Marbleous!
Like a multilayered wedding cake, Mosaic Canyon is a confection but one made of stone.
In places the rock looks rough and brittle. Adjacent deposits though are hard and as beautiful as some of finest Roman marble. 900 million years ago magnesium rich limestone deposits (called "Noonday Dolomite") were laid down then buried deep. The depth also produced great pressures and temperatures that caused the limestone to metamorphose into marble. Tectonic forces pushed this remade material to the surface and you can see this unique layer in the canyon.
It doesn't take long to hike up Mosaic Canyon to see its wonders.
The trip back down features a different beauty as the distant desert floor commands your view.
Inhospitable as this dry canyon first appears, there are pockets of hardy greenery. Spiny and waxy, this Rock Nettle somehow thrives and survives. Despite its thorny appearance, blossoms are pleasingly fragrant.
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