Grand Canyon-Parashant

One of the newest national monuments, Grand Canyon-Parashant was dedicated in the last days of the Clinton administration. The Monument, which is located on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona, encompasses the lower portion of the Shivwits Plateau, an important watershed for the Colorado River and Grand Canyon. It borders Grand Canyon National Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area to the south and the Nevada border to the west. This remote and rarely visited area contains phenomenal geological features, rich biological diversity and a multitude of prehistoric and historic sites.

Geology

Geology is the stage upon which everything else, including human affairs, has evolved! Consider the geologic context of the Grand Canyon-Parashant where Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rock layers are relatively undeformed and unobscured by vegetation, offering a clear view to understanding the geologic history of the Colorado Plateau.

Building and Sculpting the Landscape of Western Grand Canyon through Geologic Time: Lecture at Toroweap overlook.

• Mt. Logan: a moderate hike to the top of Mt. Logan provides spectacular views of the Grand Canyon to San Francisco Peaks and lends a perfect setting for a talk about geology!
• Easy hike to the Nampaweap Rock Art Panel. Located on the natural travel way from the mountains to the Grand Canyon benches and valley floors, Nampaweap has been used for centuries by the inhabitants of the area and is essentially a billboard area with messages posted to travelers.
• Forest ecology, plant species composition, habitat structure, desired forest conditions for food webs, and goshawk demography
• Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem Management Project
• Recreational use of the forest
• How the theory of suppressing fire has dangerously altered the natural configuration of the forest

Archeology

Learn about the ancient inhabitants of the region and visit archeological sites. Easy hike to the Nampaweap Rock Art Panel. Located on the natural travel way from the mountains to the Grand Canyon benches and valley floors, Nampaweap has been used for centuries by the inhabitants of the area and is essentially a billboard area with messages posted to travelers. Easy hike to the nearby Uinkaret pueblo ruins at Mt. Trumbull; talk about the prehistory of the Mt. Trumbull area

Forest Restoration & fire management

Fire has always been a major force in shaping the Western landscape. Learn how the "Smokey the Bear" theory of suppressing fire has dangerously altered the natural configuration of the forest and how land management agencies propose to change that.