Recreation Areas

Description:

The Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is located on the edge of one of the most beautiful places on Earth - the Grand Canyon. Situated on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona, within the drainage of the Colorado River, the monument borders Grand Canyon National Park to the south, and the state of Nevada to the west, and encompasses a portion of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This 1,014,000 acres of federal land is a scientific treasure holding many of the same values that have long been protected in Grand Canyon National Park. Deep canyons, mountains, and lonely buttes testify to the power of geological forces and provide colorful vistas. Its Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rock layers are relatively undeformed and unobscured by vegetation, offering a clear view to understanding the process of the geologic history of the Colorado Plateau. The monument encompasses the lower portion of the Shivwits Plateau, an important watershed for the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Beyond the phenomenal geological resources, the monument contains countless biological, archeological, and historical resources. This area could be increasingly threatened by potential mineral development.