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86-554: Bryce Canyon National Park ( / b r aɪ s / ) is a national park of the United States located in southwestern Utah . The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon , but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau . Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos , formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of

172-448: A 10-mile (16 km) ditch from the Sevier's east fork into Tropic Valley. These scenic areas were first described to the public in magazine articles published by Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads in 1916. Forest Supervisor J. W. Humphrey among others promoted the scenic wonders of Bryce Canyon's amphitheaters, and by 1918 more articles helped to spark interest. However, poor access to

258-559: A backcountry camping permit. More than 10 miles (16 km) of marked but ungroomed skiing trails are available off of Fairyland, Paria, and Rim trails. Twenty miles (32 km) of connecting groomed ski trails are in nearby Dixie National Forest and Ruby's Inn. The air is so clear that on most days Navajo Mountain and the Kaibab Plateau can be seen 90 miles (140 km) away in Arizona from Yovimpa and Rainbow points. On clear days,

344-641: A coastal city in Norway at 70°N, is in zone 7, and even Longyearbyen , the northernmost true city in the world at 78°N, is still in zone 4. All these coastal locations have one thing in common, though, which are cool, damp summers, with temperatures rarely exceeding 20 °C (68 °F), or 15 °C (59 °F) in Longyearbyen. This shows the importance of taking heat zones into account for better understanding of what may or may not grow. In Sweden and Finland generally, at sea level to 500 metres (1,600 ft), zone 3

430-484: A continued warming trend in the United States' climate. The USDA plant hardiness zones for selected U.S. cities as based on the 2023 map are the following: As the USDA system is based entirely on average annual extreme minimum temperature in an area, it is limited in its ability to describe the climatic conditions a gardener may have to account for in a particular area: there are many other factors that determine whether or not

516-471: A destination, and hunting and extractive activities are prohibited. National monuments , on the other hand, are also frequently protected for their historical or archaeological significance. Eight national parks (including six in Alaska ) are paired with a national preserve , areas with different levels of protection that are administered together but considered separate units and whose areas are not included in

602-519: A draft revised map, using temperature data collected from July 1986 to March 2002. The 2003 map placed many areas approximately a half-zone higher (warmer) than the USDA's 1990 map. Reviewers noted the map zones appeared to be closer to the original USDA 1960 map in its overall zone delineations. Their map purported to show finer detail, for example, reflecting urban heat islands by showing the downtown areas of several cities (e.g., Baltimore , Maryland; Washington, D.C. , and Atlantic City, New Jersey ) as

688-654: A full zone warmer than outlying areas. The map excluded the detailed a/b half-zones introduced in the USDA's 1990 map, an omission widely criticized by horticulturists and gardeners due to the coarseness of the resulting map. The USDA rejected the AHS 2003 draft map and created its own map in an interactive computer format, which the American Horticultural Society now uses. In 2006, the Arbor Day Foundation released an update of U.S. hardiness zones, using mostly

774-511: A given plant can survive in a given zone. Zone information alone is often not adequate for predicting winter survival, since factors such as frost dates and frequency of snow cover can vary widely between regions. Even the extreme minimum itself may not be useful when comparing regions in widely different climate zones . As an extreme example, due to the Gulf Stream most of the United Kingdom

860-846: A mean temperature above 50 °F (10 °C), and three times as much precipitation in the wettest winter month compared to the driest summer month. The plant hardiness zone at the visitor center is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −10.0 °F (−23.3 °C). The weather in Bryce Canyon is cooler and receives more precipitation than Zion: a total of 15 to 18 inches (380 to 460 mm) per year. Yearly temperatures vary from an average minimum of 9 °F (−13 °C) in January to an average maximum of 83 °F (28 °C) in July, but extreme temperatures can range from −30 to 97 °F (−34 to 36 °C). The record high temperature in

946-489: A result of the more recent data, as well as new mapping methods and additional information gathered. Many areas were a half-zone warmer than the previous 1990 map. The 2012 map was created digitally for the internet, and includes a ZIP Code zone finder and an interactive map. In 2015, the Arbor Day Foundation revised another map, also with no a and b subdivisions, showing many areas having zones even warmer, with

