Glen Canyon

Lake Powell was created by flooding Glen Canyon, which was part of a much larger area of incredible geological features. Many of those are still visible above the waterline and in the area surrounding the lake. Several other nearby national monuments are very remote, but are an extension the region’s stunning rock formations. Here are just a few:

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Stretching hundreds of miles, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area straddles the border of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Glen Canyon was flooded in 1966 and is now mostly covered by Lake Powell, but many large sandstone formations are still above water.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument covers nearly one million acres of public land that is so remote, it was the last place in the continental U.S. to be mapped. It is a region filled with cliffs, terraces, canyons, natural bridges and arches. The monument is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. 

Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Considered sacred by Native Americans, Rainbow Bridge is one of the largest natural arches in the world. To preserve this natural landmark, Rainbow Bridge National Monument was established in 1910 and is managed today by the National Park Service.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

In 2000, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument was established to protect one of the world’s most remote geological treasures. The monument’s landscape is comprised of steep cliffs, plateaus, buttes and canyons. It is populated by large mammals that include mountain lions, pronghorns and big horn sheep. Bald eagles, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and more than a dozen other raptors can be seen. Human habitation dates back more than 12,000 years and the remains of those civilizations can be found throughout the region.

Monument Valley

 Administered by the Navajo Nation Parks Service, Monument Valley is famous for its sandstone  buttes that tower above the desert floor. The valley is frequently included as a backdrop for western movies.