Cedar Breaks National Monument

Cedar Breaks is a National Monument in the U.S. state of Utah. The small park includes the bizarre forms of erosion in the sandstone of a slope on the west side of the Markagunt Plateau. He is the counterpart to the much better-known Bryce Canyon National Park on the east side of the adjacent Paunsaugunt Plateau.

The Park

The park consists of two semi-circular slope crashes, remember the shapes of the amphitheater and are also called so. They were washed in millions of years the layers of the Pink Cliffs. The erosion forms include stone columns, ribs and cuts between them. The rain water from the canyons collects still in the park in Ashdown Creek and flows outside the park from the Ashdown Gorge.

The colors of the rock are from a high iron and manganese content in the rock strata.

The location of the park in the high mountains at 3150 meters above sea level means for all animal and plant species that a long winter compared to only have a few spring and summer. The end of June, beginning of July, the plateau experienced an intense flowering period of lupines, larkspur and various types of Broomrapes. The park is home bristlecone pine, Engelmann spruce and aspen on the moister sites. The wildlife includes mule deer, porcupines, pikas and pocket gophers. Yellow-bellied marmots are common. The most striking birds are Clark's Nutcracker.

The name of the park is based on a confusion. Early settlers found the frequent juniper trees for trees of life, which are referred to in English in accordance with cedar as " red" or " white cedar ," and called the steep slopes " breaks" for breakage or demolition.

Tourist Facilities

The only road in the park runs along the edge of the plateau, lying on her several vantage points from which partially short walks lead to other locations for spectacular insights.

Due to the location in the high mountains of the park is only open from June to September / October for visitors. During these months, a small visitor center and campground are available. Because of the small size of Cedar Breaks is not a separate administration, but is managed by the Zion National Park.

In early 2006 plans known, Cedar Breaks National Monument to expand the adjacent " Ashdown Gorge Wilderness " and other small areas and future reported as " Cedar Breaks National Park".