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1032-495: A series that breaks up climate zones more finely than the USDA zones, identifying 45 distinct zones in the US, incorporating ranges of temperatures in all seasons, precipitation, wind patterns, elevation, and length and structure of the growing season. In addition, the Köppen climate classification system can be used as a more general guide to growing conditions when considering large areas of

1118-440: A ten-year record. One is in zone 4a, one in zone 4b, and the other is in zone 5a. Sydney residents are split between zones 3a and 4b. Different locations in the same city are suitable for different plants. Climate variables that reflect the capacity and detriments to plant growth are used to develop an index that is mapped to Canada's Plant Hardiness Zones. This index comes from a formula originally developed by Ouellet and Sherk in

1204-533: Is Gateway Arch National Park , Missouri , at 192.83 acres (0.7804 km ). The total area protected by national parks is approximately 52.4 million acres (212,000 km ), for an average of 833 thousand acres (3,370 km ) but a median of only 220 thousand acres (890 km ). The national parks set a visitation record in 2021, with more than 92 million visitors. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee has been

1290-467: Is 8–9 (some highland areas are slightly colder). The Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic coast, much of Andalusia and Murcia , coastal and slightly inland southern Valencian Community , a part of coastal Catalonia , the Balearic Islands , southwestern Sardinia , most of Sicily , coastal southern Italy, some areas around Albania , coastal Cyprus and southwestern Greece are in zone 10. In Europe,

1376-458: Is in zone 3b while nearby Kraków , only 80 km (50 mi) to the north and 300 m (980 ft) lower is in zone 6a. These examples prove that local topography can have a pronounced effect on temperature and thus on what is possible to grow in a specific region. The southern European marker plant for climate as well as cultural indicator is the olive tree , which cannot withstand long periods below freezing so its cultivation area matches

1462-526: Is in zones 8–9, while in the US, zones 8–9 include regions such as the subtropical coastal areas of the southeastern US and Mojave and Chihuahuan inland deserts, thus an American gardener in such an area may only have to plan for several nights of cold temperatures per year, while their British counterpart may have to plan for several months. In addition, the zones do not incorporate any information about duration of cold temperatures, summer temperatures, or sun intensity insolation ; thus sites which may have

1548-465: Is located in southwestern Utah about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of and 1,000 feet (300 m) higher than Zion National Park. Bryce Canyon National Park lies within the Colorado Plateau geographic province of North America and straddles the southeastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau west of Paunsaugunt Faults ( Paunsaugunt is Paiute for "home of the beaver"). Park visitors arrive from

1634-508: Is north of the Arctic Circle, including cities like Karesuando and Pajala . Kiruna is the major exception here, which being located on a hill above frost traps , is in zone 5. Zone 4 lies between the Arctic Circle and about 64–66°N, with cities such as Oulu , Rovaniemi and Jokkmokk , zone 5 (south to 61–62°N) contains cities such as Tampere , Umeå , and Östersund . Zone 6 covers the south of mainland Finland, Sweden north of 60°N, and

1720-639: The American Horticultural Society (AHS) heat zones use the average number of days per year when the temperature exceeds 30 °C (86 °F). The USDA system was originally developed to aid gardeners and landscapers in the United States. In the United States, most of the warmer zones (zones 9, 10, and 11) are located in the deep southern half of the country and on the southern coastal margins. Higher zones can be found in Hawaii (up to 12) and Puerto Rico (up to 13). The southern middle portion of

1806-556: The Cenozoic -aged rocks of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. This erosion resulted in delicate and colorful pinnacles called hoodoos that are up to 200 feet (60 m) high. A series of amphitheaters extends more than 20 miles (30 km) north-to-south within the park. The largest is Bryce Amphitheater, which is 12 miles (19 km) long, 3 miles (5 km) wide and 800 feet (240 m) deep. A nearby example of amphitheaters with hoodoos in

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1892-472: The Claron Formation eroded to form freestanding hoodoo pinnacles in badlands , while the more resistant White Cliffs formed monoliths. The brown, pink, and red colors are from hematite (iron oxide; Fe 2 O 3 ); the yellows from limonite ( FeO(OH)· n H 2 O ); and the purples are from pyrolusite ( MnO 2 ). More than 400 native plant species live in the park. The three life zones in

