HARD CAP ROCK.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY YOU'LL ERODE AWAY SOME OF THAT WINGATE SANDSTONE; THE CAP ROCK FALLS TO THE GROUND AND THEN YOU, UH... YOU HAVE THAT MONOLITH SLOWLY ERODING AWAY.

SO IT STARTED AS A VERY NARROW VALLEY.

YEP, AND THEN GOT WIDER AND WIDER AND WIDER.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING VIEW FROM THE SIDE OF THOSE LAYERS OF SANDSTONE.

BUT WHEN YOU TURN THIS WAY, JIM JUST TAKE A LOOK.

Jim: SO SMOOTH AND STRAIGHT, RUDY IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CUT WITH A KNIFE.

YEAH, ISN'T THAT AMAZING THE WAY THE SANDSTONE PEELS OFF?

NOT ALL OF IT IS THOSE OLD SAND DUNES YOU KNOW, WITH CROSS-BEDDING IN IT.

SOME OF THEM ARE RATHER FLAT HORIZONTAL LAYERS.

AND IT PEELS OFF THAT WAY WHEN WATER AND WIND DOES ITS WORK.

AND, ALSO, I SUPPOSE, TO A SMALL DEGREE THE PLANTS LIVING ON IT BREAK IT DOWN BY THEIR ROOTS GOING IN.

THAT'S THE WINGATE SANDSTONE MAINLY THERE.

AND THEN YOU SEE IT SORT OF ROUNDING OFF.

THAT'S THE TOP LEVEL OF THAT.

AND THEN THE HARDER MATERIAL, THE CAP ROCK IS SITTING UP ON THE, UH... ON THE TOP.

AND ONCE IT GOES AND IT REALLY EXPOSES THAT OTHER SANDSTONE TO A LOT OF EROSION.

TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ONE HUNK OF SANDSTONE THAT'S LEANING AWAY FROM THE REST.

DO YOU SEE THAT?

THAT WILL FALL OVER ONE DAY AND...

YES, THE CAP ROCK IS GONE.

SO NOW IT'S BEGINNING TO ERODE FROM THE TOP DOWN, TOO AND THAT WILL JUST COLLAPSE OUT INTO THE CANYON.

YOU SEE PIECES OF ROCK ALL ALONG THAT SLOPE THAT HAVE FALLEN DOWN FROM THE CLIFF WALLS ON THE SIDE.

BUT DIFFERENTIAL WEATHERING-- WEATHERING AT DIFFERENT RATES OF SPEED-- IS WHAT GIVES US THESE MONOLITHS AND WHAT CREATES THESE STRANGE AND UNUSUAL CANYON FORMATIONS.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY BIRDS TODAY, RUDY BUT THERE'S ONE IN THE SKY.

OH, YEAH, LOOK AT IT MOVING EASILY NOT EVEN FLAPPING ITS WINGS.

BLACK, BIG BEAK, KIND OF WEDGE-SHAPED TAIL AND THAT'S THE RAVEN.

THEY NEST ALONG THESE CLIFFS, TOO.

SCAVENGERS PICKING UP FOOD HERE AND THERE BUT, BOY, THEY FLY AROUND...

BIGGER THAN CROWS.

YEAH, YEAH, THAT IS A PHENOMENAL ANIMAL.

USING RISING AIR COMING UP FROM THE CANYON FLOOR.

THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE HERE, BEFORE WE GO THAT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT REAL QUICKLY.

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE.

PIECES OF SANDSTONE?

THERE IS THAT SANDSTONE THAT'S BEEN FROZEN IN SPACE AND TIME FOR A LONG TIME.

IT'S ERODING AWAY BECOMING SOIL NOW SUPPORTING THE LIVES OF THESE PLANTS AND COMING AND COVERING SOME YOUNGER... OR OLDER SANDSTONE, UH, BEHIND IT.

IT IS AMAZING THE WAY NATURE CONTINUES TO RECYCLE MATERIAL ALL THE TIME.

