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{{short description|National park in Utah, United States}} {{Featured article}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Bryce Canyon National Park | iucn_category = II | photo = Inspiration Point Bryce Canyon November 2018 panorama.jpg | map = Utah#USA | relief = 1 | map_caption = | location = [[Garfield County, Utah|Garfield County]] and [[Kane County, Utah|Kane County]], Utah, United States | nearest_city = [[Tropic, Utah|Tropic]], [[Panguitch, Utah|Panguitch]] | coordinates = {{Coord|37.64|N|112.17|W|region:US-UT|display=inline,title}} | area_acre = 35835 | area_ref = <ref name="area">{{NPS area|year=2011|access-date=March 6, 2012}}</ref> | established = {{start date and age|1928|02|25}} | visitation_num = 2,354,660 | visitation_year = 2022 | visitation_ref = <ref name="visits">{{NPS visitation|access-date= July 23, 2023}}</ref> | governing_body = [[National Park Service]] | website = {{official URL}} }} '''Bryce Dunyon National Park''' ({{IPAc-en|b|r|aɪ|s}}) is a [[List of national parks of the United States|national park of the United States]] located in southwestern [[Utah]]. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a [[canyon]], but a collection of giant natural [[amphitheatre|amphitheaters]] along the eastern side of the [[Paunsaugunt Plateau]]. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called [[hoodoo (geology)|hoodoos]], formed by [[frost weathering]] and stream erosion of the river and lake bed [[sedimentary rock]]. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce Canyon National Park is much smaller and sits at a much higher elevation than nearby [[Zion National Park]]. The rim at Bryce varies from {{convert|8000|to|9000|ft}}. The area is in portions of [[Garfield County, Utah|Garfield County]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st49_ut/county/c49017_garfield/DC20BLK_C49017.pdf |title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Garfield County, UT|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-09-28|page=35 (PDF p. 34/47)}}</ref> and [[Kane County, Utah|Kane County]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st49_ut/county/c49025_kane/DC20BLK_C49025.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Kane County, UT|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-09-28|page=4 (PDF pp. 5/54)}}</ref> The Bryce Canyon area was settled by [[Mormon pioneers]] in the 1850s and was named after [[Ebenezer Bryce]], who [[Homestead Acts|homesteaded]] in the area in 1874.<ref name="Kiver1999p523">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Kiver|1999|p=523}}</ref> The area was originally designated as a [[National monument (United States)|national monument]] by President [[Warren G. Harding]] in 1923 and was redesignated as a national park by Congress in 1928. The park covers {{convert|35835|acre|sqmi ha km2}}<ref name="area"/> and receives substantially fewer visitors than Zion National Park (nearly 4.3 million in 2016) or [[Grand Canyon National Park]] (almost 6 million in 2016), largely due to Bryce's more remote location. In 2023, Bryce Canyon received 2,461,269.<ref name="visits"/> ==Geography== The park is located in southwestern Utah about {{convert|50|mi|km}} northeast of and {{convert|1000|ft|m}} higher than Zion National Park.<ref>{{cite web |title=When to go |url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/brycecanyonnationalpark/1561020006.html |work=Bryce Canyon National Park |publisher=Frommer's |access-date=April 6, 2011 |archive-date=June 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602063405/http://www.frommers.com/destinations/brycecanyonnationalpark/1561020006.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Harris1997p44">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Harris|1997|p=44}}</ref> Bryce Canyon National Park lies within the [[Colorado Plateau]] [[United States physiographic region|geographic province]] of North America and straddles the southeastern edge of the [[Paunsaugunt Plateau]] west of Paunsaugunt Faults (''Paunsaugunt'' is [[Colorado River Numic language|Paiute]] for "home of the beaver").<ref name="Harris1997p46" /> Park visitors arrive from the plateau and look over its edge toward a valley containing the fault and the [[Paria River]] just beyond it (''Paria'' is Paiute for "muddy or elk water"). The edge of the [[Kaiparowits Plateau]] bounds the opposite side of the valley. Bryce Canyon was not formed from [[erosion]] initiated from a central stream, meaning it technically is not a [[canyon]]. Instead [[headward erosion]] excavated large [[amphitheatre|amphitheater]]-shaped features in the [[Cenozoic]]-aged rocks of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.<ref name="Harris1997p46">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Harris|1997|p=46}}</ref> This erosion resulted in delicate and colorful pinnacles called hoodoos that are up to {{convert|200|ft|m|-1}} high. A series of amphitheaters extends more than {{convert|20|mi|km|-1}} north-to-south within the park.