Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

The Vermilion Cliffs rise in banded red-and-orange sandstone along Highway 89A between Jacob Lake and House Rock Valley, one of the most striking drives in northern Arizona. This BLM-managed national monument covers roughly 280,000 acres of high desert, stretching from the Kaibab National Forest west of here to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and it includes the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Elevations swing from about 3,100 to 7,100 feet, which is part of why the terrain and light change so much as you move through it.

What you'll see

• Layered red-rock cliffs with clear stratification, visible right from the highway pullouts
• Released California condors, part of an ongoing captive-breeding recovery program in the area
• Access point for the Wave at Coyote Buttes, permit-only via lottery through the BLM

Most visitors experience the monument simply by driving 89A between Jacob Lake and Marble Canyon or on toward Page — there are several pull-offs for photos, and the views hold up in any weather; a couple of reviewers specifically call out how the cliffs look even better under passing rain clouds. If you want to get into the backcountry itself, whether that's the Wave, White Pocket, or the wilderness canyons, check the BLM website first, since much of the terrain requires permits or high-clearance vehicles and there's no visitor center out here.