1978-545: The Dodecanese , Cyclades and some Argo-Saronic Gulf islands. The Mediterranean islands of Malta , Lampedusa and Linosa belong to zone 11a as well as a few areas on the southernmost coast of Cyprus . The Balkan area is also more prone to cold snaps and episodes of unseasonable warmth. For instance, despite having similar daily means and temperature amplitudes to Nantucket, Massachusetts , for each month, Sarajevo has recorded below-freezing temperatures in every month of

2064-555: The Gulf Coast , and southern Arizona and California , are responsible for the rarity of episodes of severe cold relative to normal in those areas. The warmest zone in the 48 contiguous states is the Florida Keys (11b) and the coldest is in north-central Minnesota (2b). A couple of locations on the northern coast of Puerto Rico have the warmest hardiness zone in the United States at 13b. Conversely, isolated inland areas of Alaska have

2150-671: The National Park Service , an agency of the Department of the Interior . National parks are designated for their natural beauty, unique geological features, diverse ecosystems, and recreational opportunities, typically "because of some outstanding scenic feature or natural phenomena." While legislatively all units of the National Park System are considered equal with the same mission, national parks are generally larger and more of

2236-461: The Polish Carpathians , which regularly reaches −35 °C (−31 °F) during winter on calm nights when cold and heavy airmasses from the surrounding Gorce and Tatra Mountains descend down the slopes to this low-lying valley, creating extremes which can be up to 10 °C (18 °F) colder than nearby Nowy Targ or Białka Tatrzańska , which are both higher up in elevation. Waksmund

2322-565: The US National Arboretum in Washington . The first map was issued in 1960, and revised in 1965. It used uniform 10 °F (5.6 °C) ranges, and gradually became widespread among American gardeners. The USDA map was revised and reissued in 1990 with freshly available climate data, this time with five-degree distinctions dividing each zone into new "a" and "b" subdivisions. In 2003, the American Horticultural Society (AHS) produced

2408-589: The territories of American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands . The state with the most national parks is California with nine, followed by Alaska with eight, Utah with five, and Colorado with four. The largest national park is Wrangell–St. Elias in Alaska: at over 8 million acres (32,375 km ), it is larger than each of the nine smallest states . The next three largest parks are also in Alaska. The smallest park

2494-490: The tropics , have hardiness zones that range from 12 to 13 in the coastal areas, while the lowest hardiness zone is found in the island of Fogo , in the country's highest peak Pico do Fogo . In addition to the USDA Hardiness zones there are American Horticultural Society (AHS) heat zones. The criterion is the average number of days per year when the temperature exceeds 30 °C (86 °F). The AHS Heat Zone Map for

2580-783: The Black Mesas of eastern Arizona and western New Mexico can be seen some 160 miles (260 km) away. The park has a 7.4  magnitude night sky, one of the darkest in North America. Stargazers can, therefore, see 7,500 stars, while in most places fewer than 2,000 can be seen due to light pollution , and in many large cities only a few dozen are visible. Park rangers host public stargazing events and evening programs on astronomy, nocturnal animals, and night sky protection. The Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival, typically held in June, attracts thousands of visitors. In honor of this festival, Asteroid 49272

2666-563: The Earth's surface or attempting to make comparisons between different continents. The Trewartha climate classification is often a good "real world" concept of climates and their relation to plants and their average growing conditions. The Australian National Botanic Gardens have devised another system keeping with Australian conditions. The zones are defined by steps of 5 degrees Celsius, from −15–−10 °C for zone 1 to 15–20 °C for zone 7. They are numerically about 6 lower than

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2752-468: The Legend People whom the trickster Coyote turned to stone. One older Paiute said his culture called the hoodoos Anka-ku-was-a-wits , which is Paiute for "red painted faces". In the late 18th and early 19th century the first European Americans explored the area. Mormon scouts visited in the 1850s to gauge its potential for agriculture, grazing , and settlement. The first major scientific expedition

2838-592: The National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Many current national parks had been previously protected as national monuments by the president under the Antiquities Act or as other designations created by Congress before being redesignated by Congress;

2924-490: The Paria Valley to apply his carpentry skills. The Bryce family settled right below Bryce Amphitheater—the main collection of hoodoos. Bryce grazed his cattle inside what are now park borders, and reputedly thought that the amphitheaters were a "helluva place to lose a cow." He built a road to the plateau to retrieve firewood and timber, and a canal to irrigate his crops and water his animals. Other settlers soon started to call

