Known as the "Grand Circle" of national parks, the Colorado Plateau region of the U.S. is one of the world's great concentrations of outstanding natural and cultural features. These parks will fill you with wonder and, if you don't already love the national parks, one visit to any of these will be enough to have you traveling to parks your whole life.
In the geological wonderland of Canyonlands, rocks, spires, and mesas dominate the heart of the Colorado Plateau cut by canyons of the Green and Colorado rivers. Petroglyphs left by Indians hundreds of years ago are also present. The Colorado and Green rivers divide the park into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze, and the rivers themselves. While the districts share a primitive desert atmosphere, each retains its own character and offers different opportunities for exploration and the study of natural and cultural history.
The 241,904-acre Capitol Reef park in south-central Utah draws more than half a million visitors per year. It protects the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust, as well as the unique historical and cultural history of the area.
This 77,180-acre Nevada park draws only about 80,000 visitors a year, making it one of the least visited of the US national parks. Among Great Basin's natural features are streams, lakes, abundant wildlife, a variety of forest types including groves of ancient bristlecone pines, and numerous limestone caverns, including Lehman Caves.
Located in Utah's high plateau county, the Virgin River has carved a gorge so deep that sunlight rarely reaches the bottom! The canyon is wide and completely stunning with sheer cliffs dropping some 3,000 feet. Weathered sandstone shines red and white, and creates amazing sculptured rocks, cliffs, peaks, and hanging valleys. Zion is a must-see.