LET'S JUST KEEP WALKING.

WHY DON'T WE SLIP OFF THE TRAIL HERE AND GET ONE MORE GOOD VIEW OF THAT CANYON?

EVERY ONE IS SPECTACULAR.

WOW!

Jim: MONUMENT CANYON RUDY, IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

APPROPRIATELY NAMED, ISN'T IT?

AND WATER AND WIND AND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BROUGHT THIS INTO, UH...

INTO THE SHAPE IT IS IN TODAY.

WHAT A STORY, THOUGH.

A LOT OF TIME.

WHAT IS THE GEOLOGICAL STORY?

ALL RIGHT, REALLY, WHEN YOU GO FURTHEREST BACK YOU GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON DOWN THERE LOOKING AT THAT BLACK METAMORPHIC ROCK-- GNEISSES AND SCHISTS THAT WERE A PART OF PROBABLY THE BASE OF A MOUNTAIN RANGE WHICH WAS ONCE HERE, ERODED AWAY WAY, WAY, WAY BACK IN TIME.

AND THEN, AFTER THAT SANDSTONE MATERIAL BEGAN TO BE LAID DOWN.

WE TALKED ABOUT SAND DUNE FORMATIONS OR MAYBE SAND IN A SHALLOW OCEAN OR A LAKE.

PRETTY THICK.

TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO GET THAT MUCH THICKNESS OF SANDSTONE TO BE LAID DOWN AND OTHER MATERIAL ON THE TOP.

A THOUSAND FEET OF IT.

Rudy: YEAH, AND THEN A STRANGE THING HAPPENED.

THIS MATERIAL BEGAN TO RISE TO BE UPLIFTED.

NO ONE REALLY KNOWS FOR SURE WHAT CAUSED IT.

BUT AS THIS THING CAME UP SLOWLY BUT SURELY THERE WAS A STREAM HERE AND IT BEGAN TO CUT DOWN THROUGH THESE LAYERS AS THE PLATEAU WAS RISING.

THE FAULT ZONE THAT REALLY WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE PLATEAU AS IT FORMED IS DOWN THERE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THAT HORIZONTAL ROCK HAS COLLAPSED YOU SEE, SORT OF SLUMPED DOWN TOWARD THE FAULT ZONE OUT THERE.

THAT STREAM GOT DOWN TO THE HARD BASEMENT ROCK WE MIGHT WANT TO CALL IT AND CREATED THIS CANYON CARRYING AWAY WITH IT NOW ALL OF THIS MATERIAL IN THAT DIRECTION.

MAKING THE VERY FERTILE GRAND VALLEY.

GRAND VALLEY, WITH THE COLORADO RIVER RUNNING THROUGH IT THAT CARRIED SOME OF THIS MATERIAL AWAY I'M SURE, SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN THE CLIFFS IN THE DISTANCE.

THAT MATERIAL OVER THERE IS MUCH YOUNGER THAN THIS MATERIAL HERE.

AND YET THIS MATERIAL IS SO HIGH.

OF COURSE, IT'S OLDER STUFF THAT HAD BEEN SHOVED UP WHEN THE PLATEAU ROSE.

WHAT A STORY.

WELL, THAT'S A GRAND VALLEY, YOU SAID AND THAT'S ALSO A GRAND STORY.

AND THAT'S JUST A SMALL PART OF THE STORY, RUDY HERE AT COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT.

YEAH, IT REALLY IS AND I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WHEN WE STARTED.

WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT LARGE THINGS TREMENDOUS GEOLOGICAL STORIES AND ALSO SLOW DOWN AND SEE THE LITTLE THINGS-- THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS-- GOING BACK IN TIME, WHICH IS ALWAYS FUN AND THEN LOOKING AT THE PRESENT.

IT'S BEEN A GOOD DAY.

IT HAS.

SO MUCH MORE TO SEE.

COME AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF NEAR GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO.

AND JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

[Captioning sponsored by THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Captioned by The Caption Center WGBH Educational Foundation] NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM: AND: