Snow Canyon State Park

Dakota Mahogany Granite / 2022 / 5’x3’x2’ / Mojave desert tortoise / Commissioned for Utah State Parks

Carved from 5,500 lbs of Dakota mahogany granite, this desert tortoise sits at the end of a short trail in Snow Canyon State Park. The trail features educational panels about the tortoise’s habitat, diet, daily life, as well as conservation efforts to protect this federally-listed species. The park is part of the 62,000 acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve which was established to protect the desert tortoise and its habitat.

The final piece weighed over 4,200 lbs and took over 500 hours to complete. Below are some progress photos as well as a progression video to showcase a sample of the effort this work required.

Video and Photo Credit - Matthew Gray Palmer