About Vermilion Cliffs
Amid the sandstone slickrock, brilliant cliffs, and rolling sandy plateaus of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument lie outstanding objects of scientific and historic interest. Despite its arid climate and rugged isolation, the monument contains a wide variety of biological objects and has a long and rich human history. Full of natural splendor and a sense of solitude, this area remains remote and unspoiled, qualities that are essential to the protection of the scientific and historic objects it contains.
Some of the earliest rock art in the Southwest can be found in the Monument. In the northwest portion lies a geologically impressive area where crossbeds of Navajo sandstone display colorful banding in hues of yellow, orange, pink, and red caused by the precipitation of manganese, iron, and other oxides. Monument is both breathtakingly beautiful and scientifically significant. The Monument's arid climate allows for an exceptional combination of cold desert vegetation and warm desert grassland and includes one threatened species, Welsh's milkweed.
Threats to the Existence and Protection of Vermilion Cliffs
Off-road vehicle use, grazing, and high recreational impact
Vermilion Cliffs Facts
- Location: On the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona
- Size: 293,000 acres
- Date: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument was created November 19, 2000
- Managing Agency: The Bureau of Land Management
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