Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, Desert wilderness area in Arizona and Utah, United States.
Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness covers 112,500 acres of the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona and southern Utah, made up of broad plateaus, tall escarpments and deep canyons. The Paria River runs through it to join the Colorado at Lee's Ferry. The photograph shows layered red and orange sandstone ridgelines above a pale dry wash, with a weathered gray dead tree trunk in the foreground.
Anasazi and Paiute tribes used the canyon for centuries as a travel route between different regions. The federal government declared the area an official wilderness in 1984.
The name Paria comes from a Ute language and refers to muddy water flowing through the canyon. Hikers encounter narrow passageways with towering walls shaped by wind and water over thousands of years.
Hikes through the canyon require permits that should be requested several months in advance. Visitors must carry enough water since there are few reliable sources on the terrain.
Some sections of the Paria River remain dry throughout the year while others swell suddenly after rainfall. The rock walls display layers from more than 200 million years of Earth history.
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