Everything about Cedar Breaks National Monument totally explained
Cedar Breaks National Monument is a
U.S. National Monument located in the
U.S. state of
Utah near
Cedar City. Cedar Breaks is a natural
amphitheater canyon, stretching across 3 miles (5 km), with a depth of over 2,000 feet (600 m). The elevation of the rim of the canyon is over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above
sea level.
The eroded rock of the canyon is similar to formations at
Bryce Canyon National Park, but has its own distinct look. Because of its elevation, snow often makes it inaccessible to vehicles from October through May. Its canyon-rim visitor center, tiny compared to the visitor centers at nearby and better-known Bryce Canyon and
Zion National Park, is open only from June through October, although park headquarters at a lower elevation in Zion is open the rest of the year. It isn't as popular as some of the other National Parks, but still, several hundred thousand people visit annually.
Flora and fauna
Wildlife can often be seen, as there are not the crowds of people often found in the larger, better-known parks.
Mule deer and
porcupines are common, as are rodents and similar animals such as
pikas,
marmots,
red squirrels,
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels,
pocket gophers, and
chipmunks.
Mountain lions and other larger animals live in the area but are seldom seen. Common birds include the
Clark's nutcracker,
Violet-green Swallows, and the
Common Raven.
The
bristlecone pine, a species of tree that lives longer than any other known thing, can also be found in the high country, with some local specimens known to be more than 1600 years old. Subalpine meadows dot the canyon rim in such areas as around Alpine Pond, which is within an easy hike from the road along a clear trail.
Aspen,
Engelmann Spruce,
Subalpine Fir trees, and
Limber Pine also grow here.
Spring begins in June at this elevation, when wildflowers cover the canyon rim. Wildflowers bloom all during the short growing season, and visitors can enjoy Scarlet or
Indian Paintbrush (
Castilleja parvula), Silvery
Lupine (
Lupinus argenteus), Blue (Colorado) Columbine (
Aquilegia caerulea),
Cinquefoil,
Shootingstar, and
wild rose, among others. In the earliest spring, Mountain (Aspen)
Bluebell (
Mertensia arizonica),
spring beauty,
Lavender Fleabane, Subalpine
Larkspur (
Delphinium occidentale), and various
Penstemons appear. The summer winds down with
goldenrod and
Asters.
History and geology
The amphitheater, located near the west end of the
Colorado Plateau, covers the west side of the
Markagunt Plateau, the same plateau that forms parts of
Zion National Park. Uplift and erosion formed the canyon over millions of years, raising and then wearing away the
shale,
limestone, and
sandstone that was deposited at the bottom of an ancient 70 mi. X 250 mi. lake, known as
Lake Claron about 60 million years ago. It continues to erode at a pace of about 12 mm a year (2 inches every 5 years). Atop the plateau, volcanic rock known as
rhyolitic tuff covers much of the area, formed during cataclysmic eruptions around 28 million years ago.
The rocks of the eroded canyon contain
iron and
manganese in various combinations, providing brilliant colors that led Indians to call it the
Circle of Painted Cliffs. Iron oxides provide the
reds,
oranges, and
yellows, while manganese oxides provide shades of
purple.
The area is another form of
badlands—canyons, spires, walls, and cliffs so steep and confusing that the land is worth nothing except aesthetically. Early settlers called them
badlands or
breaks and created its current name by combining
breaks with
cedar for the many
juniper trees (often incorrectly called
cedars) that grow in the area.
Cedar Breaks National Monument was established in 1933. A small lodge built and operated by the
Utah Parks Company once existed near the south end of the monument, but it was razed in 1972.
Attractions
There are several
hiking trails throughout the park, and a campsite near the canyon rim.
National park proposal
In 2006,
Iron County officials considered a proposal for legislation to expand the monument and rename it Cedar Breaks National Park. The new park would include the adjacent
Ashdown Gorge Wilderness, some private land and nearby Flanigan Arch.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Cedar Breaks National Monument'.
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