Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah in
the United States. Bryce Canyon which, despite its name, is not a canyon
but a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern
side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological
structures called hoodoos, formed by wind, water, and ice erosion of the
river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. Some of these hoodoos are up to
200 feet high. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide
spectacular views for park visitors.
For millions of years water
has carved Bryce's rugged landscape. Water drips into the cracks in the
rocks, freezes and expands thereby splitting the rocks - a cyclic
process that occurs some 200 times a year. In summer, rainwater etches
into the softer limestones and sluices through the deep runnels. In
about 50 years the present rim will be cut back another foot.
Bryce
lies at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park and the
Grand Canyon, varying from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,440 to 2,740 m),
whereas the south rim of the Grand Canyon sits at 7,000 feet (2130 m)
above Sea Level. Bryce Canyon National Park therefore has a
substantially different ecology and climate, offering a contrast for
visitors to the south west.
The Bryce area was settled by Mormon
pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who
homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon became a
U.S. National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a national park in
1928. The park covers 35,835 acres and receives relatively few visitors
compared to Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, largely due to its
remote location.