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> The largest is Bryce Amphitheater, which is {{convert|12|mi|km}} long, {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} wide and {{convert|800|ft|m}} deep.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> A nearby example of amphitheaters with hoodoos in the same formation but at a higher elevation is in [[Cedar Breaks National Monument]], which is {{convert|25|mi|km}} to the west on the [[Markagunt Plateau]].<ref name="Harris1997p44"/> Rainbow Point, the highest part of the park at {{convert|9105|ft|m}},<ref name="Harris1997p53"/> is at the end of the {{convert|18|mi|km|adj=on}} scenic drive.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> From there, [[Aquarius Plateau]], Bryce Amphitheater, the [[Henry Mountains]], the [[Vermilion Cliffs]] and the [[Navajo Sandstone|White Cliffs]] can be seen. Yellow Creek, where it exits the park in the northeast section, is the lowest part of the park at {{convert|6620|ft|m}}.<ref name="TheHoodoo">{{cite news |title=Park Planner, Hiking and Shuttle Guide |work=The Hoodoo |author=National Park Service |date=Summer 2005 |location=Washington, D.C. }}</ref> [[File:Bryce Amphitheater from Sunrise Point Highres 2013.jpg|thumb|center|800px|{{center|Bryce Amphitheater from Sunrise Point}}]] ==Climate== According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, the park has a [[continental climate]] with warm, dry summers (''Dsb''). Dsb climates are defined by having their coldest month at a mean temperature below {{convert|0|°C|order=flip}}, all months with a mean temperature below {{convert|22|°C|1|order=flip}}, at least four months with a mean temperature above {{convert|10|°C|order=flip}}, and three times as much precipitation in the wettest winter month compared to the driest summer month. The [[plant hardiness zone]] at the visitor center is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of {{convert|-10.0|°F}}.<ref name="USDA">{{cite web |url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx |publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture]] |access-date=July 3, 2019 |title=USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map |archive-date=July 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704214427/https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/phzmweb/interactivemap.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> The weather in Bryce Canyon is cooler and receives more [[precipitation]] than Zion: a total of {{convert|15|to|18|in|mm}} per year.<ref name="Tufts1998p71">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Tufts|1998|p=71}}</ref><ref name="TheHoodoo"/> Yearly temperatures vary from an average minimum of {{convert|9|°F|°C}} in January to an average maximum of {{convert|83|°F|°C}} in July, but extreme temperatures can range from {{convert|-30|to|97|F}}.<ref name="TheHoodoo"/> The record high temperature in the park was {{convert|98|F|C}} on July 14, 2002. The record low temperature was {{convert|-26|F|C}} on February 6, 1989, and January 13, 1963. {{Weather box|width=auto ||location = Bryce Canyon National Park Headquarters, Utah, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present |single line = Y | Jan high F = 36.9 | Feb high F = 38.8 | Mar high F = 45.8 | Apr high F = 53.5 | May high F = 63.1 | Jun high F = 75.1 | Jul high F = 80.0 | Aug high F = 77.5 | Sep high F = 70.1 | Oct high F = 58.2 | Nov high F = 45.8 | Dec high F = 36.8 |year high F = 56.8 |Jan mean F = 26.9 |Feb mean F = 28.6 |Mar mean F = 34.5 |Apr mean F = 41.2 |May mean F = 49.9 |Jun mean F = 59.8 |Jul mean F = 66.0 |Aug mean F = 63.7 |Sep mean F = 55.9 |Oct mean F = 45.0 |Nov mean F = 34.3 |Dec mean F = 26.9 |year mean F = 44.4 | Jan low F = 17.0 | Feb low F = 18.4 | Mar low F = 23.3 | Apr low F = 28.9 | May low F = 36.6 | Jun low F = 44.6 | Jul low F = 52.1 | Aug low F = 50.0 | Sep low F = 41.6 | Oct low F = 31.9 | Nov low F = 22.8 | Dec low F = 17.0 |year low F = 32.0 | Jan avg record high F = 48.9 | Feb avg record high F = 50.7 | Mar avg record high F = 59.0 | Apr avg record high F = 67.6 | May avg record high F = 75.7 | Jun avg record high F = 84.1 | Jul avg record high F = 87.8 | Aug avg record high F = 84.6 | Sep avg record high F = 79.6 | Oct avg record high F = 70.8 | Nov avg record high F = 58.4 | Dec avg record high F = 49.3 | year avg record high F = 88.4 | Jan avg record low F = -0.4 | Feb avg record low F = 1.1 | Mar avg record low F = 7.1 | Apr avg record low F = 15.5 | May avg record low F = 23.1 | Jun avg record low F = 31.0 | Jul avg record low F = 40.8 | Aug avg record low F = 39.7 | Sep avg record low F = 27.8 | Oct avg record low F = 18.4 | Nov avg record low F = 4.7 | Dec avg record low F = -1.0 | year avg record low F = -4.7 |Jan record high F = 59 |Feb record high F = 64 |Mar record high