Vermilion Cliffs National Monument - Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

location

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

The Vermilion Cliffs National Monument lies in the Plateau region - in the north - of the US state Arizona.

background

location

The national monument is 1,189.8 km² in size. The largest area in the center is taken up by the Paria Plateau, a desert-like plateau, the interior of which is partially opened up by gravel roads; These are only accessible from House Rock Rd to the west.

In the northeast, the Paria River has dug a meandering gorge into which - exactly on the border between Utah and Arizona - the Buckskin Gulch flows, which is popular with hikers because it is for the most part a slot canyon, i.e. it runs practically underground. In the southeast, where the actual Vermilion Cliffs rise majestically, flows the Colorado River, which forms the very remarkable Marble Canyon, a canyon within the canyon. The entire canyon and mountain country - almost everything that is not Paria Plateau - is called "Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness".

It takes a good 3 hours to drive around the park.

history

landscape

Flora and fauna

climate

getting there

Fees / permits

mobility

Tourist Attractions

Easy to reach

• At the Vermilion Cliffs Condor Viewing Site in the southwest of the park (House Rock Rd; 36.770924, -112.056513), with a bit of luck, you can spot California condors (Gymnogyps californianus), large vultures that can reach a wingspan of 2.49 to 3.00 meters.
• The Wire Pass Canyon (37.020922, -112.007427) is a short slot canyon that joins the much longer Buckskin Gulch after 2.7 km (if in doubt, turn right here, where it continues underground). The Wire Pass Canyon itself is easy to hike with hardly any obstacles. The trail begins at a parking lot (37.019263, -112.025045) on House Rock Valley Rd, 8.4 miles south of Route 89.
  More slot canyons can be found in the vicinity of page.

For die-hard people

• The Buckskin Gulch is a tributary of the Paria River Canyon, which in turn flows into the Colorado River. The 21 km long gorge has a section south of point 37.030056, -112.003928, which is considered the longest slot canyon in the world. The easiest way to get into the slot canyon is via Wire Pass Canyon (see above). An alternative is the trailhead by the parking lot at House Rock Valley Rd (37.066820, -112.000539), 4 miles south of Route 89; To get to the actual slot canyon you have to walk another 5 km from there.
• The Wave (36.995748, -112.005986) is a complex sandstone formation in the west of the park and is one of the Coyote Buttes North. The wave is only 2.3 km east of House Rock Road as the crow flies, but cannot be approached directly due to the mountainous terrain. The 4.4 km long Wave trail starts at the same parking lot (37.019263, -112.025045, House Rock Valley Rd) from which you can also visit Wire Pass Canyon. For the entire hike (there and back) you calculate 6 hours. You need good shoes and at least 4 liters of drinking water per person. In summer temperatures can be hellish; The hike is much more pleasant in spring or autumn. Permit required.

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  condor

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  The junction of Wire Pass Canyon and Buckskin Gulch

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  Buckskin Gulch

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  The Wave

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  Cottonwood Cove (Coyote Buttes South)

activities

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accommodation

The next overnight locations are page (Arizona), 100 km and Kanab (Utah) 50 miles. Kanab is significantly cheaper than Page.

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