Situated in southern Utah are five national
parks of spectacular beauty, each with unique geological
formations, cliffs, rivers, and canyons of incredible colours. The
most well-known parks are Bryce Canyon, with its weird, orange
hoodoo formations and the magnificent canyons of Zion National
Park.
Canyonlands is the largest national park in
Utah, a largely inaccessible landscape eroded into countless
canyons and plateaus by the Colorado and Green Rivers that divide
the park into three districts. The most accessible area of the park
is the Island in the Sky District, which offers breath-taking
views. The Needles Region features spires, arches and red and white
striped rock pinnacles that hold numerous opportunities for hikers.
The rugged Maze District is the most remote section and is
practically inaccessible.
The more visitor-friendly red desert
landscape of Arches National Park features thousands of natural
sandstone arches and other fantastic rock formations such as
pinnacles, balanced rocks and spires that can be reached by short
trails or roads, making the major sights easily accessible. Famous
landmarks include Fiery Furnace, Balanced Rock and the park's most
famous feature, Delicate Arch.
In the centre of Utah is the state's newest
park, Capitol Reef. The most splendid geological feature here is
the multi-layered orange, red and white cliff wall that formed a
seemingly impassable rock barrier to early pioneers, stretching for
hundreds of miles and known as the Waterpocket Fold. Lifted up by
forces within the earth's crust, the peaks and pinnacles formed
sandstone sections that reminded them of the white domes of capitol
buildings.
There are very few roads bisecting the
southwestern region and it is difficult to access most of the
backcountry, even within the national parks, where roads are
limited to high-clearance vehicles, hikers and mountain bikers. One
of the best ways to experience the landscape is by river and there
are numerous companies offering white water rafting and gentle
river trips with plenty of opportunities to admire the scenery.