F = 67 |Apr record high F = 75 |May record high F = 85 |Jun record high F = 95 |Jul record high F = 98 |Aug record high F = 90 |Sep record high F = 89 |Oct record high F = 80 |Nov record high F = 68 |Dec record high F = 60 |year record high F = |Jan record low F = -26 |Feb record low F = -26 |Mar record low F = -11 |Apr record low F = -3 |May record low F = 13 |Jun record low F = 21 |Jul record low F = 28 |Aug record low F = 23 |Sep record low F = 16 |Oct record low F = 0 |Nov record low F = -12 |Dec record low F = -23 |year record low F = |precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation inch = 1.91 | Feb precipitation inch = 1.70 | Mar precipitation inch = 1.27 | Apr precipitation inch = 0.77 | May precipitation inch = 0.91 | Jun precipitation inch = 0.47 | Jul precipitation inch = 1.55 | Aug precipitation inch = 1.94 | Sep precipitation inch = 1.78 | Oct precipitation inch = 1.73 | Nov precipitation inch = 1.28 | Dec precipitation inch = 1.34 |year precipitation inch = 16.65 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in | Jan precipitation days = 6.3 | Feb precipitation days = 7.6 | Mar precipitation days = 6.2 | Apr precipitation days = 5.7 | May precipitation days = 5.5 | Jun precipitation days = 3.2 | Jul precipitation days = 8.8 | Aug precipitation days = 10.2 | Sep precipitation days = 7.0 | Oct precipitation days = 5.3 | Nov precipitation days = 4.7 | Dec precipitation days = 6.2 | year precipitation days = 76.7 |Jan snow inch = 19.8 |Feb snow inch = 18.1 |Mar snow inch = 13.2 |Apr snow inch = 5.9 |May snow inch = 1.5 |Jun snow inch = 0.2 |Jul snow inch = 0.0 |Aug snow inch = 0.0 |Sep snow inch = 0.0 |Oct snow inch = 3.0 |Nov snow inch = 9.7 |Dec snow inch = 15.3 |year snow inch = 86.7 |unit snow days = 0.1 in |Jan snow days = 6.3 |Feb snow days = 7.2 |Mar snow days = 5.5 |Apr snow days = 3.3 |May snow days = 1.2 |Jun snow days = 0.1 |Jul snow days = 0.0 |Aug snow days = 0.0 |Sep snow days = 0.0 |Oct snow days = 1.3 |Nov snow days = 3.4 |Dec snow days = 5.7 |year snow days = 34.0 |Jan sun = 217.0 |Feb sun = 226.0 |Mar sun = 248.0 |Apr sun = 300.0 |May sun = 341.0 |Jun sun = 360.0 |Jul sun = 341.0 |Aug sun = 310.0 |Sep sun = 300.0 |Oct sun = 279.0 |Nov sun = 210.0 |Dec sun = 186.0 |Jand sun = 7 |Febd sun = 8 |Mard sun = 8 |Aprd sun = 10 |Mayd sun = 11 |Jund sun = 12 |Juld sun = 11 |Augd sun = 10 |Sepd sun = 10 |Octd sun = 9 |Novd sun = 7 |Decd sun = 6 |Jan light = 9.9 |Feb light = 10.8 |Mar light = 12.0 |Apr light = 13.2 |May light = 14.2 |Jun light = 14.7 |Jul light = 14.5 |Aug light = 13.6 |Sep light = 12.4 |Oct light = 11.2 |Nov light = 10.2 |Dec light = 9.6 |Jan percentsun = 71 |Feb percentsun = 74 |Mar percentsun = 67 |Apr percentsun = 76 |May percentsun = 77 |Jun percentsun = 82 |Jul percentsun = 76 |Aug percentsun = 74 |Sep percentsun = 81 |Oct percentsun = 80 |Nov percentsun = 69 |Dec percentsun = 63 |Jan uv = 2 |Feb uv = 4 |Mar uv = 6 |Apr uv = 8 |May uv = 10 |Jun uv = 11 |Jul uv = 11 |Aug uv = 10 |Sep uv = 8 |Oct uv = 5 |Nov uv = 3 |Dec uv = 2 |source 1 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web |url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=slc |title=NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=June 9, 2021 |archive-date=May 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520233857/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=slc |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00421008&format=pdf |title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020 |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=June 9, 2021 |archive-date=June 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609203009/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00421008&format=pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> |source 2 = Weather Atlas (sun data)<ref name="Weather Atlas">{{cite web |url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/utah-usa/bryce-canyon-national-park-climate |title=Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data |publisher=Weather Atlas |access-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530130634/https://www.weather-us.com/en/utah-usa/bryce-canyon-national-park-climate |url-status=live }}</ref> }} ==History== ===Native American habitation=== Little is known about early human habitation in the area. Archaeological surveys of the Paunsaugunt Plateau indicate that people have lived in the area for at least 10,000 years. [[Basketmaker culture|Basketmaker]] [[Ancient Pueblo peoples|Anasazi]] artifacts thousands of years old were found south of the park. Other artifacts from the [[Pueblo]]-period Anasazi and the [[Fremont culture]] (up to the mid-12th century) were found.<ref name="Tufts1998p73">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Tufts|1998|p=73}}</ref> The [[Southern Paiute|Paiute]] Native Americans moved into the area around the time that the other cultures left.