3010-407: The US is available on the American Horticultural Society website. South Africa has five horticultural or climatic zones. The zones are defined by minimum temperature. The USDA map published in 2012 shows that most of the US has become a half zone (2.8 °C or 5 °F) hotter in winter compared to the 1990 release. Again, with the publication of the 2023 map, about half of the US has shifted

3096-589: The USDA scale. However, some confusion can exist in discussing buildings and HVAC , where "climate zone" can refer to the International Energy Conservation Code zones, where Zone 1 is warm and Zone 8 is cold. Other hardiness rating schemes have been developed as well, such as the UK Royal Horticultural Society and US Sunset Western Garden Book systems. A heat zone (see below) is instead defined by annual high temperatures;

3182-559: The USDA system. For example, Australian zone 3 is roughly equivalent to USDA zone 9. The higher Australian zone numbers had no US equivalents prior to the 2012 addition by USDA of zones 12 and 13. The spread of weather stations may be insufficient and too many places with different climates are lumped together. Only 738 Australian stations have records of more than ten years (one station per 98,491 hectares or 243,380 acres), though more populated areas have relatively fewer hectares per station. Mount Isa has three climatic stations with more than

3268-458: The United Kingdom's Royal Horticultural Society introduced new hardiness ratings for plants, not places. These run from H7, the hardiest (tolerant of temperatures below −20 °C (−4 °F)) to H1a (needing temperatures above 15 °C (59 °F)). The RHS hardiness ratings are based on absolute minimum winter temperatures (in °C) rather than the long-term average annual extreme minimum temperatures that define USDA zones. Scandinavia lies at

3354-403: The black, lumpy, very slow-growing colonies of cryptobiotic soil , which are a mix of lichens , algae , fungi , and cyanobacteria . Together these organisms slow erosion, add nitrogen to the soil, and help it to retain moisture. Most park visitors travel the scenic drive, which provides access to 13 viewpoints over the amphitheaters. In total, 50 miles (80 km) of trails criss-cross

3440-434: The bookstore inside the park visitor center and support interpretive, educational, and scientific activities. A portion of the profits from all bookstore sales are donated to public land units. Responding to increased visitation and traffic congestion , NPS implemented a voluntary, summer-only, in-park shuttle system in June 2000. In 2004, reconstruction began on the road system. On April 7, 2020, Bryce Canyon National Park

3526-548: The coldest hardiness zone in the United States at 1a. The first attempts to create a geographical hardiness zone system were undertaken by two researchers at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston ; the first was published in 1927 by Alfred Rehder , and the second by Donald Wyman in 1938. The Arnold map was subsequently updated in 1951, 1967, and finally 1971, but eventually fell out of use completely. The modern USDA system began at

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3612-644: The cool winter zone. The Mediterranean Sea acts as a temperature regulator, so this area is generally warmer than other parts of the continent; except in mountainous areas where the sea effect lowers, it belongs in zones 8–10; however, southern Balkans (mountainous Western and Eastern Serbia , continental Croatia , and Bulgaria ) are colder in winter and are in zones 6–7. The Croatian ( Dalmatian ) coast, Albania , and northern Greece are in zones 8–9, as are central-northern Italy (hills and some spots in Po Valley are however colder) and southern France ; Central Iberia

3698-559: The damage overgrazing, logging, and unregulated visitation was inflicting on the canyon. A movement to protect the area soon started, and National Park Service Director Stephen Mather responded by proposing that Bryce Canyon be made into a state park. The governor of Utah and the Utah State Legislature lobbied for national protection. Mather relented and sent his recommendation to President Warren G. Harding , who on June 8, 1923, established Bryce Canyon National Monument. A road

3784-650: The entire western part of what would become North America starting about 70 million to 50 MYA. This event helped to build the Rocky Mountains and in the process closed the Cretaceous Seaway. The Straight Cliffs , Wahweap , and Kaiparowits formations were victims of this uplift. The Colorado Plateaus rose 16 MYA and were segmented into plateaus , separated by faults and each having its own uplift rate. This uplift created vertical joints, which over time preferentially eroded. The soft Pink Cliffs of

