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Zion National Park
Spanning across Washington, Iron and Kane Counties in Southwestern Utah, Zion National Park has some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States. The park is characterized not only by high plateaus but also a maze of narrow and deep sandstone canyons and unbelievable rock tower formations and mesas.
It is located along the edge of a region called the Colorado Plateau. One of the more notable rock formations of the Colorado Plateau is the Grand Staircase which is a series of colorful cliffs that connect Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon. The bottom layer of Rock at Bryce is the top layer at Zion, and the bottom layer of Zion is the top layer at the Grand Canyon.
The landscape of the park has very little vegetation and a dry climate which exposes large portions of bare rock that tell the geologic history of the area.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon has an unusual landscape. Erosion has shaped the colorful limestones, sandstones, and mudstones into countless unique rock formations called "hoodoos." These colorful formations stand in a horseshoe-shaped amphitheater along the eastern edge of what is called the Paunsaugunt Plateau in Southern Utah. These rock formations are often what people say are the most memorable things about this park. However, the wide open views and dramatic changes in landscape are equally remarkable, if not at least memorable.
Snow Canyon State Park
Located in the hills just west of St. George between the “Color Country” of Southwest Utah and the barren landscape that reaches all the way across Nevada. On one side of the Canyon are the Red Mountains, nearby are the White Hills and in between are eroded sandstone rocks of both colors. A horizontal mass of black lava rock contrasts with the vertical colors. This lava formation and caves in the cliffs are main points of interest in this park.
Dinosaur Discovery Park
The St. George Dinosaur Discovery site at the Johnson Farm has some of the best-preserved and oldest tracks in the world of dinosaurs that roamed the area some 205 million years ago. These dinosaur tracks were discovered on the farm in February, 2000, and since then it has become quite an attraction.
The site is now in early stages of scientific study with over 1,000 tracks having been found within a 10-acre area. Most of these tracks were made by a Dilophosaurus-like creature which had three-toes and was about 13-18 inches long. Researchers have identified some skin prints and other impressions made by what appear to be tail drags and swimming movements. These tracks were found in large slabs and the effect of the tracks is a reverse imprint something like a Jell-o mold.
After his find, Dr. Johnson donated his land to the city of St. George. The U.S. Congress has recently appropriated funds for construction of a science and visitor center. Volunteers are doing most of the work at the site.
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