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> These Native Americans hunted and gathered for most of their food, while supplementing their diet with cultivated plants. The Paiute in developed a [[Mythologies of the indigenous peoples of North America|mythology]] surrounding the hoodoos. They believed that they were the Legend People whom the trickster [[Coyote (mythology)|Coyote]] turned to stone.<ref name="NPSguide">[[#NPSguide|NPS visitor's guide]]</ref> One older Paiute said his culture called the hoodoos ''Anka-ku-was-a-wits'', which is Paiute for "red painted faces".<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> ===European American exploration and settlement=== [[Image:Bryce Cabin circa 1881.jpg|alt=Black-and-white photo of log cabin with thatched roof|thumb|Ebenezer Bryce and his family lived in this cabin below Bryce Amphitheater ({{circa|1881}})]] In the late 18th and early 19th century the first European Americans explored the area.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> [[Mormon pioneers|Mormon scouts]] visited in the 1850s to gauge its potential for agriculture, [[grazing]], and settlement.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> The first major scientific expedition was led by [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] Major [[John Wesley Powell]] in 1872.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> Powell, along with a team of mapmakers and geologists, surveyed the [[Sevier River|Sevier]] and [[Virgin River]] area as part of a larger survey of the [[Colorado Plateau]]s. His mapmakers used many Paiute place names.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> Small groups of Mormon pioneers followed and attempted to settle east of Bryce Canyon along the [[Paria River]]. In 1873, the Kanarra Cattle Company started to graze cattle there.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] sent Scottish immigrant Ebenezer Bryce and his wife Mary to settle land in the Paria Valley to apply his carpentry skills. The Bryce family settled right below Bryce Amphitheater—the main collection of hoodoos. Bryce grazed his cattle inside what are now park borders, and reputedly thought that the amphitheaters were a "helluva place to lose a cow."<ref name="Kiver1999p523"/> He built a road to the plateau to retrieve firewood and timber, and a [[canal]] to irrigate his crops and water his animals. Other settlers soon started to call the unusual place "Bryce's Canyon", and the name stuck. A combination of drought, [[overgrazing]], and flooding eventually drove the remaining Paiutes from the area and prompted the settlers to attempt to build a water diversion channel from the Sevier River drainage. That effort failed, leading most settlers, including the Bryce family, to abandon the area.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> Bryce moved his family to [[Arizona]] in 1880.<ref name="TheHoodoo"/> The remaining settlers dug a {{convert|10|mi|km|adj=on}} ditch from the Sevier's east fork into Tropic Valley.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> ===Creation of the park=== [[Image:Bryce Canyon Lodge.jpg|right|thumb|[[Bryce Canyon Lodge]] was built between 1924 and 1925 from local materials]] These scenic areas were first described to the public in magazine articles published by [[Union Pacific]] and [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe]] railroads in 1916.<ref name="Kiver1999p523"/> Forest Supervisor J. W. Humphrey among others promoted the scenic wonders of Bryce Canyon's amphitheaters, and by 1918 more articles helped to spark interest.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> However, poor access to the remote area and the lack of accommodations kept visitation to a bare minimum. Ruby Syrett, Harold Bowman, and the Perry brothers later established lodging and "touring services".<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> Syrett later served as the first [[postmaster]]. By the early 1920s, the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] became interested in expanding [[Rail transportation in the United States|rail service]] into southwestern Utah to accommodate tourists.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> [[Image:Bryce Canyon visitors center.jpg|alt=Two story wood building next to flag pole with U.S. flag waving in the wind. Snow on the ground.|thumb|left|Visitor center in winter]] [[Conservation (ethic)|Conservationists]] became alarmed by the damage overgrazing, logging, and unregulated visitation was inflicting on the canyon. A movement to protect the area soon started, and [[National Park Service]] Director [[Stephen Mather]] responded by proposing that Bryce Canyon be made into a state park. The governor of Utah and the [[Utah State Legislature]] lobbied for national protection. Mather relented and sent his recommendation to President [[Warren G. Harding]], who on June 8, 1923, established Bryce Canyon National Monument.