3870-413: The federal government started in 1923. The last of the land was acquired four years later, and on February 25, 1928, Bryce Canyon National Park was established. In 1931, President Herbert Hoover annexed an adjoining area south of the park, and in 1942 an additional 635 acres (257 ha) was added. This brought the park's total area to the ultimate 35,835 acres (14,502 ha). Rim Road, a scenic drive,

3956-543: The figures below. The 431 units of the National Park System can be broadly referred to as national parks, but most have other formal designations. A bill creating the first national park, Yellowstone , was signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, followed by Mackinac National Park in 1875 (decommissioned in 1895), and then Rock Creek Park (later merged into National Capital Parks ), Sequoia and Yosemite in 1890. The Organic Act of 1916 created

4042-466: The forests on the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The harshest areas have limber pine and ancient Great Basin bristlecone pine , some more than 1,600 years old. The forests and meadows support diverse animal life including foxes, badgers , porcupines , elk , skunks , black bears , bobcats , and woodpeckers . Mule deer are the most common large mammals. Elk and pronghorn , which have been reintroduced nearby, sometimes appear. The park forms part of

4128-687: The habitat of three wildlife species listed under the Endangered Species Act : the Utah prairie dog , the California condor , and the southwestern willow flycatcher . The Utah prairie dog is a threatened species that was reintroduced to the park. The largest protected population is found in the park. About 170 species of birds visit the park each year, including swifts and swallows . Most species migrate to warmer regions in winter, although jays , ravens , nuthatches , eagles , and owls do not. In winter,

4214-580: The hardiness zones are high considering the latitude of the region, although not as high as Northern Europe with the Shetland Islands where zone 9 extends to over 60°N. In Central Europe, the relevant zones decrease from zone 8 on the Belgian, Dutch, and German North Sea coast, with the exception of some of the Frisian Islands (notably Vlieland and Terschelling ), the island of Helgoland , and some of

4300-553: The high plateau of Småland further south. Here one will find cities such as Gävle , Örebro , Sundsvall , and Helsinki . Åland , as well as coastal southern Sweden, and the Stockholm area are in zone 7. The west coast of Sweden ( Gothenburg and southwards) enjoys particularly mild winters and lies in zone 7, therefore being friendly to some hardy exotic species (found, for example, in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden ),

4386-507: The islands in the Rhine - Scheldt estuary, which are in zone 9, to zone 5 around Suwałki , Podlachia on the far eastern border between Poland and Lithuania . Some isolated, high elevation areas of the Alps and Carpathians may even go down to zone 3 or 4. An extreme example of a cold sink is Funtensee , Bavaria which is at least in zone 3. Another notable example is Waksmund , a small village in

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4472-421: The latter, in terms of length of hot weather and sun intensity. Coastal Ireland and central Florida are both Zone 10, but have radically different climates. The hardiness scales do not take into account the reliability of snow cover in the colder zones. Snow acts as an insulator against extreme cold, protecting the root system of hibernating plants. If the snow cover is reliable, the actual temperature to which

4558-500: The location and the altitude. The islands are generally part of zones 11b/12a in lower altitudes and coastal areas, reaching up to 12b in the southernmost coasts or populated coastal parts such as the city of Las Palmas . The lowest hardiness areas are found in Teide National Park being at 8a/8b for its very high altitude. Teide peak is the highest peak of Macaronesia. The Cape Verde islands, located much further south inside

4644-598: The mainland and central coastal areas are in the middle zones (zones 8, 7, and 6). The far northern portion on the central interior of the mainland have some of the coldest zones (zones 5, 4, and small area of zone 3) and often have much less consistent range of temperatures in winter due to being more continental, especially further west with higher diurnal temperature variations, and thus the zone map has its limitations in these areas. Lower zones can be found in Alaska (down to 1). The low latitude and often stable weather in Florida ,

4730-501: The maps of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. There is a very small spot east of San Juan , Puerto Rico, that includes the airport in coastal Carolina , where the mean minimum is 67 degrees F (19 C), which is classified as hardiness Zone 13b, the highest category, with temperatures rarely below 65 °F (18 °C). The map has a higher resolution than previous editions, and is able to show local variations due to factors such as elevation or large bodies of water. Many zone boundaries were changed as

