In this arid land, a rare year-round water source, shade, and cooler temperatures have for thousands of years attracted and sustained people, plants, and animals. Indigenous people probably used this area seasonally, leaving hand prints and rock paintings in nearby alcoves, while a smoke-blackened ceiling and grinding surfaces suggest they kept warm and prepared food here. The spring remains sacred to some Tribes. Before Canyonlands was established as a park, cattle grazing was widespread, and cowboys also used this area as a temporary camp. The seep and alcove still provide refuge from searing heat, blowing sand, and intense rainstorms, while water-loving plants such as maidenhair fern grow along the wall and animals come to drink and bathe. The spring forms where rain and snowmelt pass through porous sandstone until reaching a tighter layer of finer grains, then flow sideways and emerge where the rock layers are exposed. Over time, this water erodes the wall below and undermines the rock above, creating an alcove and a cool, shaded microclimate where hanging gardens and other water-loving plants can thrive despite the harsh desert conditions.