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Ashley Hayes Reporting People visiting Moab to see Arches and Canyonlands National Parks were in for a surprise yesterday. Instead of seeing a lot of red rock, they experienced a flash flood of red mud.
Those tourists might consider themselves lucky. In an area so desert-like and dry, you don't see this too often.
A large thunderstorm with strong winds and hail pounded the area Monday afternoon. Red sand melted into red rivers, pouring down crevices in embankments and creating slick, thick, dark mud along Moab streets.
The Utah Highway Patrol shut down Highway 191, the main artery in and out of town. They also closed a couple of side roads, 128 and 279.
State Department of Transportation crews used big tractors and large equipment to scoop the muddy piles off the streets.
Sgt. Richard Haycock, UHP: "UDOT is in the process of cleaning up the highway. They're about finished and, provided they don't have any more rain, we should have the road open to travel."
UDOT was able to finish the job. Crews reopened the roads to traffic after about two hours. Relieved drivers splashed through red puddles on the way back to town.