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> A road was built the same year on the plateau to provide access to outlooks over the amphitheaters. From 1924 to 1925, [[Bryce Canyon Lodge]] was built from local timber and stone.<ref name="TheHoodoo_p5">{{Cite web |url=https://www.visitbrycecanyon.com/plan/park-history/ |title=Park History |publisher=Bryce Canyon Lodge |year=2023 |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911072620/https://www.visitbrycecanyon.com/plan/park-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Members of the United States Congress started work in 1924 on upgrading Bryce Canyon's protection status from national monument to national park to establish Utah National Park.<ref name="TheHoodoo_p5" /> A process led by the [[Utah Parks Company]] for transferring ownership of private and state-held land to the federal government started in 1923.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> The last of the land was acquired four years later, and on February 25, 1928, Bryce Canyon National Park was established.<ref name="Kiver1999p524">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Kiver|1999|p=524}}</ref> In 1931, President [[Herbert Hoover]] annexed an adjoining area south of the park, and in 1942 an additional {{convert|635|acres}} was added.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> This brought the park's total area to the ultimate {{convert|35835|acres}}.<ref name="Kiver1999p524"/> Rim Road, a scenic drive, was completed in 1934 by the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]]. Park administration was conducted from Zion National Park until 1956 when Bryce Canyon's first superintendent started work.<ref name="Tufts1998p73"/> ===Later=== The [[USS Bryce Canyon (AD-36)|USS ''Bryce Canyon'']], named for the park, served as a supply and repair ship in the [[United States Pacific Fleet|U.S. Pacific Fleet]] from September 15, 1950, to June 30, 1981.<ref>{{cite DANFS |title=Bryce Canyon (AD-36) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bryce-canyon-i.html |access-date=September 15, 2016 }}</ref> [[Bryce Canyon Natural History Association]] (BCNHA) is a non-profit organization, established in 1961.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brycecanyon.org/pages/about.htm |access-date=November 16, 2008 |title=About Us |publisher=Bryce Canyon Natural History Association |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925153657/http://www.brycecanyon.org/pages/about.htm <!-- Added by H3llBot --> |archive-date=September 25, 2008 }}</ref> It runs the bookstore inside the park visitor center and support interpretive, educational, and scientific activities. A portion of the profits from all bookstore sales are donated to public land units.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} <!-- NEEDS CITESince BCNHA's inception in 1961, donations have exceeded [[United States dollar|$]]3.5 million. /NEEDS CITE --> Responding to increased visitation and [[traffic congestion]], NPS implemented a voluntary, summer-only, in-park shuttle system in June 2000. In 2004, reconstruction began on the road system. On April 7, 2020, Bryce Canyon National Park was closed to help prevent the spread of [[COVID-19]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/4/6/21210319/bryce-canyon-covid-19-garfield-county-governor-herbert-park-wants-to-close-over-coronavirus |title=Bryce Canyon joins list of closed national parks in Utah |last=O'Donoghue |first=Amy Joi |date=April 6, 2020 |website=Deseret News |language=en |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816210914/https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/4/6/21210319/bryce-canyon-covid-19-garfield-county-governor-herbert-park-wants-to-close-over-coronavirus |url-status=live }}</ref> before a phased reopening started on May 6, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kuer.org/public-lands/2020-05-06/capitol-reef-bryce-canyon-and-zion-are-starting-to-reopen-whats-next-for-utahs-national-parks |title=Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion are Starting to Reopen: What's Next for Utah's National Parks |last=Fuchs |first=David |date=May 6, 2020 |website=KUER |language=EN |access-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818140824/https://www.kuer.org/public-lands/2020-05-06/capitol-reef-bryce-canyon-and-zion-are-starting-to-reopen-whats-next-for-utahs-national-parks |url-status=live }}</ref> ==Geology== {{Main|Geology of the Bryce Canyon area}} [[File:Natural bridge in Bryce Canyon.jpg|alt=A large opening in red rock with snow on top|thumb|Erosion of [[sedimentary rock]]s has created natural arches]] The Bryce Canyon area experienced soil deposition that spans from the last part of the [[Cretaceous]] period and the first half of the [[Cenozoic]] era. The ancient [[Sedimentary depositional environment|depositional environment]] varied. [[Dakota Formation|Dakota Sandstone]] and Tropic Shale were deposited in the warm, shallow waters of the advancing and retreating [[Western Interior Seaway|Cretaceous Seaway]] (outcrops of these rocks are found just outside park borders).