This History Of Bryce Canyon National Park In Utah Dates Back Thousands Of Years And Is Fascinating
By Courtnie Erickson|Published February 15, 2022
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Courtnie Erickson
Author
From Southern Utah to the Panhandle in Idaho, Courtnie Erickson has lived in what she believes are the best (and the most beautiful!) areas in the country. She graduated with a journalism degree from Utah State University and has more than 15 years of professional writing experience. You’ll likely see her with a Dr. Pepper in her hand and a pair of running shoes on her feet. Courtnie is a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState.
Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah is well-known for its gorgeous red rocks and remarkable hoodoos. But, many individuals don’t know the history of this national park or anything about its extraordinary geology. And when you know a little more about the history of one of the most beautiful national parks in the entire world, it will make you fall deeper in love with this incredible place.
The striking and unique rock formations at this Utah national park date back thousands of years. Bryce Canyon is part of the Colorado Plateau and the layers of rocks at this national park tell quite a story about the changes this area has gone through over the years.
If you research and learn about the rocks found at this national park, you’ll discover that this area was once a floodplain, sea, and desert — quite drastic terrains! The rocks in this national park are primarily composed of sedimentary rocks, meaning it includes small rocks, biological material, particles, and more.
Bryce Canyon National Park is known for its distinguished hoodoos, but it took years and years for these fascinating rock formations to take shape.
The hoodoos are made of sandstone and other sedimentary rocks that have gone through extreme weathering and erosion. The cold, water, and other factors have all contributed to the creation of the rock formations and the landscapes that we enjoy today.
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The area around Bryce Canyon has been home to various groups of people for thousands of years, even though little is known about some of its earliest inhabitants. It is believed that Paleo-Indians hunted in the area 15,000 years ago.
In the late 1700s and early 1800s, many explorers and scouts explored the area, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s when Bryce Canyon officially became well-known and home for some individuals.
Sometime in the late 1800s, Ebenezer Bryce, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was sent to Paria Valley, (which is located east of the present-day national park) by the church. While living in southern Utah, he oversaw the construction of a road to the rim of the canyon. During this time, the red rocks and hoodoos were referred to as Bryce’s Canyon.
Ebenezer Bryce relocated in 1880 to Arizona but his name remained. Bryce Canyon National Monument was established in 1923 by President Warren G. Harding. Only five years later, it became an official national park.
For the next several years, the boundaries of this national park changed. It wasn’t until 1942 that the boundaries were finally set and have since remained. Today, Bryce Canyon National Park is 35,835 acres.
For years this national park has wowed explorers, pioneers, settlers, and tourists. There is no wonder why it is one of the busiest national parks in the country. For even more information about the history and culture of Bryce Canyon National Park, you can visit the National Park Service website.
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