Southern Utah - Scenic Wonders

Did you know……

Washington County is home to America’s largest concentration of natural scenic wonders. Colorful geology and unique history have played major roles in giving Color Country its special charm, and its name.

It may be hard to believe that there are six national parks in Color Country – almost as if Mother Nature rounded up all the scenic areas and placed them close together. Yet each national park is so uniquely different, it doesn’t seem possible that they are within easy drives of each other.

If you let your imagination roam, you can picture the myriad of scenes – the gleaming stone towers of Zion National Park; the delicately carved spires of Bryce Canyon National Park; the vast blue waterway of Lake Powell; and the grandeur of the Grand Canyon North Rim. You’ll get a taste of the Old West at Capitol Reef National Park, and find wilderness at Great Basin National Park. Add to your national park experience by hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing amidst the scenery that has made the park famous.

Explore the other side of Color Country – our state parks. Colorful geology can be seen at Kodachrome Basin with its rare chimneys and spires; volcanic cones and unique strata at Snow Canyon; remains of prehistoric trees at Escalante Petrified Forest; and the colorful shifting sands at Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Historical parks like Anasazi Indian Village introduce some of Utah’s earliest dwellers, while Iron Mission highlights our pioneer settlers. State parks located at reservoirs such as Minersville, Sand Hollow, Gunlock, and Quail Creek offer some of Utah’s best fishing and boating.

In addition to our state parks, national monuments like Cedar Breaks, Pipe Spring, Grand Staircase of the Escalante, and historical sites, scenic byways and backways, national forests and other public lands offer a wide range of scenery and recreational opportunities that add to Color Country’s total experience.