<ref name="Harris1997p51">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Harris|1997|p=51}}</ref> Other formations were created, but mostly [[erosion|eroded]] away following two major periods of uplift. The [[Laramide orogeny]] affected the entire western part of what would become North America starting about 70 million to 50 MYA.<ref name="Kiver1999p524"/> This event helped to build the [[Rocky Mountains]] and in the process closed the Cretaceous Seaway. The [[Straight Cliffs Formation|Straight Cliffs]], [[Wahweap Formation|Wahweap]], and [[Kaiparowits Formation|Kaiparowits formations]] were victims of this uplift. The [[Colorado Plateau]]s rose 16 MYA and were segmented into [[plateau]]s, separated by [[fault (geology)|faults]] and each having its own uplift rate.<ref name="Harris1997p53">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Harris|1997|p=53}}</ref> [[File:Thor's Hammer - Bryce Canyon.jpg|300px|alt=Thor's Hammer|thumb|left|Thor's Hammer]] This uplift created vertical joints, which over time preferentially eroded. The soft Pink Cliffs of the [[Claron Formation]] eroded to form freestanding hoodoo pinnacles in [[badlands]], while the more resistant White Cliffs formed monoliths.<ref name="Harris1997p46"/> The dominant bright orange colors are from [[hematite]] (iron oxide; {{chem2|Fe2O3}}); the yellows from [[limonite]] ({{chem2|FeO(OH)*''n''H2O}}); and the purples are from [[pyrolusite]] ({{chem2|MnO2}}).<ref name="Harris1997p50">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Harris|1997|p=50}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Geology of Bryce Canyon National Park |url=https://www.usgs.gov/geology-and-ecology-of-national-parks/geology-bryce-canyon-national-park |website=Geology and Ecology of National Parks |publisher=USGS |access-date=September 8, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911072604/https://www.usgs.gov/geology-and-ecology-of-national-parks/geology-bryce-canyon-national-park |url-status=live }}</ref> ==Ecology== [[Image:Winter storm at Bryce Canyon.jpg|alt=Trees with snow on them|thumb|Bryce Canyon has extensive [[fir]] forests]] More than 400 native plant species live in the park. The three life zones in the park are based on elevation:<ref name="TheHoodoo_p5" /> The lowest areas are dominated by dwarf forests of [[pinyon pine]] and [[juniper]] with [[manzanita]], [[Amelanchier|serviceberry]], and [[Purshia tridentata|antelope bitterbrush]] in between. [[Aspen]], [[Populus sect. Aigeiros|cottonwood]], [[Betula occidentalis|water birch]], and [[willow]] grow along streams. [[Pinus ponderosa|Ponderosa pine]] forests cover the mid-elevations with [[blue spruce]] and [[Douglas fir]] in water-rich areas and manzanita and bitterbrush as underbrush. Douglas fir and [[Abies concolor|white fir]], along with aspen and [[Picea engelmannii|Engelmann spruce]], make up the forests on the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The harshest areas have [[Pinus flexilis|limber pine]] and ancient [[Pinus longaeva|Great Basin bristlecone pine]], some more than 1,600 years old.<ref name="NPSguide"/> The forests and meadows support diverse animal life including foxes, [[American badger|badger]]s, [[North American porcupine|porcupine]]s, [[elk]], [[skunk]]s, [[American black bear|black bear]]s, [[bobcat]]s, and [[woodpecker]]s.<ref name="NPSguide"/> [[Mule deer]] are the most common large mammals.<ref name="NPSguide"/> [[Elk]] and [[pronghorn]], which have been reintroduced nearby, sometimes appear.<ref name="NPSguide"/> [[Image:Young mule deer in Bryce NP.jpg|alt=Young deer in grass|thumb|left|upright|A [[mule deer]] fawn]] The park forms part of the habitat of three wildlife species listed under the [[Endangered Species Act]]: the [[Utah prairie dog]], the [[California condor]], and the [[Willow flycatcher|southwestern willow flycatcher]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 22, 2008 |title=Bryce Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=http://www.nps.gov/brca/ |access-date=February 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222050639/http://www.nps.gov/brca/ |archive-date=February 22, 2008 }}</ref> The Utah prairie dog is a threatened species that was reintroduced to the park. The largest protected population is found in the park.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 22, 2007 |title=Bryce Canyon National Park: Utah Prairie Dog |url=http://www.nps.gov/brca/naturescience/upd.htm |url-status=live |access-date=September 2, 2021 |work=National Park website |publisher=National Park Service, US Department of the Interior |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070112171029/http://www.nps.gov:80/brca/naturescience/upd.htm |archive-date=January 12, 2007 }}</ref> About 170 species of birds visit the park each year, including [[Swift (bird)|swift]]s and [[swallow]]s.