Tag Archives: geology

Utah

Dixie National Forest

May 3, 2023 Raven About The Parks 3 Comments

Dixie National Forest

Utah

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Region

1,967,165 acres (1,889,127 federal/ 78,038 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/dixie

Overview

Dixie National Forest is spread across southwest Utah surrounding Cedar Breaks National Monument and near three National Parks: Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Zion. The National Forest has a wide elevation range from 2,800 feet near St. George to 11,322 feet on Boulder Mountain. The change in average temperature and precipitation leads to wide variety of ecosystems from a desert-like environment all the way up to subalpine conifer forests and tundra. The warmth of southern Utah reminded some early emigrants of “Dixie,” the part of the U.S. south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but with growing public distaste for that name it may be changed in the future.

Highlights

Markagunt National Scenic Byway, Brian Head, Navajo Lake, Cascade Falls, Strawberry Point, Red Canyon Recreation Area, Honeycomb Rocks, Powell Point, Hell’s Backbone Bridge, Virgin River Rim Trail, Hancock Peak Trail, Whipple Trail, Casto Canyon Trail

Must-Do Activity

Highway 12 Scenic Byway winds through much of the National Forest, including Red Canyon Recreation Area where the popular Casto Canyon Trail is open to hikers, bicycles, horses, and ATVs. The mountain ranges west of Interstate 15 are a less-visited section of the forest, with numerous trails traversing the Pine Valley Mountains Wilderness, including the 35-mile Summit Trail.

Best Trail

Leaving from a trailhead across Highway 143 from the road to the top of 11,312-foot-tall Brian Head, Rattlesnake Creek Trail skirts the edge of spectacular Cedar Breaks National Monument and enters the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness (established in 1984). About one mile in, one of several side trails leads off to the left for an overlook of the Cedar Breaks, a red rock badlands full of hoodoos situated at the edge of the Markagunt Plateau. Gnarled Great Basin bristlecone pine trees cling to the eroding edge of the natural amphitheater, making a great foreground for photographs with a beautiful backdrop. The trail continues to drop more than 2,400 feet to the canyon bottom over four miles connecting with Ashdown Creek which eventually crosses Highway 14, but there is not an official trailhead there.

Watchable Wildlife

A variety of mammals call Dixie National Forest home: black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, three species of foxes, minks, pine martens, porcupines, beavers, raccoons, skunks, badgers, snowshoe hares, pika, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, and pronghorns. Large birds include bald eagles, golden eagles, California condors, turkey vultures, wild turkeys, and various species of woodpeckers. There are many gamefish found in the streams and small lakes spread across the high-elevation Markagunt, Paunsaugunt, and Aquarius Plateaus.

Instagram-worthy Photo

South of Torrey, Highway 12 climbs into an aspen forest with incredible views of Capitol Reef National Park and Waterpocket Fold.

Peak Season

Late summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Highway 12 and Highway 143 are paved roads that access the high elevations of Dixie National Forest, but they may be closed seasonally due to snow. There are numerous dirt roads that traverse the area, including the popular route to the top of 11,312-foot-tall Brian Head.

Camping

There are numerous campgrounds located throughout the National Forest, as well as dispersed camping opportunities on dirt roads west of Bryce Canyon National Park.

Wilderness Areas

Ashdown Gorge Wilderness

Box-Death Hollow Wilderness

Cottonwood Forest Wilderness

Pine Valley Mountains Wilderness

Related Sites

Cedar Breaks National Monument (Utah)

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Utah)

Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)

Nearest National Park

Bryce Canyon

Conifer Tree Species

Utah juniper, singleleaf pinyon pine, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, Great Basin bristlecone pine

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, Bebb willow

Explore More – On the Markagunt Plateau, Navajo Lake drains out of two lava tubes that formed how many millions of years ago?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

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Utah

Zion National Park

April 26, 2023 Raven About The Parks 2 Comments

Zion National Park

Utah

Managed by National Park Service

Established 1909 National Monument, 1919 National Park

146,598 acres

Website: nps.gov/zion

Overview

Zion National Park protects an outstanding canyon where steep sandstone walls up to 3,000 feet high appear to glow at sunrise and sunset. Views are great from the road along the North Fork of the Virgin River, but to really get a sense of scale here you have to hike uphill on one of many trails. Check out a new film on the park here: https://zionpark.org/wethekeepers/

Learn more in our guidebook to the National Parks, A Park to Yourself: Finding Adventure in America’s National Parks (available on Amazon).

