NATIONAL PARK • UTAH Contents the GREAT WHITE THRONE
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NATIONAL PARK • UTAH Contents THE GREAT WHITE THRONE . Cover MUSEUM 13 FORMATION OF ZION CANYON 3 FREE PUBLIC CAMPGROUNDS . 15 WILDLIFE. 6 AccoMMODA TIO NS 15 NATIONAL PARK SEASON . 6 TRANSPORTATION ...... 15 UTAH How To REACH ZroN 6 SADDLE HORSES . 15 ZION PARK• ROADS IN THE PARK 8 POST OFFICE AND COMMUNICA- THE TRAIL SYSTEM . 10 TION SERVICE . 15 ADMINISTRATION . .. 13 MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES . .. 15 Open All Year NATURALIST SERVICE. 13 Historic Events 177 6 Father Escalante in search of route to Pacific crossed Virgin River near ION NATIONAL PARK, lished the river has slowly deepened Hurricane. located in the heart of its channel and extended it headward 1826 Jedediah Smith, fur trader, with a party of about 16 men exploring the the spectacular desert until its original shallow valley has region, traversed Virgin River. and canyon country of become a long narrow trench be southern Utah, has as tween towering walls. Though now 1847 Brigham Young and his band of Mormons founded Salt Lake City and Xone of its chief features the great deeply entrenched in the rocks of the began the colonization of Utah. multicolored gorge, Zion Canyon. Kolob Plateau, the river maintains 1858 The colonization of Utah's " Dixie" begun by the Mormons. The sandstone cliffs, rising sheer to substantially its original pattern. It 1858 Zion Canyon discovered by Nephi Johnson, a Mormon scout. form the canyon walls and encircle flows in the same direction, and the 1861 Joseph Black explored the canyon and 1 or 2 years later was followed the valley, are awesome; but it is the curves and straight stretches of its by a few settlers who farmed in the canyon, which they called "Little vivid coloring which most amazes. present walls duplicate the meanders Zion." The deep red of the Vermilion Cliffs of the stream when it flowed some 1872 Maj. John Wesley Powell visited the region and gave name "Mukuntu is the prevailing tint. Two-thirds of 5,000 feet above its present level. weap" to north fork and " Parunuweap" to east fork of Virgin River. the way up these marvelous walls and For many thousands of years the 1909 Mukuntuweap National Monument established by Presidential proc temples are painted varying shades Virgin River and its tributaries have lamation. of red; then, above the reds they rise been busy with two tasks, namely, in startling white, sometimes sur 1914 Frederick Vining Fisher visite.d Zion Canyon and gave names to many deepening their channels and trans mounted by a cap of brilliant red. of the outstanding formations, such as Great White Throne and Angels porting material weathered from the canyon walls. At present the Virgin Landing. 1 Formation of Zion Canyon carries away from the park each year 1917 Wylie Way Camp, first tourist accommodations, constructed. Zion Canyon, the best known ex about 3,000,000 tons of ground-up 1918 Monument enlarged and the name changed to Zion by Presidential ample of a deep, narrow, vertically rock at an average rate of 180 car proclamation. walled chasm readily accessible for loads a day. For such effective work 1919 Monument changed to a national park by act of Congress. observation, was made by the north the many-branched river seems in 1?23 President Warren G. Harding visited the park on June 27. fork of the Virgin River, the stream competent. But though relatively 1930 East Rim road and runnel completed and dedicated. which now flows through it. Before small in volume, this stream system this stream established its course falls from SO to 70 feet per mile (nine there was no canyon. During the times the fall of the Colorado in UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE long period since its course was estab- Grand Canyon) and is at work on I N T E R I 0 R . Oscar L. Chapman, Secretary rock, chiefly sandstone, that disin 'Condensed from " A Geologic and Geo graphic Sketch of Zion National Park" by tegrates with exceptional ease. Many NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Newton B. Drury, Director Herbert E. Gregory. tributaries are on bare rock, little re- 3 tarded by vegetation, and are fed by water that spills over the rim, frost short but violent showers. Conse and tree roots which pry off slabs, quently, they are brought to flood and chemical agencies which weaken stage not only seasonally but with the rock by the removal of the ce each period of heavy rainfall. Because ment about individual grains. Con they flow only in response to showers, tinuous sapping at or near the con the smaller tributaries are unable to tact of the porous Navajo sandstone cut channels as deep as the perennial and the more impervious underlying master stream. From their mouths beds has developed alcoves in the high on the canyon walls, they de canyon walls at Wiley Retreat, the scend as