The Gnome's Workshop

The salt stream

This fanciful small canyon is a wonder of salt sculptures and tiny waterfalls. The small path hugs the top of the canyon and sometimes drops down into the gully to see the salt up close. There are many whimsical spires and the small waterfalls in the canyon are rather photogenic. The water is highly briny, and the area is marked on topo maps as "Salt Springs." These small waterfalls cascade over small clay ledges and form grottos. On one of the falls, the high salinity has caused salt to form an overhang. As small as this canyon is, it is one of the most fun places to visit on the valley floor.

Many salt structures emerge as one gets closer

It's mostly a small twisting gully

Flat barren lands surround the canyon

An entire world of small salt crystals begins to emerge

Salt is fun

The first waterfall, probably four feet in total

Salty spires

Water pools along the creek and out of cracks in the walls

Water flows out of this small hole in the wall

Mud drips

An island of salt has grown on this pebble 

Look closely and you can see the threads of salt that have grown out on this rock.
Two months later on a return these salt threads were still here, which surprised me.

Watercourse works its way into the hills

Lots of fun textures on the mud

Second waterfall, about eight feet tall

Looking toward the road

Waterfall from another angle

One of my favorite pictures from the day

More water seepage

Looking at the base of the second waterfall

The Creek splashes down the waterfall

Looking south

Looking Back toward the road

Survey marker? Still have no idea what it is.

Another trip to the area at sunset

Looking into one of the bends of the Workshop

Big picture of the first waterfall

Salt closeups.