Highlights

Kolob Canyons, The Narrows, Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock, Observation Point, The Subway, Angels Landing, Canyon Overlook Trail

Must-Do Activity

Kolob Canyons is in the northern section of the park located just off Interstate 15, where a short drive leaves the road noise behind and opens up a world of red rock beauty. There are no campgrounds in this area of the park, so we picked up a backpacking permit at the visitor center to spend the night near Timber Creek. The flowing water meant croaking frogs and toads provided a chorus throughout the night. This site provided a good jumping off point for the La Verkin Creek Trail which travels 7.5 miles one-way to Kolob Arch. At 310 feet across, this arch is one of the biggest in the world, but you cannot get nearly as close to it as you can to those at Arches National Park. Hiking anywhere in Kolob Canyons is much less busy than other parts of Zion National Park, but the trails can be snow covered in the winter (when the access road sometimes closes).

Best Trail

The Narrows, Angels Landing, and The Subway are hiking destinations known around the world, and their popularity means they each require a reservation. Wading upriver through the frigid water of the Narrows, where the canyon pinches to only 18 feet wide in places, is an essential experience open to all visitors for the first five miles to Big Spring. The busy 5.4-mile out-and-back trail to Angels Landing is not for the faint of heart as it follows a knife-edge route with chains mounted in places. But it is worth the effort, even if you just make it to the saddle at the end of Walter’s Wiggles, perhaps the world’s most famous trail switchbacks.

Instagram-worthy Photo

We watched a huge California condor flying over Zion Canyon from Observation Point, a popular eight-mile out-and-back hike that leaves from the same trailhead as Weeping Rock.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Hours

https://nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

$35 per vehicle or America the Beautiful pass

Road Conditions

The main roads into Kolob Canyons and Zion Canyon are paved, but a free shuttle bus is required to enter the dead end Zion Canyon Scenic Drive from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from March to November (click here for more shuttle information). There is an extra fee for large RVs to use the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, since they require a pilot car and the road must be shut down to one-way traffic only.

Camping

There is not a campground in Kolob Canyons, but in Zion Canyon you can wake up to an awesome morning view in sprawling Watchman or South Campgrounds. Lava Point Campground is located down the long, unpaved Kolob Terrace Road and is closed in the winter. Dispersed camping is allowed by the Bureau of Land Management outside park boundaries, but it can be hard to find an open spot.

Related Sites

Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)

Cedar Breaks National Monument (Utah)

Dixie National Forest (Utah)

Explore More – Walter’s Wiggles may be the world’s most famous trail switchbacks, so who are they named after?

*This design we created to celebrate Zion National Park is available on a variety of products at* Cafe Press *and* Amazon.

Explore More – Walter’s Wiggles may be the world’s most famous trail switchbacks, so who are they named after?

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Oregon

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

April 19, 2023 Raven About The Parks 4 Comments

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Oregon

Managed by U.S. Forest Service

Established 1990

54,822 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=66159

Overview

Newberry National Volcanic Monument was carved from Deschutes National Forest by presidential proclamation in 1990 and here you must purchase a recreation pass to visit. The main area of development is around Paulina Lake, but short roads off Highway 97 also lead to Lava River Cave and the top of Lava Butte. Lava River Cave, at 5,211 feet in length, is Oregon’s longest lava tube and one of more than 250 known caves found throughout Deschutes National Forest. A one-mile interpretive trail enters the Lava Cast Forest, where 6,000 years ago the forms of trees were preserved in lava before burning up.

