Wonder wall

Southeastern Utah has no shortage of natural wonders, and perhaps one of the most curious is the 80-mile-long sandstone monocline known as Comb Ridge. Forming a radical spine from Elk Ridge through Bears Ears National Monument to the San Juan River (where it is cut in half), the Comb then strikes southwest across the edge of Monument Valley before suddenly petering out near Kayenta, Ariz. Along the axis of the monocline, rock layers form a vertical rampart to the west, while the sloping eastern flanks are incised with steep, short canyons. Aside from being a dramatic geologic feature, the not-so-subtle details that reveal thousands of years of human history along this spine of rock are a sight to behold. Here’s a look: