Plan Your Trip

Location:
Located on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument includes the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. The monument borders Kaibab National Forest to the west and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the east.

Driving Directions from Phoneix:
Take I-17 north to Flagstaff, AZ. From Flagstaff, travel north on U.S. Highway 89 and then to 89A. There are no paved roads within the monument.

Recreation:
Visitors will enjoy scenic views of towering cliffs and deep canyons. Paria Canyon offers an outstanding five-day wilderness backpacking experience. There are also opportunities to view wildlife, including big horn sheep and California Condors.

 

Camping:
No information available.

Facilities:
Information is available at the Paria Contact Station located just outside the monument in Utah along U.S. Highway 89.

Required Permits:
National monument status will generally not affect permitted livestock grazing, hunting, state lands (approximately 13,000 acres), private property (450 acres) or other valid existing rights such as water rights. Permits, available on-line, are required for hikes in Paria Canyon and the Coyote Buttes area.

Safety:
Visits to the area require special planning and awareness of potential hazards such as rugged and unmarked roads, poisonous reptiles and insects, extreme heat or cold, deep sand and flash floods. Bring a spare tire and plenty of water, food, and gasoline and stay on main roads. Arizona Strip visitor maps are available at the Paria Contact Station, Kanab Field Office, Fredonia Welcome Center, and the Interagency Information Center in St. George, Utah.

Maps and more information:

BLM Homepage (Arizona)

Vermilion Cliffs Fact Sheet/BLM

Vermilion Cliffs Photo Gallery/BLM

Vermilion Cliffs Background/BLM

Vermilion Cliffs Maps/

Managing Agency:
Bureau of Land Management
BLM Arizona Strip Field Office
345 East Riverside Drive
St. George, UT 84790-9000
(435) 688-3200

 

Watch the Clips In the far northern reaches of Arizona, the landscape leaves the high desert plains and takes a decided step up. The marked transition is the Vermilion Cliffs, an area President Bill Clinton made a national monument in the year 2000. Windows Media file: PC compatible Low 189 KB | High 1.11 MB QuickTime movie: Macintosh/PC compatible 1.31 MB >>Free software downloads: Windows Media - Quicktime

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