Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

This spanking new, but nonetheless renowned 293,000-acre monument shelters the splendid Paria Plateau, the dazzling Vermilion Cliffs, and the Paria River Canyon. The Paria Canyon has towering walls streaked with desert varnish, huge red rock amphitheaters, sandstone arches, wooded terraces, and hanging gardens. The 3,000-foot escarpment known as the Vermilion Cliffs dominates the remainder of the wilderness with its thick Navajo sandstone face, steep, boulder-strewn slopes, rugged arroyos and stark overall appearance.

In the northwest portion of the wilderness lies Coyote Buttes, an area of spectacular scenery displaying domes, aprons, fins, corridors, and a variety of delicate rock sculptures carved in swirling sandstone. The variety of colors and textures in the rock formations within the wilderness change with by time of day and weather. This is one of planet Earth's most magical spots.

The monument's remoteness has preserved its outstanding biodiversity. Elevations range from 3,100 to 7,100 feet above sea level. So its vegetation is a combination of cold desert and warm desert grassland. Twenty species of raptors have been documented in the monument, as well as a variety of reptiles and amphibians. Desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, mountain lion, and other mammals roam the canyons and plateaus. The Paria River supports sensitive native fish, including the flannelmouth sucker and the speckled dace.

For the most fun in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument:

Hike the Paria Canyon
Paria Canyon is considered among the top backpacking destinations in the world: The stunning Paria River Canyon winds along the east side of the plateau to the Colorado River. Erosion of the sedimentary rocks in this 2,500 foot deep canyon has produced amphitheaters, arches, and massive sandstone walls. These dramatic features are further enlived by hanging gardens of ferns and orchids, woodland terraces, and intricate eroded sculptures. Flash floods can make hiking here a dangerous proposition, so do your research on trail routes and weather forecasts before you go.

Be on the Lookout for Condors
Adult condors weigh up to 20 pounds and have a wingspan of nearly 10 feet. In prehistoric times, the bird ranged from Canada to Mexico, across the southern United States to Florida and north on the east coast to New York State. The birds managed to maintain a strong population until the settlement of the West, when shooting, poisoning and egg collecting began to take a heavy toll. On December 12, 1996, six California Condors were released on the Vermilion Cliffs of the Paria Plateau, in Northern Arizona. This was the first time the giant birds have been seen in the skies of the American Southwest since 1924. The rugged Coconino County terrain provides the necessary remoteness, ridges, cliffs and caves favored by the carrion- eating birds.

Drive the Vermilion Cliffs Highway
Alt Highway 89 from Jacobs Lake to Marble Canyon is part of the Vermilion Cliffs Highway. The Vermilion Cliffs Highways is a project involving a partnership of 40 public and private entities providing a combination of 21 interpretive sites or scenic overlooks along 277 miles of state highways in northern Arizona and southern Utah. These roads generally follow the winding ramparts of the Vermilion Cliffs. While this whole project covers a much wider area than Vermilion Cliffs National Monument itself, it's not a surprise that one of the finest stretches is the part adjacent to the monument.