Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 9: A Nature Guide to Zion &
Bryce Canyon National Parks
Magniicentlydiverse,ZionandBryceCanyonnationalparkscontainburn-
ing deserts, lush woodlands with shimmering ponds, barren, windswept
ledgesofsolidrock,anddeepforestsofpineandir.Thesehabitats,with
theirvarietyofterrainandclimates,supportawidearrayofplantsandan-
imals whose diversity is primarily a result of the wide range of elevations
andthediferingavailabilityofwater.Zion,rangingfrom3,666to8,726feet
abovesealevel,hasalargervarietyofplantsandanimalsthancoolerand
higher Bryce Canyon, with elevations from 6,620 to 9,115 feet.
Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks Today
While much of southern Utah is barren and sometimes drab desert, Zion and Bryce
Canyon are most certainly much more. (That is, of course, why they were desig-
nated national parks in the first place.) Those with the time and inclination to ex-
plore these parks will discover hundreds of microclimates—little worlds of their
own that create unique habitats that often seem out of place in this generally arid
country.
In Zion, you can see several of these microclimates along the
Riverside
Walk
—there's a desert swamp where you might spot a leopard frog or two, and
lush, hanging gardens on the walls as you enter the
Narrows.
You'll also find
hanging gardens at
Zion'sWeepingRock,
where there is a good example of
spring
lines,
which occur when water seeping through a porous rock is diverted to the sur-
face by a layer of much harder rock.
At Bryce Canyon, you'll discover a moist world in the aptly named
MossyCave,
which is fed by a natural spring. Walking down the
Queen'sGardenTrail,
you'll
notice that the vegetation on the north-facing slopes and in the narrow gul-
lies—Douglas fir and ponderosa pines—is far different than the piñon and juniper
in the sunnier areas. And there is a much cooler and wetter climate at the higher
elevations in the southern section of the park—such as along the
BristleconeLoop
and
Riggs Spring Loop
trails.