Highlights

Paulina Lake, East Lake, Paulina Falls, Lava Cast Forest, Paulina Peak, Lava River Cave, Lava Butte, Big Obsidian Flow Trail, Crater Rim Trail, Peter Skene Ogden Trail

Must-Do Activity

Newberry National Volcanic Monument has everything you would expect from a volcanic area: lava tubes, cinder cones, cast trees, and basalt flows. There are also some things you might not guess, like an 80-foot tall waterfall, two big lakes for boating, forested campgrounds, and two lakeside resorts. We have seen photos of people soaking in a hot springs on the shore of chilly Paulina Lake, but we are not sure exactly where those are located.

Best Trail

There are a variety of hiking trails in the area, like the 21-mile Crater Rim Trail that circles Newberry Caldera or the one-mile Big Obsidian Flow Trail. These both offer outstanding views of Paulina Lake or you can drive to the top of 7,984-foot-tall Paulina Peak. Sharp chunks of obsidian (volcanic glass) mean that you should wear good shoes (not sandals) on the Big Obsidian Flow Trail.

Instagram-worthy Photo

Lovely Paulina Falls is split into two separate waterfalls off the cliff face on the caldera’s western edge. The overlook is accessible by a short hike and user trails lead steeply to its base.

Peak Season

Late summer

Fees

$5 daily recreation pass or America the Beautiful pass

Road Conditions

The roads we drove to access Paulina and East Lakes were paved, but there are many other unpaved Forest Service roads in the National Monument.

Camping

One of numerous campgrounds, Little Crater Campground is situated on Paulina Lake, plus there are two lakeside resorts.

Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (Washington)

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (Arizona)

Explore More – What is the name of the popular museum of wildlife and living history located just north of Newberry National Volcanic Monument on Highway 97?

Oregon

Deschutes National Forest

April 12, 2023 Raven About The Parks 3 Comments

Deschutes National Forest

Oregon

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region

1,853,929 acres (1,596,900 federal/ 257,029 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes

Overview

Bend, Oregon is the gateway to Deschutes National Forest, with the beautiful Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway located west of town. To the south, Newberry National Volcanic Monument is also managed by the U.S. Forest Service, which we will cover in our next blog post. The Deschutes River was named La Rivière aux Chutes by French trappers because Celilo Falls was located near its confluence with the Columbia River. Deschutes National Forest contains five Wilderness areas, six National Wild and Scenic Rivers, Metolius Conservation Area, and part of Oregon Cascade Recreation Area (mostly in Umpqua National Forest).

Highlights

Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, Devils Lake, Mt. Bachelor, Sparks Lake, Broken Top, Three Sisters, McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway, Skeleton Cave, Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

The 66-mile-long (89-mile loop) Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway curves around the mountains west of Bend past numerous lakes reflecting multiple snow-capped peaks—a real photographers’ paradise. To spend the golden hours up here, consider staying at campgrounds on the shores of Lava Lake or Sparks Lake with excellent views of Broken Top and South Sister Peak. Like Mt. Hood to the north, 9,065-foot Mt. Bachelor is known for its ski resort. A summer trip up Pine Marten Express Lift offers unsurpassed panoramas of the Cascades and Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

Best Trail

Sisters Mirror Lake is four miles and 650 feet up from a trailhead on the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway and is located on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Just as a warning, this entire trail was thick with aggressive mosquitoes on our hike in mid-July.

Watchable Wildlife

Elk, pronghorn, and mule deer are large ungulates found in Deschutes National Forest. Carnivorous mammals include black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats. Large birds frequently seen are bald eagles, Canada geese, mallards, and whistling swans, and the northern spotted owl is a species of concern. There are many lakes found throughout the National Forest that support a variety of gamefish, including bull trout (a threatened species).

Instagram-worthy Photo

Sparks Lake is a great place to watch the sun set behind the Cascades.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

There is a day use fee for Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

Road Conditions

Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway is paved, as are the main roads into Newberry National Volcanic Monument, but there are many miles of logging roads to explore, too.

Camping

Campgrounds on the shores of Lava Lake or Sparks Lake provide views of Broken Top and South Sister Peak. Walk-in campsites on crystal clear Devils Lake offer a bit more secluded experience.