<ref name="TheHoodoo"/> Most species migrate to warmer regions in winter, although [[jay]]s, [[common raven|raven]]s, [[nuthatch]]es, [[eagle]]s, and owls do not.<ref name="NPSguide"/> In winter, the mule deer, [[North American cougar|cougar]]s, and [[Mearns coyote|coyote]]s migrate to lower elevations.<ref name="NPSguide"/> [[Ground squirrel]]s and [[marmot]]s pass the winter in [[hibernation]].<ref name="NPSguide"/> Eleven species of reptiles and four species of [[amphibian]]s have been found.<ref name="NPSrepam">[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], Reptiles and Amphibians</ref> Reptiles include the [[Crotalus lutosus|Great Basin rattlesnake]], [[Greater short-horned lizard|short-horned lizard]], [[side-blotched lizard]], [[striped whipsnake]], and amphibians include the [[tiger salamander]].<ref name="NPSrepam"/> Also in the park are the black, lumpy, very slow-growing colonies of [[Biological soil crust|cryptobiotic soil]], which are a mix of [[lichen]]s, [[algae]], [[fungus|fungi]], and [[cyanobacteria]]. Together these [[organism]]s slow erosion, add [[nitrogen]] to the soil, and help it to retain moisture. ==Activities== [[Image:Snowshoers in Bryce Canyon.jpg|right|thumb|alt=A line of snowshoers with colorful rock cliff in background.|[[Snowshoe]]s are required for winter hiking]] Most park visitors travel the scenic drive, which provides access to 13 viewpoints over the amphitheaters. In total, {{convert|50|mi|km}} of trails criss-cross the park.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} Bryce Canyon has eight marked and maintained day hikes:<ref name="TheHoodoo_p6">{{Cite web |title=Hiking |url=https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/day-hikes.htm |publisher=National Park Service |series=Bryce Canyon National Park |date=2023 |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525022205/https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/day-hikes.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Easy to moderate hikes'' *Mossy Cave (one hour, [[Utah State Route 12|State Route 12]] northwest of Tropic) *[[Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District|Rim Trail]] (5–6 hours, anywhere on the rim) *Bristlecone Loop (one hour, Rainbow Point), and Queens Garden (1–2 hours, Sunrise Point) ''Moderate hikes'' *Navajo Loop (1–2 hours, Sunset Point) *Tower Bridge (2–3 hours, north of Sunrise Point) ''Strenuous hikes'' *Fairyland Loop (4–5 hours, Fairyland Point) *Peekaboo Loop (3–4 hours, Bryce Point) Several of the trails intersect, allowing hikers to arrange routes for more challenging hikes. The park has two trails designated for overnight trips: the {{convert|9|mi|km|adj=on}} [[Riggs Spring Fire Trail|Riggs Spring Loop Trail]] and the {{convert|23|mi|km|adj=on}} [[Under-the-Rim Trail]].<ref name="TheHoodoo_p6" /> Both require a backcountry camping permit. [[Image:Horseriders in Bryce Canyon-NPS photo.jpg|alt=Horseriders on a dirt trail going toward pillars of pink rock|left|thumb|[[Equestrianism|Horseback riders]] in the park]] More than {{convert|10|mi|km}} of marked but ungroomed [[skiing]] trails are available off of Fairyland, Paria, and Rim trails. {{convert|20|mi|km|spell=In}} of connecting groomed ski trails are in nearby [[Dixie National Forest]] and Ruby's Inn.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} The air is so clear that on most days [[Navajo Mountain]] and the Kaibab Plateau can be seen {{convert|90|mi|km}} away in [[Arizona]] from Yovimpa and Rainbow points.<ref name="NPS Farview"/> On clear days, the Black Mesas of eastern Arizona and western [[New Mexico]] can be seen some {{convert|160|mi|km}} away.<ref name="NPS Farview">[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], Farview</ref> The park has a 7.4 [[Apparent magnitude|magnitude]] night sky, one of the darkest in North America.<ref name="TheHoodoo" /> Stargazers can, therefore, see 7,500 stars, while in most places fewer than 2,000 can be seen due to [[light pollution]], and in many large cities only a few dozen are visible. Park rangers host public stargazing events and evening programs on astronomy, nocturnal animals, and night sky protection. The Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival, typically held in June, attracts thousands of visitors. In honor of this festival, [[List of minor planets: 49001–50000#201|Asteroid 49272]] was named after the national park.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/NumberedMPs045001.html |title=Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (45001)-(50000) |author=[[International Astronomical Union|IAU]]: Minor Planet Center |access-date=May 22, 2007 |archive-date=April 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425071112/http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/NumberedMPs045001.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The two campgrounds are North Campground and Sunset Campground.