- Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness
Infobox_protected_area | name = Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness
iucn_category = Ib
caption =
locator_x = 60
locator_y = 95
location =Arizona andUtah , USA
nearest_city = Page, AZ
lat_degrees = 36
lat_minutes = 56
lat_seconds =
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 111
long_minutes = 40
long_seconds =
long_direction = W
area = 109,400 acres (442 km²)
established =August 28 ,1984
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = U.S.Bureau of Land Management The Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness is a 109,400 acre (442 km²) wilderness area located in northern
Arizona and southernUtah , USA, within the aridColorado Plateau region. The wilderness is composed of broadplateau s, tallescarpment s, and deepcanyon s.The
Paria River flows through the wilderness before joining the Colorado River atLee's Ferry , Arizona.The 112,500 acre (455 km²) area was designated by the
U.S. Congress in 1984 and was largely incorporated into the newVermilion Cliffs National Monument proclaimed in 2000 by executive order of PresidentBill Clinton .Both the wilderness area and the
U.S. National Monument are administered by the FederalBureau of Land Management . The Colorado Plateau and it's river basins are of immense value in theEarth sciences , specificallychronostratigraphy as the region contains multipleterrain feature s exposing miles-thickCite web|url=http://www.wcg.org/lit/booklets/science/burky2.htm|accessdate=2008-06-21|title=An Overview of the Geologic Record|author=Richard Burky, 1990] contiguous rock columns geologists and paleobiologists use as reference strata of thegeologic record .
[Panorama (2004, high elevation view) from near the border withArizona looking intoUtah overlooking theParia River basin ]Human history
Ancient
petroglyphs , granaries, and campsites indicate thatancestral Puebloan people utilized the Wilderness between AD 200 and AD 1200. They hunted mule deer and bighorn sheep and grew corn, beans, and squash in the lower end of the canyon.Paiute people later occupied and traveled much of the area before Europeans arrived. Because no habitations or large villages have been found in the canyon, researchers believe the canyon was primarily used as a travel route.fact|date=June 2008|This two links fail, haven't time to search for replacements at gov site [http://www.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/history.htm People of Paria Canyon - Those Who Came Before] - Arizona BLM ] [http://www.moon.com/planner/grand_canyon/mustsee/pariacanyon.html Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness - Moon.com Travel Planner] ]The first documented Europeans in the area were Fathers
Francisco Atanasio Domínguez andSilvestre Vélez de Escalante of theDominguez-Escalante Expedition . The expedition stopped at the mouth of the Paria River in 1776 after they unsuccessfully attempted to establish a route fromSanta Fe, New Mexico , toMonterey, California . The 19th century drew outlaws who hid out in the Wilderness and prospectors who minedgold ,uranium , and other minerals.Wildlife
A variety of wildlife makes its home in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness.
Birds
Many bird species are found in the Wilderness, including
bald eagle ,golden eagle , the endangeredperegrine falcon ,red-tailed hawk ,great horned owl , andCooper's hawk . Other birds seen in the Wilderness include white-throated swift,violet-green swallow ,rock wren , canyon wren,killdeer ,cliff swallow ,flycatcher ,black-throated sparrow ,ruby-crowned kinglet , blue-grey gnatcatcher,black-chinned hummingbird ,great blue heron , and various species ofduck . [https://www.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/wildlife.htm Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Wildlife] - Arizona BLM] The Wilderness was the location of a 1996 release of captively-bred endangered California Condors in an attempt to re-introduce them to the wild. [ [http://publiclands.org/visitorcenter/exhibits.php?e=Conservation&s=Condor&c=Condors3 Saving the Condor: Return to the Wild] - PublicLands.org]Mammals
Mammals found in the Wilderness include
mule deer ,bobcat ,fox ,mountain lion ,porcupine ,beaver ,coyote ,jack rabbit ,cottontail rabbit ,ground squirrel s,kangaroo rat , and various otherrodent species.Desert bighorn sheep were successfully reintroduced to Paria Canyon in the 1980s and are usually found in the cliffs and crags of the lower canyon.Reptiles and amphibians
A variety of reptiles live in the Wilderness, including
rattlesnake ,chuckwalla ,side-blotched lizard ,leopard lizard , desert spiny lizard, and collared lizard. The red-spotted toad can be spotted in the canyon and four species of fish are occasionally found in the Paria River - the flannel mouth sucker, bluehead sucker,razorback sucker , andspeckled dace .Vegetation
Vegetation in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness can be divided into three different zones of
riparian vegetation communities, which run parallel to each side of the river. Plants found closest to the water includecattails ,common reed s,sedges ,rushes , andhorsetails . [https://www.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/vegetation.htm Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Vegetation] - Arizona BLM]Drier soil farther from the water makes a good environment for woody vegetation which has survived the repeated flooding, such as coyote willow,
cottonwood ,ash ,tamarisk , andseep-willow . This zone is referred to as the "regeneration site" because some of the trees that grow here survive to produce the next generation of mature canopy.Beyond the regeneration site trees grow strong and tall. Dominant vegetation includes cottonwood, willow, ash, and tamarisk. This zone is the fringe between riparian and desert uplands, often sharing vegetation like
rabbitbrush ,Indian ricegrass ,arrowweed , and sand dropseed.Other vegetation found in the Wilderness include
pinyon pine ,juniper ,boxelder , various species ofcactus , and other desert flora.Recreation
Hiking is the most common recreational activity in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, followed by camping, photography, and canyoneering. Hikes through Paria Canyon are popular. The White House Trailhead is the main entrance and, therefore, more popular than the other trailheads in the Wilderness.
Wire Pass Trailhead is the starting point for hiking into the canyon viaBuckskin Gulch , as well as to spectacularsandstone formations such as the Wave on the slopes of theCoyote Buttes . [https://www.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/wilderness.htm Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Experience] - Arizona BLM]The BLM has placed a limit on overnight camping in the Paria Canyon portion of the Wilderness in order to protect it from overuse. It is also necessary to obtain a permit for the popular hike to the Wave formation in Coyote Buttes. [ [http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/wildareas/paria_vermilion.html Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area] - Arizona BLM]
ee also
*
Wilderness Act
*List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
*List of Arizona Wilderness Areas References
*Lynna P. Howard, "Utah's Wilderness Areas: The Complete Guide" (Westcliffe Publishers, 2005) ISBN 1-56579-388-9
External links
* [http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas/wildareas/paria_vermilion.html BLM Arizona: Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness]
* [http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/arolrsmain.html Arizona BLM Online Recreation Permits]
* [http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Paria%20Canyon-Vermilion%20Cliffs Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness] - Wilderness.net
* [http://local.google.com/maps?hl=en&t=h&ll=36.901587,-111.866913&spn=0.508452,0.925598&t=h Google Maps satellite view]
*geolinks-US-mountain|36.868792|-111.861053
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