f you’re anywhere near Moab, this spot is one of the most dramatic overlooks in the entire Southwest—often compared to Grand Canyon, but with fewer crowds and a tighter, more intense view.
Dead Horse Point sits about 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, with sheer cliffs wrapping around a gooseneck bend. The views are nonstop—especially at sunrise and sunset when the canyon glows deep red.
The name Dead Horse Point State Park comes from a pretty grim piece of local legend tied to the area’s early ranching days.
Back in the late 1800s, cowboys used the point as a natural corral. The mesa is connected to the surrounding land by a very narrow neck of rock (only about 30 yards wide), so it was easy to fence off and trap wild mustangs there.
According to the story, at one point a group of horses was rounded up and penned on the point—but for reasons that aren’t fully clear (possibly selecting only certain horses or simply neglect), some were left behind. With no access to water and no way down the sheer cliffs, the trapped horses eventually died of thirst—within sight of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below.
That tragic image is what gave the place its name: Dead Horse Point.
Thelma & Louise, the famous ending scene.