<ref name="NPS Campgrounds">[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], Campgrounds</ref> Loop A in North Campground is open year-round. Additional loops and Sunset Campground are open from late spring to early autumn. The 114-room [[Bryce Canyon Lodge]] is another way to stay overnight.<ref name="NPS Lodging">[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], Lodging</ref> ==See also== * [[List of national parks of the United States]] ==Notes== {{Reflist|30em}} ==References== {{refbegin}} *<!-- Ha -->{{cite book |title=Geology of National Parks |edition=5th |last=Harris |first=Ann G. |author2=Tuttle, Esther |author3=Tuttle, Sherwood D. |location=Iowa |publisher=Kendall/Hunt Publishing |year=1997 |isbn=0-7872-5353-7 |ref=CITEREFHarris1997}} *<!-- Ki -->{{cite book |title=Geology of U.S. Parklands |edition=5th |first=Eugene P. |last=Kiver |author2=Harris, David V. |publisher=Jonh Wiley & Sons |location=New York |year=1999 |isbn=0-471-33218-6 |ref=CITEREFKiver1999}} *<!-- NPSG -->{{cite book |title=Bryce Canyon Visitors Guide |author=National Park Service |location=Washington, D.C. |ref=NPSguide}} (public domain text) *<!-- NPSH -->{{cite news |title=Park Planner, Hiking and Shuttle Guide |work=The Hoodoo |author=National Park Service |date=Summer 2005 |location=Washington, D.C. |ref=TheHoodoo}} *<!-- NPSW -->{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/brca/ |title=Bryce Canyon National Park official website |access-date=November 16, 2008 |year=2007 |author=National Park Service |location=Washington, D.C. |ref=NPSwebsite |archive-date=October 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101004001949/http://www.nps.gov/brca/ |url-status=live }} *<!-- Tu -->{{cite book |title=Secrets in The Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks |edition=3rd |first=Lorraine Salem |last=Tufts |location=North Palm Beach, Florida |publisher=National Photographic Collections |year=1998 |isbn=0-9620255-3-4}} {{refend}} ==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last1=DeCourten |first1=Frank |title=Shadows of time : the geology of Bryce Canyon National Park |date=1994 |publisher=Bryce Canyon Natural History Association |location=Bryce Canyon, Utah |isbn=9781882054060 |others=Photographs by John Telford, illustrations by Hannah Hinchman}} * {{cite book |last1=Kiver |first1=Eugene P. |last2=Harris |first2=David V. |title=Geology of U.S. parklands |date=1999 |publisher=J. Wiley |location=New York |isbn=9780471332183 |edition=5th}} * {{cite book |editor1-last=Sprinkel |editor1-first=Douglas A. |editor2-last=Chidsey |editor2-first=Thomas C. Jr. |editor3-last=Anderson |editor3-first=Paul B. |title=Geology of Utah's parks and monuments |date=2010 |publisher=Utah Geological Association |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |isbn=9780980048919 |edition=Third}} {{refend}} ==External links== {{commons}} {{Sister project links|wikt=no|commons=|b=no|n=no|q=no|s=no|v=no|voy=Bryce Canyon National Park|species=no|d=no}} * {{Osmway|27511137}} *[https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm Bryce Canyon] National Park Service information / U.S. Department of the Interior. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080430013859/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/64bryce/64bryce.htm ''Bryce Canyon National Park: Hoodoos Cast Their Spell,'' a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan] *[http://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/things2know.htm Maps] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090426141753/http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/23119/bryce-canyon-national-park Bryce Canyon National Park] — slideshow by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life magazine]]'' *{{HAER |survey=UT-71 |id=ut0399 |title=Bryce Canyon National Park Rim Road, State Highway 63 to Rainbow Point, Tropic, Garfield County, UT |photos=22 |color=3 |dwgs= |data=25 |cap=3}} ==See also== * [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]] {{National parks of the United States}} {{Protected areas of Utah}} {{Utah}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Bryce Canyon National Park| ]] [[Category:Religious places of the Indigenous peoples of North America]] [[Category:Rock formations of Utah]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1928]] [[Category:Civilian Conservation Corps in Utah]] [[Category:Badlands of the United States]] [[Category:Colorado Plateau]] [[Category:Protected areas of Garfield County, Utah]] [[Category:Protected areas of Kane County, Utah]] [[Category:National parks in Utah]] [[Category:Natural arches of Utah]] [[Category:1928 establishments in Utah]] [[Category:Landforms of Kane County, Utah]] [[Category:Landforms of Garfield County, Utah]] [[Category:Geographical articles missing image alternative text]]
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