Grand Circle Travel - Utah’s Many Wonders

The Southwest’s Grand Circle rivals the Grand Canyon

There are seven natural wonders in the world. I wonder why there isn’t an eighth. Forty million years ago, canyons, gorges, cliffs, and hoodoos were shaped to form some of the world’s most stunning geological and archeological formations. Some of this earth’s wonders lie in the Southwest’s Grand Circle, a group of national parks making up the vast Colorado Plateau.

Within the Grand Circle, at a point called Four Corners, meet the borders of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It is the only place in the United States where there is such an alignment. The Grand Circle sweeps into Color Country and encompasses Cedar Breaks National monument, Red Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, and the city of St. George. It is also recognized as the gateway to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

I begin my tour from Cedar Breaks National Monument in the late afternoon, the sun shining brilliantly on a basin of graceful limestone formations that fill the amphitheater a half mile deep and two miles from rim to rim. A national monument is best described as a stepsister to a national park. It is generally a smaller destination, and does not have the facilities of a national park.

Some believe that pioneers mistakenly identified indigenous junipers as cedars, and referred to the word ‘breaks’ to describe the badlands, hence the area’s name. The sheer cliffs range from orange to white at the top, and dissolve into deep rose and coral at the bottom. Its spires and hoodoos have been carved by nature to create this multicolored monument.

The hoodoos are formed by a harder layer of cap rock on the top, while the water and wind erode around it. The columns keep their formation as rock falls off to create a variety of unique and remarkably shaped landscapes. A hoodoo is a pinnacle, or odd-shaped rock left standing by the forces of erosion. By definition, hoodoo also means to cast a spell. These hoodoos cast their spell on all who visit.

I explore this circle of painted cliffs by foot, and climb to a plateau that is as level as the land allows. Here I sit amidst the grandeur of such majestic proportions that it defies the imagination. I am surrounded by beauty and engulfed in ancient history. I have lived three decades and yet I’m the youngest among my company. I try to envision what the land looked like before the carving of this natural stairway so many millenniums ago. No one would know for sure. But if there is a heaven on earth, it could quite possibly be here.

Brad Wilson, director of marketing at Brian Head Resort says, “You will see some of the most spectacular red rock in all of Utah when you drive through Red Canyon.” He was right. According to Car & Driver Magazine, Highway 12 en route to the Red Canyon was named one of the ten most scenic highways in the United States. Red road, red rock, ready or not, here I come.

The drive is nothing short of sensational. Towering masses of sculpted red rock shadow curving roadway. I pull over to appreciate the canyon’s intricate carvings and brilliant color. It is only now that I remove my sunglasses to distinguish the intense shades of red I first believed were created by my tinted glasses.

As I read the sign that explains the land’s history, I am compelled to touch the rock that is as red as a hot cinder. A descriptive signs read, “The sculpture of the land’s geological formations before you represent many years of geological history and changes. This was at various times, a sea, a sea shore, a coastal plain and a lake bottom. Today’s formations are a result of sediments that deposited and have eroded throughout the years.” Walking on the Bird’s Eye Trail I continue to explore and examine nature’s colorful handy work.

The Red Canyon is sometimes referred to as “Little Bryce,” but it’s worthy of its own claim to fame. The infamous Butch Cassidy hideout is among the untouched areas of the canyon, and horse rentals are available to take you to the landmark.

This stretch of scenic passage is a sobering tonic for the intoxicating delights of Bryce Canyon. Just outside of Red Canyon at the visitor’s information center, I confess I may not have the time to visit Bryce. With sheer horror on his face, the ranger says, “But Ma’am, I reckon it wouldn’t be right if ya missed it. You’ve come this far, y’all jus gotta’ geet going.” I was too charmed to disagree.

Alongside an itinerary with little leeway, the ranger tells me specific viewpoints not to miss at Bryce Canyon National Park, which include Inspiration, Sunset, and Fairyland Point.

Fairyland Point is considered to rival any scenery in the area, but is often missed by visitors because it’s a mile off the main park road. Aptly named Fairyland, this fanciful wonder could easily be mistaken for make-believe. Walt Disney would be jealous. The view is highlighted by the “sinking ship, with a backdrop of the Aquarius Plateau and distant Navajo Mountain.

Bryce National Park offers more than scenic driving tours. The visitor center offers a free slide program, exhibits, maps, and information about the park. There are hiking trails, horse back riding, tours, camp grounds and picnic areas to explore at your leisure.

You might just want to relax, sit back and drink in the canyon’s beauty. But take heed, the park is worthy of a minimum of three hours. If you don’t spend your time wisely, you may say to someone, “I may not have the time to visit Zion National Park.” If so, you’ll likely hear, “Y’all jus gotta geet goin’!”

Zion National Park is a gallery of gigantic canyon walls sculpted by the Virgin River, which drops nine times as fast as the Colorado. If Fairyland exists in Bryce Canyon, then Zion is set apart by its Alice in Wonderland scale.

As I enter the park, my jaw drops as sharply as the 2,000 to 3,000-foot walls that scale along the canyon floor. Somehow it never looked so grand on television. Remember when Butch Cassidy was riding along trying to convince Sundance that going to Bolivia was a good idea? That scene took place in Zion National Park.

The Zion Canyon scenic drive is the centerpiece of the park. I join the bumper to bumper parade of tourists as we wind our way deep into the endless eroded energy of the profound rock gorge.

One observer called Zion, “A singular display of nature’s art mingled with nonsense.” The weird rocks can send your imagination reeling, but then I suppose their name could have derived from people guessing what they resemble. Who do (hoodoo) you think that is?

The Zion Visitors Center also offers a wide variety of information and services. Park rangers are available to assist you in planning your visit, whether you’re hiking, biking or driving. They will coordinate brochures and maps for you to consult, which promote time-saving measures to maximize your visit.

After my drive through Zion, I continue my odyssey of Canyon Country when I get out of the car and attend a theatre in the park which shows a film called Treasure of The Gods on a giant screen. Whatever hidden treasures I didn’t discover during my drive, the six-story screen reveals the myth, magic, and drama in 37 minutes.

The city of St. George is the last leg of the tour before coming full circle in the “grand” scheme of things. St. George has the distinction of being known as the entrance to the largest concentration of national parks, monuments and scenic attractions in the United States.

Utah’s Many Wonders
For more information on Utah’s many wonders please contact:

Cedar Breaks National Monument Information
82 North 100 East, Cedar City, Utah 84720
Tel (801) 586-9451;
www.nps.gov

Red Canyon Information
Garfield County Travel Council
P.O. Box 200 Panguitch, Utah, 84759
Tel 1-800-444-6689 (801)-676-8826
www.utah.com/nationalsites/redcanyon.htm

Bryce Canyon National Park Information
Bryce Canyon Utah, 84717
(801) 834-5322;
www.nps.gov/brca/

Zion National Park Information
Superintendent, Zion National Park,
Springdale, Utah, 8476-1099
(801) 772-3256
www.nps.gov/zion/

Zion Canyon Cinemax Theatre
145 Zion Park Blvd.
Springdale, Utah 84767
(801) 772-2440
www.zioncanyontheatre.com

St. George Information
Washington County Travel & Convention Bureau
The Dixie Center
425 South 700 East
St. George Utah, 84770
Tel 1-800-869-6635 Fax (801) 628-1619
www.sgcity.org

Author: Tracey Rayson