Drive from Dinosaur National Monument to Mesa Verde National Park

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Hanging Flume overlook
on drive from Dinosaur National Monument to Mesa Verde National Park. The Montrose Placer Mining Company built a 13 mile canal and flume to deliver water from the San Miguel River for gold mining operations. The last 5 miles of the flume clung to the wall of the canyon itself, running along the cliff face in the photos (close up is below). Constructed between 1888 and 1891, the 4 foot deep 5 foot 4 inch wide hanging flume carried 23,640,000 gallons of water in a 24 hour period. The mining operations used water and sluice boxes to separate the gold from lighter materials (dirt and gravel).

Photos from a 2 week vist to Utah, Colorado and Arizona in September to October. During the trip I visited Salt Lake City, Utah; Antelope Island, Great Salt Lake; Mount Timpanogos; Dinosaur National Monument and Mesa Verde.