waterfalls. Stadium, Weeping Rock, Emerald Though they are primarily respon Pool, Birch Creek, Oak Creek, and sible for the depth and position of elsewhere. the canyons, the Virgin River itself. In the development of the amazing and the other streams heading on the variety of architectural features on adjoining plateaus are only inciden the canyon walls, the composition tal! y concerned with the detailed and structure of the Navajo forma carving that makes Zion Canyon tion have served as controlling unique. The walls are retreating in guides. In addition to the bedding consequence of ground water which planes-horizontal, oblique, and emerges as springs and seeps, rain curved surfaces- the Navajo has de which falls directly into the canyon, veloped parting planes (joints) that A~e of rocks Formation E.ocene Wasatch·. Pink Cliffs :;; " "'a. ~ - - Zz -0 "'::i s.andston cn> 0 >::Z II) Undifferentiated ; "'"'0<.) ~ Gray Cliffs a: II) u'" L > 0 shale ct "' C r 0 M ESOZ 0 I c°~ White cross- bedded sandstone t. Navajo sandstone; ...,~ Cliffs z 0 Ka enta- in ate N Chinle :Vermilion Cliffs 5ha!e, 5andstone, ~ ash and limestone 0 >-=--~~~~~~~~~~ <!) ., 5hinarumR con lomerate fossil wood :< <Jl 0 <II 0 shale a: ~ Moenkopi Belted Cliffs 5and&tone RIM OF GRANO CANYON Permian Kaibab limestone Vertical Scale (Union Pacific Railroad photo) woo fee.t ~~~~ The Sentinel viewed from the West Portal of the Mount Carmel Tunnel. Generalized section of sediments in Zion and Bryce Canyons. 5 4 extend downward for short distances can yon. Lizards, such as the blue or pass through the formation from bellied swift and brown-shouldered top to bottom. These bedding planes uta, are commonly observed around and joints determine the shape and the brush-covered slopes, while the size of the blocks that spall off from Boyle's kingsnake and wandering the towering cliff walls. Unlike that gartersnake are to be found in the of humid regions, this type of erosion dense vegetation near the river. progresses from below upward; it causes the canyon to widen and still retain its vertical walls. Park Season Wildlife Each season of the year is distinc tive in Zion. In winter, the colored With the lower reac hes of the park cliffs stand out in startling contrast extending into the desert regions to to the snow-covered levels and slopes; the southward, and the northernmost in spring, melting snows cascade over portions reaching into the spruce the cliff faces in foaming white water covered highlands, Zion offers the falls. Summer brings with it the visitor a wide variety of wildlife greens of the valley as a foreground forms. Among the larger mammals, for the colorful formations; and in the mule deer are especially numer autumn when the skies are deepest ous and can frequently be observed blue, the trees of the valley floor and along the floor of Zion Canyon in slopes take on variegated hues. late evening. A few bighorn are pres Although Zion Lodge is open only ent but spend their time in the rela during the summer season, the Camp tively inaccessible canyons, hence are Center, with cafeteria, store, and seldom seen. Other mammals, such cabins, and the public campground as the mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, at the south entrance are operated and fox , are resident within the park, throughout the year. but are rarely encountered because of their timidity. Ground squirrels and chipmunks are numerous and fre How to Reach Zion quently tame. It is wisest to enjoy Zion National Park is reached from I them without actual contact, how I Cedar City, Utah, on the Union I CONNECTING ever, for some rodents have been Pacific Sys tem. From . this point ,.., . :zJON. BRYCE CANYON known to carry dangerous diseases. ~,,,, ...... _.. I GRAND CANYON motorbus service is provided by the !...t ) NATIONAL PARKS Several species of birds are resident Utah Parks Co. Passengers traveling ~~ / AND ,,...._ on the floor of the canyon, the best . (~/CEDAR BREAKS NAT'L MOt;, ..~ • ., on main bus lines may transfer to ~ /"S\, UTAH±~ONA ... ,, '-" known being the spurred towhee, I:J / -; (t Seate I: ~,,~ Utah Parks Co. buses at Cedar City. I // ( j 20 M ilH robin, canyon wren, and yellow I / ( h On advance notice, connections can TO LOS ANGELES \n,/·"' warbler. Among the ponderosa pines be made with the Santa Fe Trails Sys back of the canyon rims are such tem at Mount Carmel Junction. colorful songsters as the western Motorists on the Arrowhead Trail, tanager, Audubon's warbler, and United States Highway No. 91 , f~om w,·-~ ~ western warbling vireo. I> the north may turn off at Anderson 0·< , > FOREST Of absorbing interest are the many Junction, 33 miles south of Cedar varieties of harmless reptiles in the City, and those from the south may Roads Cuttnu:ting Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, and Cedar Breaks 6 7 turn off at Harrisburg Bench Junc Vegas, Nev., Cedar City, Utah, and tion, 10 miles north of St.