Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument

Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument is a national monument in the remote northwest of Arizona with an area of 4,115.6 km² (1,589.0 sq mi), protecting the western edge of the Grand Canyon and lots of desert. The national monument's name is often shortened to Parashant National Monument, often to prevent confusion with the Grand Canyon National Park.

A hiker in Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument

Not to be confused with the Grand Canyon.

Many GPS systems tend to confuse Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument with the Grand Canyon National Park and have been known to mislead travelers into visiting this remote, desolate and isolated part of the Southwest – if you're coming to this monument because your favorite map application told you to, be aware that this is not the Grand Canyon National Park. Try entering Grand Canyon Village instead.

Understand

History

Due to the desert climate and low fertility, the area was only sparsely populated by the Indigenous peoples. Isolated ancestral Puebloans structures and petroglyphs, as well as querns and arrowheads are found scattered throughout the park.

An expedition by two Spanish, Francisco Antanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, were the first Europeans to pass the cross of what is now the sanctuary in 1776. In 1826 and 1827, the trapper and explorer Jedediah Smith moved along the Virgin River along what is now the northern boundary of the monument. In the years that followed, the route established itself as part of the Old Spanish Trail to California.

At the end of the 19th century, some ranchers and forestry workers settled in the region and began using the forests primarily as support beams for the ore mines of the West. Logging ended in the 1960s, and the use of the public areas by largely freely grazing cattle from private ranches, which existed before the protection order was placed, is expressly guaranteed for the future in the founding documents of the monument. Today, there are some remnants of ranches that can be seen today.

Economically, the area is only moderately attractive, and little tourism has taken place in the park, likely because there are no tourist facilities at the national monument, and the only visitor center is a small visitor center serving several Bureau of Land Management areas, well outside in St. George. All roads are unpaved sand and gravel roads, and drinking water can only be found in a few places.

Landscape

The protected area is located in the Arizona Strip, the almost uninhabited and difficult to access northwestern part of Arizona, which is separated from the rest of the state by the Colorado River. Geologically, the cover rocks of the Shivwits Plateau are sedimentary rocks from the Paleozoic with individual younger mountains from the Mesozoic. The plateau slopes north-south, as rainfall has carved canyons in the rocks that are older Precambrian strata have exposed. However, the national monument includes only the top of these geological formations, the Grand Canyon National Park straddles the park's southern border.

Flora and fauna

The park is home to the spotted owl subspecies, Strix occidentalis lucida, and the transition areas serve as home range for the California condor, which became extinct in the wild in the 1980s. Today, it is the subject of the largest conservation breeding and reintroduction program in the US, and the only release site in Arizona is just west of the monument.

Visitor information

• Park website

Get in

The park's entry sign

As this is one of the United States' most remote parks on the contiguous 48, getting into Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument can only be done via a good 4WD.

To get to just the northern end of the park, from Mesquite in Nevada, the monument is about 16 mi (26 km) southeast and the route is pretty straightforward – use Hwy 242. Do note that the road to the park is not paved, and the road is very windy.

Fees and permits

If you're just visiting this park for recreational purposes, you won't need a permit and the only part that you will need a permit is to access Kelly Point Rd. in winter. Applying for a permit can be done here.

See

• 1 Snap Point and Canyon. It is here where the western end of the North Rim officially ends. The point is so remote, that on some days, you may be able to see about 100 miles (160 km) across to the west, and some views of the Grand Canyon (the larger bit, that is) east. (updated May 2022)
• 2 Pakoon Springs, Pakoon Springs. It is one of the two largest springs of the Pakoon Basin. Getting here can be done along Highway 111 (Pakoon Springs), but do note that coming here in summer is not advisable due to the heat and low elevation. (updated May 2022)
• 3 Tassi Ranch. A historic ranch ruin and perhaps one of the few evidences of civilization (apart from the 4WD tracks) visible in the park. (updated May 2022)
• 4 Grand Gulch Mine, BLM1050. A former copper mining site that's now in ruins today. There's pretty much nothing in site for kilometers on end, and the road to get here is actually pretty treacherous – so treacherous to the point where pickup trucks may not make it. (updated May 2022)
• 5 Twin Point Overlook, Twin Point Rd. This overlook is on the border between Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument and the Grand Canyon National Park, with some rather impressive views of the Grand Canyon – but without all the crowds. Many choose to camp in the nearby areas to get some good views of the sunrise and sunset. (updated May 2022)
• 6 Kelly Point Overlook. (updated May 2022)
• 7 Oak Grove. Oak Grove can give you very different thoughts, depending on your interests. For some, it might be "just another old cattle ranch", while for others, it tells the story of what life was like in the ranches, the tough, treacherous conditions, of hardship and drought – and this ranch is a perfect example of that. (updated May 2022)

Do

• Mount Trumbull Scenic Loop Drive. (updated May 2022)
• Burnt Canyon Trail, NPS1219. (updated May 2022)
• Grand Wash Cliffs Middle Bench Trail. (updated May 2022)
• Mt. Bangs Summit Trail. (updated May 2022)
• Mt. Dellenbaugh Summit Trail. (updated May 2022)
• Mt. Logan Summit and Hells Hole Overlook. (updated May 2022)
• Mt. Trumbull Summit Trail. (updated May 2022)
• Pakoon Springs Trail, County Road 111. A one-mile (1.6-kilometer) trail leading to the Pakoon Springs off from County Road 111. The wildlife scenery seen in this trail is the typical Mojave Desert type and according to the NPS, the best time to attempt this trail is in spring (March-May), and is a great place to observe birds. (updated May 2022)

Buy, eat and drink

There are no facilities in the park – all items must be brought. The nearest facilities can be found at St. George in Utah, but the drive is quite a while (taking the road quality into consideration).

Sleep

The night sky from Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument

Lodging and camping

There are no places for lodging, nor are there any designated campgrounds in Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument – the only way you can rest your head is by backcountry camping.

Backcountry

There are no fees or permits for backcountry camping in Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument, though do note that if you do descend below the rim of the Grand Canyon, you'll need a permit as you'd have unintentionally left the park and entered Grand Canyon NP – see Grand Canyon § Sleep for details. However, as the top of North Rim is part of the national monument, you won't need a permit.

Stay safe

The "Grand Canyon" in the park's name may lead you to think that this park is well-visited, but in fact it is very much the opposite. Instead, the park is very lonely, with few facilities and with extreme weather conditions. None of the roads in the park are paved (sealed), and cell signal is only patchy in a few places, and nonexistent elsewhere.

Temperatures can hit the extremes in Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument – it can get extremely hot in the summer, while freezing in the winter, and snow often covers the already poor quality roads.

Go next

Naturally, the first thing that would ideally come to mind if you're just armchair traveling is the 1 Grand Canyon . However, if you did really want to come to Parashant, it is likely you'd have already visited the Grand Canyon National Park, or you'd have descended down to the rim when visiting.

Just to the west of the park, straddling the border of Nevada and Arizona is 2 Lake Mead National Recreation Area , which features a similar desert landscape, except with a lake in the center. Between the two is 3 Gold Butte National Monument known for both its historic significance and natural landscapes.

To the north in Utah, the closest city to the park; 4 St. George , is probably a good base for exploring other impressive national parks and monuments in the American Southwest, such as 5 Red Cliffs National Conservation Area , 6 Zion National Park , 7 Cedar Breaks National Monument or 8 Bryce Canyon National Park .