Day 48: November 12, 2004 - Cryptobiotic Crust


by Karen Williams
Some canyons of Zion National Park are domated by a living soil called Cryptobiotic Crust, which contains lichen and mosses, and bacteria. This crust provides a stable foundation for plants and mosses to grow, which otherwise would have difficuly enduring the winds and rainstorms in the shifting sand. The soil is very delicate and a single foot print can damage it. If you're hiking and come across this soil, walk around it!

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365 IN ZION

365 Days in Zion is a photo experience by Karen and Christian Williams. Together, we spent an entire year in Zion National Park amidst snow, rain, flash floods, brush fires, and the beautiful sunny blue skies that typify Southern Utah in the United States of America.

365 Days in Zion National Park

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