Known for its intricate red and white swirls of Jurassic-era Navajo sandstone, Vermilion Cliffs, located between Arizona and Utah, will make you feel like you’re on Mars.
Coyote Buttes North
Vermilion Cliffs is divided into a few main areas. Coyote Buttes North is located along the states of Arizona and Utah. Although very beautiful, the number of visitors is limited to protect the ecosystem in this place.
In addition to the enchanting images of cliffs of all shapes and colors of white, orange, pink… visitors here can see with their own eyes more than 1,000 dinosaur tracks imprinted deep into the sediment, including dated 190 million years before the Jurassic period.
Wave
This is one of the most beautiful and majestic scenes here. Located south of the Utah border, Wave is also considered one of the state’s symbols.
Although the limit on the number of people allowed to visit makes Wave not one of the most popular tourist attractions, this destination truly offers the most impressive experiences and photos.
Melody Arch & Grotto
Like Wave, this site is located in Coyote Buttes North. Melody Arch & Grotto is named after Melody Thomas, a photographer who took beautiful photos that made this place famous to people around the world.
Alcove
Another icon in the same Coyote Buttes North area, Alcove is located not far from Melody Arch but is a bit hidden.
If you are willing to walk and search, you will admire an interesting landscape created by cliffs naturally formed over millions of years. You can also discover traces of ancient fossilized flora at the base of the dunes.
Coyote Buttes South
Coyote Buttes South also has incredibly brilliant beauty with extremely impressive colors and shapes.
This is also one of the landscapes that is very carefully preserved and extremely limited in visitors. Every day only about 20 people are allowed to walk and admire this place. This area is very large, so you need to bring drinking water.
White Pocket
The group of sandstone domes known as the White Pocket is the most iconic landmark of the Paria Plateau, an area located southeast of North Coyote Buttes and The Wave.
White Pocket is distinguished by bright white-gray rocks with many strange shapes. To get here, visitors do not need a permit to walk, but there are very few roads where you can walk to enjoy the scenery.
Paria Gorge
This famous canyon runs through the northern section of the Vermilion Escarpment, within Coyote Buttes South. The main geological formations in the canyon are the Moenkopi Formation, Chinle Formation, Moenave Formation, Kayenta Formation and Carmel Formation, all of which have very magical, surreal images. Visitors need a permit for an overnight trip.
Buckskin Gulch
Located in southern Utah is Buckskin Gulch. This is the deepest canyon in the American Southwest and also the longest canyon in the world.
To be able to visit this area, you need a permit because although Buckskin Gulch is an extremely beautiful and magical landscape, it is also potentially dangerous, especially during flash floods. So, if it’s going to rain, don’t risk visiting this area.