Location
Located on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument includes the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. The Monument borders Kaibab National Forest to the west and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the east.
Brief Description
This remote and unspoiled, 280,000-acre Monument is a geologic treasure, containing a variety of diverse landscapes from the Paria Plateau, Vermilion Cliffs, Coyote Buttes, and Paria Canyon. Elevations range from 3,100 to 7,100 feet.
Access
From Flagstaff, travel north on U.S. Highway 89 to 89A at the Bitter Springs turnoff. From Kanab, Utah, take U.S. Highway 89 to the east or 89A to the south through Fredonia and Jacob Lake. There are no paved roads within the Monument. While the House Rock Valley Road/BLM 1065 is a maintained dirt road it may be impassable when wet. Other roads on the Monument require a four-wheel drive-high clearance vehicle due to deep sand.
Permits Required
A permit is required for hiking in Coyote Buttes North (the Wave), Coyote Buttes South, and for overnight trips within Paria Canyon. Visits to the area require special planning and awareness of potential hazards such as rugged and unmarked roads, venomous reptiles and invertebrates, extreme heat, deep sand, and flash floods.
Recreational Opportunities
Visitors will enjoy scenic views of towering cliffs and deep canyons. Paria Canyon offers an outstanding three to five day wilderness backpacking experience. The colorful swirls of cross-bedded sandstone in Coyote Buttesare an international hiking destination. There are also opportunities to view wildlife, including California condors. There are two developed campgrounds just outside the Monument: Stateline and White House. Dispersed camping is allowed outside the wilderness area in previously disturbed areas.
Facilities
There are no visitor centers on the Monument.
Safety
Visits to the area require special planning and awareness of potential hazards such as rugged and unmarked roads, poisonous reptiles and insects, extreme heat or cold, deep sand, and flash floods. Bring a spare tire and plenty of water, food, and gasoline. Arizona Strip Visitor maps are available at the Paria Contact Station (open seasonally), BLM-Kanab Visitor Center, and the Interagency Information Center in St. George, Utah.
Fuente original: Arizona, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