Wilderness Areas

Diamond Peak Wilderness (also in Willamette National Forest)

Mt. Jefferson Wilderness (also in Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests)

Mt. Thielsen Wilderness (also in Umpqua and Winema National Forests)

Mt. Washington Wilderness (also in Willamette National Forest)

Three Sisters Wilderness (also in Willamette National Forest)

Crooked River National Grassland (Oregon)

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (Oregon)

Nearest National Park

Crater Lake

Conifer Tree Species

ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, western white pine, sugar pine, western juniper, Douglas-fir, western redcedar, white fir, subalpine fir

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, balsam poplar, Bebb willow

Explore More – The namesake of the Deschutes River (Celilo Falls) is now underwater behind what dam on the Columbia River?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Montana

Deerlodge National Forest

March 29, 2023 Raven About The Parks 1 Comment

Deerlodge National Forest

Montana

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region

1,369,894 acres (1,227,155 federal/ 142,739 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/bdnf

Overview

President Theodore Roosevelt originally created the Big Hole Forest Reserve in 1908 after the area around Butte, Montana was clearcut by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. There are still many remnants of historical mining found throughout Deerlodge National Forest. In 1996, it became part of Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the largest of the many National Forests in Montana. The smaller and more northerly Deerlodge section includes portions of the Boulder Mountains, Highland Mountains, Flint Creek Range, John Long Mountains, and Elkhorn Mountains, as well as part of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness.

Highlights

Pintler Scenic Loop, Skalkaho Pass, Elkhorn ghost town, Boulder River, Sheepshead Recreation Area, Delmoe Lake, Pipestone Rock, Maud South Canyon Loop Trail, Lost Cabin National Recreation Trail

Must-Do Activity

Butte, Montana is surrounded by mountains that are part of Deerlodge National Forest and many dirt roads explore this area. One road leads to Delmoe Lake, six miles east of Butte and located near Pipestone Rock, once a source of stone for making various implements. Ghost towns accessible by road include the mining settlements of Elkhorn and Highland City. The Deer Lodge Mound is a 40-foot-tall geothermal formation that resembles a medicine lodge with steam emitting from its top. Historically, the mineral-laden water attracted large herds of deer. It is currently on the grounds of the Warm Springs State Hospital and is visible from Interstate 90.

Best Trail

Although the official trailhead for Haystack Mountain National Recreation Trail is 1.2 miles uphill from Interstate 15, we had to park along the frontage road because access required a high-clearance vehicle. This added about 700 feet of elevation gain to the 2,000 feet from the trailhead and made the total hike eight miles out-and-back. There is not much shade along the route that ends in a mountaintop boulder field with stunning panoramic views and the remnants of a fire lookout tower.

Watchable Wildlife

Due to its proximity to Yellowstone National Park, Deerlodge National Forest still has most of its pre-settlement carnivores: grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, Canadian lynx, coyotes, and gray wolves. Grazing ungulate species include moose, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and pronghorns. Bald eagles and ospreys are common around bodies of water. Mountain whitefish, golden trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, lake trout, arctic grayling, and burbot are some of the gamefish sought by fishermen.

Instagram-worthy Photo

The boulder field at the end of Haystack Mountain National Recreation Trail provides 360° views (even on a smoky day), which is why it once housed a fire lookout tower.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

There are many rough roads in Deerlodge National Forest, including the one to the official trailhead for Haystack Mountain National Recreation Trail, 1.2 miles uphill from an Interstate 15 frontage road.

Camping

There are campgrounds throughout the National Forest, including several along the Boulder River and one on the southern side of Toll Mountain.

Wilderness Areas

Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness (also in Beaverhead and Bitterroot National Forests)

Beaverhead National Forest (Montana)

Bitterroot National Forest (Montana-Idaho)

Nearest National Park

Yellowstone

Conifer Tree Species

lodgepole pine, whitebark pine, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, subalpine larch

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, balsam poplar, Bebb willow, sagebrush

Explore More – The Anaconda Copper Mine is one of the largest open pit mines in the world, but what originally brought miners to this region in the 1800s?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Tag Archives: geology

Dixie National Forest

Dixie National Forest

Zion National Park

Zion National Park

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Deschutes National Forest

Deschutes National Forest

Deerlodge National Forest

Deerlodge National Forest

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