Racetrack: The Grandstand Photo Tour

At the northern end of the Racetrack Playa is an odd, rocky outcropping known as "The Grandstand".  If you think about this playa as being a "racetrack" for the moving rocks at the other end, then naturally the best place to view this "race" is from the "Grandstand".  As with many place names, the name Grandstand is not meant literally.  You can't really see the moving rocks at the southern end of the playa from here without a good pair of binoculars and, even if you could see them, no one has ever seen the rocks of The Racetrack actually move.  But they do. 

For pictures of these fascinating "racing" rocks, see the Moving Rocks Photo Tour.  For the scientific explanations and theories as to how the rocks move, read the Geology Lesson.  And, for general information about this area including how to get to the Grandstand, see the Racetrack Area chapter. 

The Grandstand itself is a weathered, knobby pile metamorphic [glossary] granite that juts up out of the dry lakebed to a height of about 70 feet.  The rock has very little quartz or mica in it which is why it is so dark and dense-looking.  Climbing to the top of The Grandstand will give you a great view of the surrounding valley and mountains.  You'll also notice that the rocks lying on the playa floor at this end don't have "trails" like the rocks at the other end of the playa.  We've been told that there are some "moving rocks" at this end but, so far, we haven't seen any.

Click on picture to enlarge
Pictures taken: December 1999

	Looking east at The Grandstand from the west side of the playa on Racetrack Valley Road.
	Approaching the Grandstand looking north.  Notice that the loose rocks here on the playa floor don't have "trails" like the rocks at the other end of the playa.
	Looking north from the southern end of the playa, the Grandstand is in the distance.
	Looking east at the Grandstand while walking to if from Racetrack Valley Road.
	Long shadows cast by the Grandstand as the sun begins to set. View is looking north towards the western ridge of Racetrack Valley.
	The Grandstand shadows are just beginning their march across the playa.  Picture was taken from atop the Grandstand looking north and showing the eastern ridge of the valley.
	Looking south onto Racetrack Playa from the top of the Grandstand.
	A close-up view of the hard-compacted, polygon-shaped surface of the dried lakebed surface of the playa with the Grandstand in the background.  This "look" is typical of dried lakebeds.
	Another view of the Grandstand with the playa surface.
	View from the top of the Grandstand looking west towards Racetrack Valley Road (in the shade).  Notice the many footsteps crossing the lakebed from the road to the Grandstand.

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Last updated March 03, 2007

June 2005 Version
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