Geology - Bryce Canyon Country

Bryce Canyon, America’s Most Unique National Park

A man takes photographs on the Queens Garden Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon is, without a doubt, America's most exceptional and distinctive national park. Carved into the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, the forces of nature are striking in Byrce Canyon National

Volcanic Lava Activity – Bryce Canyon Country

Much of Bryce Canyon Country’s unique landscape reflects an interesting volcanic history. Exposed geology reveals ancient lava deposits. and large lava fields on the Markagunt Plateau show evidence of volcanic activity as recent as one thousand years ago.

Hikers walk up a hillside covered in

Markagunt Plateau

The Markagunt Plateau is one of the forested highlands that make up the High Plateaus section of the Colorado Plateau. The Markagunt covers about 800 square miles mostly within Dixie National Forest, including Cedar Breaks National Monument. The ski resort town of Brian Head is its highest point at

Paunsaugunt Plateau

Extending from the Sevier Plateau in the north to the Pink Cliffs in the south, and bordered by the Sunset Cliffs to the west and Bryce Canyon to the east, the Paunsaugunt Plateau offers some of the most breathtaking views in southern Utah. The plateau features an elevation range of 7,000 to 9,300

Aquarius Plateau

Utah’s Aquarius, Markagunt and Paunsaugunt plateaus are all part of the High Plateaus Section of the Colorado Plateau. Each plateau is defined by varied topography such as the lava fields and forested highlands of the Markagunt, rugged cliffs and dense alpine forests of the Aquarius, and the

The Blues

It's not uncommon to feel a little blue, or to sing the blues, but here's your chance to see The Blues! The blues is a very rough section of land that sits approximately 15 miles east of Bryce Canyon just north and west of Scenic Byway 12, and just below Powell Point.

The Blues is a badland of

The Forces Behind Mother Nature

Discover the Elements that Reshape the Red-Rock Formations Every Year

Did You Know?

Did you know that Bryce Canyon is actually not a canyon at all? Despite the name, Bryce Canyon National Park is an accumulation of towering hoodoo rock formations that create natural amphitheaters. The heart of Bryce

The Real Grand Staircase – First Three Steps

The Grand Staircase is a massive geologic phenomenon that defines millions of acres of landscape in southern Utah and northern Arizona. Made up of five defining "layers," the oldest layers of the Grand Staircase are found at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, while the newest layer makes up Bryce

The Grand Staircase – Upper Steps

In our prior post about the Grand Staircase we addressed the steps in the staircase that begin with the Grand Canyon and then move north toward the Vermillion and White Cliffs. In this post we talk about the northern upper steps of these geologic layers.

These gray formations are found below the

Dinosaur Fossils in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Over 76 million years ago, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah looked entirely different. Instead of spectacular desert landscapes, Grand Staircase-Escalante was home to a lush, tropical rainforest, where abundant plants supported an ecosystem of prehistoric giants. The area is now