Vermilion Cliffs
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The Vermilion Cliffs are the second "step" up in the five-step Grand Staircase of the Colorado Plateau, in northern Arizona and southern Utah in the southwestern United States.[1] They extend west from near Page, Arizona, for a considerable distance, in both Arizona and Utah.
112,500 acres (45,500 ha) of the region were designated as the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness in 1984. An even greater area was protected within Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in 2000.
Geology
The Vermilion Cliffs are composed of the resistant red sandstone beds of the Lower Jurassic Moenave and Kayenta Formations.
History
The Vermilion Cliffs were on an important route from Utah to Arizona used by settlers during the 19th Century. The area was explored by the
Famous locations in the cliff area include
Geography
Reddish or
In the spring, after a good winter rain, the valley between Highway 89 and the Vermilion Cliffs will be covered with a carpet of desert mallow and other spring flowers.
In the image below, Highway 89A is atop the yellow rocks capping the first step of the series, the
See also
- Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
- Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness
- California condor – Vermilion Cliffs are a release site.
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Vermilion Cliffs
- ^ Davis, Larry E.; Eaves, Robert L. (2002). The Geology of the Grand Staircase in Southern Utah: A Road Log and Guide for Public School Teachers (PDF). Cedar City, UT: Geological Society of America Rocky Mountain Section. p. 200. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
External links
- Bureau of Land Management Condor viewing. – Condor viewing in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument