Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, on the Arizona-Utah border in the Arizona Strip country north of the Grand Canyon, protects 293,000 acres of the most spectacular and least-accessible canyon-and-cliff landscape on the Colorado Plateau — the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, the Coyote Buttes (home of The Wave — the most sought-after backcountry permit in the United States), the Vermilion Cliffs escarpment (a 3,000-foot-high cliff of red and orange Navajo Sandstone extending 30 miles), Wire Pass Canyon, Buckskin Gulch (the longest slot canyon in the world), and the Paria River canyon.

The monument is spectacularly remote and requires planning, permits and 4WD for many of its finest destinations. California condors (reintroduced to the Arizona Strip starting in 1996) are regularly seen soaring above the cliffs. Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is a treasured geological and wilderness icon of Arizona.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument offers hiking the Paria Canyon (a multi-day wilderness backpack through 38 miles of slot canyon and Paria River canyon between the Whitehouse Trailhead in Utah and Lee’s Ferry in Arizona — one of the great canyon backpacking routes in the American West; permits required), the Coyote Buttes North permit area (The Wave — the iconic, impossibly swirled Navajo Sandstone formation that requires a lottery permit with only 64 winners per day; arguably the most beautiful small-area geological feature in the United States), Buckskin Gulch day hike (the most accessible section of the world’s longest slot canyon, entered from Wire Pass Trailhead; spectacular canyon photography; day use does not require a permit), condor watching at House Rock Valley Road (California condors soar above the cliffs and are commonly seen from this road), 4WD exploration of the monument roads (House Rock Valley Road, Coyote Buttes Road), and photography (the monument’s landscapes are among the most photographed geological features in the world). The Wave permit and the Buckskin Gulch slot canyon are the singular draws.

Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are the finest seasons — the Colorado Plateau light is at its most dramatic, the temperatures are comfortable for hiking (50-75°F at the canyon level), and the Paria Canyon is at manageable water levels (the Paria River is hiked through in many places). Summer (June through August) is extremely hot (over 100°F at the canyon level) and flash-flood risk is highest during the July-September monsoon. Flash floods in Buckskin Gulch (no escape for miles) are life-threatening; never enter any slot canyon if there is any possibility of rain anywhere in the watershed. Spring for the Paria backpack and the Buckskin Gulch hike, and fall for the Coyote Buttes permit, are the highlights.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument was proclaimed by President Clinton in November 2000, protecting 293,000 acres of the Arizona Strip. The monument’s history includes the legendary Lee’s Ferry (the only practical Colorado River crossing for hundreds of miles in the 19th century, now at the south end of the monument and the starting point for all Grand Canyon river trips), the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition (which crossed the Colorado at the Crossing of the Fathers, now under Lake Powell, in 1776), and the California condor reintroduction program (started in 1996 at the Vermilion Cliffs release site — the most successful condor reintroduction in the Southwest, with over 100 wild condors now flying in the Arizona Strip area).

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument exposes one of the most complete sequences of Mesozoic sedimentary rock on the Colorado Plateau — the Paria Canyon cuts through the Chinle, Moenave, Kayenta and Navajo Sandstone formations (Triassic through Jurassic age, 200-170 million years old). The Vermilion Cliffs escarpment itself is the 3,000-foot-high Navajo Sandstone cliff face — a massive aeolian (wind-deposited) sandstone, the largest ancient sand-dune deposit in geological history, forming a wall of brilliant red and orange rock. The Wave formation in Coyote Buttes North is carved from Navajo Sandstone, its swirling cross-bedded patterns preserving the original cross-bedded structure of Jurassic sand dunes. Buckskin Gulch is carved into the Navajo Sandstone by narrow-canyon erosion of the Buckskin Creek. The Navajo Sandstone, the joint-controlled erosion and the cross-bedded dune deposits created the monument’s remarkable landscape.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is most famous for the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) — reintroduced to the Arizona Strip in 1996, the cliffs now host one of the three main California condor populations (over 100 wild birds in the Arizona Strip); condors are commonly seen soaring above the Vermilion Cliffs from House Rock Valley Road, their 9-foot wingspans distinctive against the cliffs. Desert bighorn sheep inhabit the canyon walls. Peregrine falcons nest in the cliff faces. Mule deer, coyotes, kit foxes, and rattlesnakes are common throughout the monument.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument’s most important ecological story is the California condor reintroduction — once reduced to only 27 individuals (captive) in 1987, the condor now numbers approximately 350+ wild birds worldwide, with over 100 in the Arizona Strip (Vermilion Cliffs) population. The reintroduction has been a landmark conservation achievement. The Paria River canyon corridor is an important riparian habitat in an otherwise xeric landscape. The monument’s remoteness and limited visitor access protect the most sensitive geological features. Lead poisoning from hunters’ lead ammunition (condors scavenge carcasses) remains the primary threat to wild condors; the Arizona Game and Fish Department has worked to encourage hunters to use non-lead ammunition.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument holds a place of extraordinary geological and conservation significance — home of The Wave (the most visually extraordinary small geological formation in the United States, the object of one of the most sought-after permit lotteries in the national-park system), the world’s longest slot canyon (Buckskin Gulch), the finest California condor viewing in the Southwest, and one of the most spectacularly beautiful and remote landscapes on the Colorado Plateau. Its combination of The Wave, the condors, the slot canyons and the Paria Canyon wilderness makes it exceptional. Vermilion Cliffs is a treasured natural icon of Arizona and the Colorado Plateau.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is on the Arizona-Utah border, north of the Grand Canyon, accessed via US-89A from Page, AZ (east) or Fredonia, AZ (west). The Wire Pass/Buckskin Gulch trailhead is on House Rock Valley Road (a dirt road off US-89A; high-clearance vehicle recommended when wet). The Coyote Buttes North (Wave) permit area requires a BLM lottery permit (online: recreation.gov; advance lottery opens 4 months prior with walk-up lotteries the day before). Condor viewing at House Rock Valley Road (no permit required; passenger cars can usually manage the road in dry conditions). Lee’s Ferry (at the south end of the monument, off US-89A) is accessible by passenger car. Page, AZ (35 miles east) has full services. Check BLM for current road conditions, permit information and any closures before visiting.

The BLM manages Vermilion Cliffs NM. The Wave and Coyote Buttes North are managed by strict permit limits (64 permits per day total) to protect the delicate Navajo Sandstone formations from erosion — stay on established paths within the permit area (the Navajo Sandstone is fragile; footsteps accelerate erosion). Buckskin Gulch requires careful Flash-flood awareness (the canyon has no escape routes for miles; check weather and flash-flood alerts carefully before entering). Condor viewing: maintain at least 200 yards from all condors (the birds are acclimated to humans but should not become too comfortable; report any condor with a wing tag or telemetry pack to the Peregrine Fund). Pack out all trash. The condors depend on hunters switching to non-lead ammunition in this region; support the lead-free ammunition program.

Flash flooding is the most serious safety hazard in all slot canyons of the monument (Buckskin Gulch, Paria Canyon, Wire Pass) — the canyons have no escape routes for miles; storms anywhere in the watershed (including distant storms in Utah) can send walls of water through with no warning; never enter any slot canyon if rain is forecast anywhere in the watershed, and always check the BLM flash-flood alert system before entering. The Wave and Coyote Buttes terrain is slickrock — carry adequate water (no water sources; 2+ liters per person minimum), wear sun protection, and do not attempt in summer heat (100°F). The monument is extremely remote; carry a satellite communicator for emergency use. Respect the flash-flood risk above all other safety considerations.

Coyote Buttes North (The Wave): BLM lottery permit required (64 per day; apply at recreation.gov 4 months in advance or day-before walk-up lottery). Coyote Buttes South: also permit-required (20/day). Paria Canyon wilderness backpacking: permit required (apply at recreation.gov). Wire Pass/Buckskin Gulch day hike: no permit required but vehicle day-use fee. All canyon entries: register with BLM and check flash-flood alerts. No fires in slot canyons. Pack out all waste. Check BLM for current rules and permit system before visiting.

Page, Arizona (35 miles east — the gateway to Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon [a Navajo-owned slot canyon], and Horseshoe Bend; Page has full resort services), the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (about 45 miles south via AZ-89A and AZ-67), Lee’s Ferry (at the south end of the monument — the launch point for all commercial Grand Canyon river trips and an excellent trout-fishing stretch of the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam), Kanab, Utah (on the Utah side, 25 miles north — a small Utah town with the finest concentration of Western film history in the United States), and Zion National Park (about 75 miles northwest via US-89 and UT-9) define the region. Vermilion Cliffs anchors the Arizona Strip experience; it is the finest landscape between Page/Lake Powell and Zion.

For The Wave, apply in the online lottery 4 months in advance for your desired date (the advance lottery gives better odds than the day-before walk-up) — the odds of a single-date lottery win are approximately 1 in 200 for the most popular spring and fall dates. Carry all water (there is no water at The Wave — minimum 2 liters per person for the 6-mile round trip in any season). Hike the Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch day trip regardless of whether you win The Wave lottery — the slot-canyon photography here (narrow orange walls, light beams from the sky slit, polished curves of Navajo Sandstone) is extraordinary. Drive House Rock Valley Road in the morning for condor viewing — the thermals lift the condors over the cliffs by mid-morning.