Arizona National Monuments

Grand Canyon - Parashant

The Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is located on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona, within the drainage of the Colorado River. It borders Grand Canyon National Park to the south, the state of Nevada to the west, and encompasses a portion of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Elevations within the monument range from 2,300 to 8,000 feet above sea level.

The Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is under joint management of the BLM and the NPS.  Covering 1,054,264 acres of remote and unspoiled public lands, this monument is a scientific treasure, containing many of the same values that have long been protected in the Grand Canyon National Park.  Deep canyons, mountains and lonely buttes testify to the power of geological forces and provide colorful vistas.  Here 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.

Designation date: January 11, 2000, by President William J. Clinton

Questions

1. Why is Grand Canyon Parashant worthy of National Monument status?
2. What kinds of plants and animals will you find in Parashant?
3. Who were the first people to inhabit this area?
4. How has logging and ranching impacted the Monument?

Resources

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument Background Materials

Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument Bibliography

National Park Service Parashant Information

Media

Voices of the Colorado Plateau is an online multimedia museum collection featuring oral history recordings and historic photographs that document life on the Colorado Plateau.

BLM Photo Showcase of Grand Canyon Parashant

Educational Activities

Download the topographic maps(PDF) of Parashant and plan a hiking trip. What types of information do the maps provide?

Using the information on biology provided by the National Park Service create a guide to the plants and animals of Parashant.

Discuss the importance of artifacts in the study of the archeology of Parashant. Create an archelogical site for your students to excavate. The Smithsonian has excellent lesson plans on archeology.