Moab uranium

What many people do not know when traveling to Moab is that Moab uranium was the most popular uranium in the USA for years. Atlas corp. placed an Uranium mill right outside of Moab. The Uranium was part of Project Manhattan, which was the first atomic bomb. In fact, there were no places on earth in that time that produced more Uranium than Moab.

The mill is named Atlas Uranium Mill and was abandoned in the 1980s. At first Atlas Uranium mill pumped they industrial radioactive waste directly into the Colorado river. Then soon after they placed the waste in huge ponds several miles south of the Mill. You can see the Mill when going to Arches national park from moab on your left side.

The local Indians that worked in the mine under really bad conditions very soon after encountered cancer and birth defects. They called Miners' coughing red dust. Red dust because some of them coughed blood.

I attached a satellite picture of the Atlas uranium mill where you can see how closely Moab is related to Uranium production:

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I am not really sure if the Moab uranium is so healthy for the town of Moab. I did not read any reports in my travel guides.

The US government now finances a 600 million $ project named UMTRA, which will start relocating the radioactive waste from Moab into other final deposits. I wonder, they got 60 million $ out of the mine and now it costs 600 million $ to relocate it?

Canyonlands national park review

After visiting Arches National park yesterday the last national park close to Moab I have not visited yet is Canyon Lands national park. I woud like to provide you with a short review of Canyon Lands. so that you can decide whether it is worth your time to check it out or not.

Here a Canyonlands national park picture (click to enlarge):



Check this link for more information on geographic aspects and history of the park. Also check out this link.

Canyonlands national park is around 25 miles from Moab and I recommend you to get some gasoline before heading towards Canyonlands. There is no gas station in or in front of the park. Just get your gasoline in Moab and not on the highway because in my case Moab's gas prices were 20 cent cheaper per gallons.

When you enter Canyonlands national park you will encounter a Visitor center on your right side. You can not compare it with the visitor center in Arches and Bryce Canyon as it did not contain a lot of information as was not well made.

I took the road to the end of Canyonlands national park and then took the Grand View Point trail. It is around 1 mile and upon reaching the end you will encounter a beautiful view over the plateau, cliffs and valley below. I definitely recommend you to take the trail as it is a very extreme experience and you will see nature on its best.

On the way to back to Moab, I stopped at the Upheaval Dome. There are several benches and it is a quite good place to rest and eat something. The benches are all in shadows of trees so that the climate is relatively fresh compared to the rest of the park.

A short conclusion of my Canyonlands national park review, it is worth the money. My rating: 9/10 points. I will be heading back to Moab now for which I also provided a short review. Check out my Cortez review which I will write tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed reading my review of Canyonlands national park :).

Arches national park review

Leaving the bizarre Goblin Valley behind and heading on to Moab, my next park is Arches national park. Arches National park is known for many bizarre Arches all over the park. I would like to provide you a short review of Arches national park.

Here some Arches national park pictures (click to enlarge):


For more information about geographic aspects and history of the park, please click this link, or this link.

Arches Canyon entrance is only 3 miles outside of Moab. The fee for entering the park is 20$ per vehicle. I checked out the visitor center first because it is right at the entrance of Arches Canyon, I was amazed by the size of the visitor center. It has a lot of good information and reviews of Arches national park. The whole history of the park is written down there, you find information about Uranium mines in the park, or how development of the famous Arches was possible.

I continued driving and then saw the famous Moab fault. Million years ago the earth's surface cracked and the Moab valley was made possible. The first stop has all details. I recommend you to stop there as that is quite interesting if you ask me.

Arches itself has a lot of bizarre and amazing rock formations. Almost all are out of the so called Entrada-sandstone. The arches can be seen at different locations inside Arches National park. I really liked the park and rate it with 9/10 points. Only 9 points because it was way too hot for me ... :P. Hope you enjoyed my short review of Arches national park,

Check out my review of Canyonlands national park which I will be writing tomorrow inside the park, I am heading back to moab now, for which I also provided a short review.

Ramada Inn moab review

My hotel in Moab is the Ramada Inn. I am staying here for three nights. I looked out for something relatively cheap and found out about the Ramada Inn in Moab. I would like to provide you with a short review of Ramada Inn in moab.

Breakfast and dinner is not included, you will be required to get food and drinks yourself. The Ramada Inn in moab has a swimming pool and a Jacuzzi. Both are relatively dirty. The WiFi is only available in the office and will not have enough range to your room. I am currently using a WiFi network from a nearby hotel (it is open and I can log in, Gonzo Inn I think).

The rooms are clean, however look a bit old fashioned with an old carpet and a very loud, old air condition. Nonetheless you have cable tv with a very new LCD tv. The Ramada Inn in moab is no place for a living, but very okay if you just want to sleep here. Hope you enjoyed my short review of Ramada Inn in Moab. Check out my reviews of Arches national park and Canyonlands national park, that's where I will be heading the next days. My rating: 6/10


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Fiesta Mexicana Moab review

On my third night in Moab I went to a Mexican restaurant which is right next to my hotel, the Ramada inn in Moab. I would like to provide you with a short Fiesta Mexicana Moab review so that you can decide if you should go and have dinner there.

What I found relatively good in the Fiesta Mexicana were the bottomless Tacos with Salsa. The Salsa itself is very hot. Too hot for me :P. So be careful :-). The service in the Fiesta Mexicana was not that good. You get two diet cokes and then have too pay for more, so no refills. I ordered a Super Burito. It was very tasty and a lot more than I could eat in combination with the bottomless Tacos.

Hope you enjoyed my short review of Fiesta Mexicana here in Moab. I rate the restaurant with 9/10 points. I liked http://go-california.blogspot.com/2008/08/zax-moab-review.html more than Fiesta Mexicana. It was about the same level as Denny's in Moab.


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Denny's moab review

After having dinner at Zax in moab I went to Denny's here in Moab on my second evening. I would like to provide you with a short review of Denny's here in Moab.

My Zesty nachos were okay but had a little bit too much cheese. I asked the Denny's waiter to bring me a milkshake. It took 10 minutes. He excused and gave me 2 milk shakes for free. I did not have to pay for them. Very excellent service if you ask me. Hope you enjoyed my short Denny's moab review. 9/10 points from me because the air condition made the Denny's restaurant interior too cold...


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Zax Moab review

On my first evening in Moab I went to Zax. This is a short Zax Moab review. They advertise to be a good pizza restaurant. Upon opening the menu I was surprised All you can eat wood fired Pizza 12 $. Plus all you can eat salad inclusive.

That's what I ordered in Zax. The pizza was American Style and very good. I liked the diversity of the salad bar and the waiter was very friendly. 10/10 points for a low price restaurant. Hope you enjoyed my short review of Zax here in Moab.


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Moab review

Leaving Hanksville and Goblin Valley behind my next stop is Moab. I rest in Moab because of its close location to Arches National park and Canyonlans national park. I would like to provide you with a short review of Moab.

Moab is a relatively small town, nonetheless it has almost everything you need: restaurants, supermarkets and a large diversity of hotels. Moab even has walkways and you reach everything by foot. I stayed in the Moab Ramada Inn for 3 days. Check out my reviews of the restaurants where I have been, Zax Moab, Denny's Moab and Fiesta Mexicana Moab.

What I found relatively surprising, Moab was the Uranium town of the 60s. Most of the American Uranium came directly from Moab. If you like to read a bit more, please check Moab uranium.

All in all, Moab is a very friendly and tiny town :-).