Parashant National Monument

Parashant National Monument


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Parashant National Monument, located on the Northern edge of the Grand Canyon was established by presidential proclamation on January 11, 2000. This remote area of open, undeveloped spaces is an impressive and diverse landscape that includes an array of scientific and historic resources. The story of this land is rich and long. Two billion years of geologic history and more than 11,000 years of human history have shaped the land and its people, resulting in natural splendor and a sense of solitude in an area that remains remote and unspoiled.

Sedimentary rock layers of the Pateozoic and Mesozoic times (600 million - 66 million years ago) have been exposed by the eroding Colorado River and its tributaries providing a clear view of the geologic history of the Colorado Plateau. Prominent cliffs formed by two major faults sever the Colorado Plateau. The Grand Wash Cliffs and the Hurricane Cliffs slicing north to south through the region continue to be major topographic barriers to travel across the area. The Grand Wash Cliffs also form a spectacular boundary between the tortured, tilted lands of the Basin and Range geophysical province and the horizontal layers of the Colorado Plateau province.

At the south end of the Shivwits Plateau, tributaries of the Colorado River have carved spectacular Parashant, Andrus and Whitmore canyons. Volcanic rocks and an array of cinder cones and basalt flows are evidence of more recent (9 million to 1000 years ago) volcanic events that shaped this land. During this time lava flowed into the Grand Canyon at the Whitmore and Toroweap areas and dammed the river many times during the past several million years.

Facilities: None.

Reservations: Reservations are not needed.

Best Time To Visit: This monument is open year round, but temperatures can be extreme in the summertime.

Fees: There are no fees to enter this National Monument.

Accessibility: None.

Rules: Carry extra drinking water. There is no reliable water available and summer temperatures can be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C). Be prepared to adjust your schedule for bad weather. If you become stranded, you may be on your own for some time. It is a good idea to tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to return. If your vehicle becomes stuck or broken down, your best chance for survival and to be found is to stay with your vehicle.

Roads to and within the Monument are not paved and may become impassable when wet. Inquire locally about road conditions before heading out. All vehicle travel is limited to established roads.

Directions: Parashant National Monument is a very remote and undeveloped place. There are no paved roads into the Monument and no visitor services.

Address

NPS Monument Headquarters

601 Nevada Highway

Boulder City, Nevada 89005

Phone
General: (702) 293-8907

Website

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