Granite Dells

The Granite Dells is a geological feature north of Prescott, Arizona. The Dells consist of exposed bedrock and large boulders of granite that have eroded into an unusual lumpy, rippled appearance. Watson Lake and Willow Lake are small man-made reservoirs in this formation. The Dells’ granite has been dated at 1.4 billion years old. Unlike, much of the rock found in Arizona, the Dells’ granite is volcanic in origin. Its cover rocks have long since been eroded away. Weathering along joints produced the rounded boulders and other unusual rock formations that characterize the Granite Dells. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

My photographs in today’s blog concentrate on the rocks and the interesting patterns they create in Watson Lake. I’ve chosen similar pictures taken at different times of the day, showing the effect of changing light on the water and the rock formations.

The Watson Lake Park is a recreational area, 4 miles north of the City of Prescott. It was a beautiful day and the park was quite busy, enjoyed by hikers, photographers, kayakers, sunbathers and fishermen. The following two photographs show the lake in mid-afternoon, busy with people enjoying this great recreational area.

 

The next two pictures were taken in the early evening, just before and just after sunset. Most of this scene is in shadow. The sun is very low in the sky, casting warm light on the peaks on the opposite side of the lake. Also illuminated are the San Francisco Peaks, about 65 miles (100 km) distant in the background.

Just a few minutes later, the sun had gone below the horizon and the light became much more uniform across the scene. Gone is the vivid colour from the direct sunlight on the rocks, replaced by the soft tones of indirect light. Perhaps not so dramatic, but quite eye-pleasing and certainly easier to photograph!

One last shot that I took while waiting for the light to change. My eye was drawn to a nearby, flowering sagebrush, nestled among some granite boulders.

I was fascinated to see this tract of granite in a region (the Southwest) renowned for the sedimentary deposits of the Colorado Plateau. We expect to see the ubiquitous expanses of red sandstone associated with much of Arizona, Utah and Colorado. The Granite Dells are a striking exception. You simply cannot take sedimentary rock for granite.