4816-1110: The mid-1960s. The formula used is: Y = -67.62 + 1.734X 1 + 0.1868X 2 + 69.77X 3 + 1.256X 4 + 0.006119X 5 + 22.37X 6 - 0.01832X 7 where: For practical purposes, Canada has adopted the American hardiness zone classification system. The 1990 version of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map included Canada and Mexico, but they were removed with the 2012 update to focus on the United States and Puerto Rico. The Canadian government publishes both Canadian and USDA-style zone maps. The table below provides USDA hardiness zone data for selected European cities: USDA zones do not work particularly well in Ireland and Great Britain as they are designed for continental climates and subtropical climates. The high latitude, weaker solar intensity, and cooler summers must be considered when comparing to US equivalent. New growth may be insufficient or fail to harden off affecting winter survival in

4902-459: The most notable changes in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast, showing cities like Philadelphia, New York City and Washington D.C. in zone 8, due to their urban heat islands. In November 2023, the USDA released another updated version of their plant hardiness map, based on 1991–2020 weather data across the United States. The updated map shows continued northward movement of hardiness zones, reflecting

4988-679: The most-visited park since 1944, and had almost 13 million visitors in 2022. In contrast, only about 9,500 people visited the remote Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska in 2022. Download coordinates as: The following table includes the 30 states and two territories that have national parks. Exclusive parks refer to parks entirely within one state or territory. Shared parks refer to parks in multiple states. Territories are set in italics . Plant hardiness zone Unless otherwise specified, in American contexts "hardiness zone" or simply "zone" usually refers to

5074-453: The mule deer, cougars , and coyotes migrate to lower elevations. Ground squirrels and marmots pass the winter in hibernation . Eleven species of reptiles and four species of amphibians have been found. Reptiles include the Great Basin rattlesnake , short-horned lizard , side-blotched lizard , striped whipsnake , and amphibians include the tiger salamander . Also in the park are

5160-472: The newest national park is New River Gorge , previously a National River, and the most recent entirely new park is National Park of American Samoa . A few former national parks are no longer designated as such , or have been disbanded. Fourteen national parks are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS), and 21 national parks are named UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR), with eight national parks in both programs. Thirty states have national parks, as do

5246-485: The park are based on elevation: The lowest areas are dominated by dwarf forests of pinyon pine and juniper with manzanita , serviceberry , and antelope bitterbrush in between. Aspen , cottonwood , water birch , and willow grow along streams. Ponderosa pine forests cover the mid-elevations with blue spruce and Douglas fir in water-rich areas and manzanita and bitterbrush as underbrush. Douglas fir and white fir , along with aspen and Engelmann spruce , make up

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5332-424: The park in the northeast section, is the lowest part of the park at 6,620 feet (2,020 m). According to the Köppen climate classification system, the park has a continental climate with warm, dry summers ( Dsb ). Dsb climates are defined by having their coldest month at a mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), all months with a mean temperature below 71.6 °F (22 °C), at least four months with

5418-417: The park was 98 °F (37 °C) on July 14, 2002. The record low temperature was −26 °F (−32 °C) on February 6, 1989, and January 13, 1963. Little is known about early human habitation in the area. Archaeological surveys of the Paunsaugunt Plateau indicate that people have lived in the area for at least 10,000 years. Basketmaker Anasazi artifacts thousands of years old were found south of

5504-401: The park. Bryce Canyon has eight marked and maintained day hikes: Easy to moderate hikes Moderate hikes Strenuous hikes Several of the trails intersect, allowing hikers to arrange routes for more challenging hikes. The park has two trails designated for overnight trips: the 9-mile (14 km) Riggs Spring Loop Trail and the 23-mile (37 km) Under-the-Rim Trail . Both require

5590-534: The park. Other artifacts from the Pueblo -period Anasazi and the Fremont culture (up to the mid-12th century) were found. The Paiute Native Americans moved into the area around the time that the other cultures left. These Native Americans hunted and gathered for most of their food, while supplementing their diet with cultivated plants. The Paiute in developed a mythology surrounding the hoodoos. They believed that they were

5676-543: The plateau and look over its edge toward a valley containing the fault and the Paria River just beyond it ( Paria is Paiute for "muddy or elk water"). The edge of the Kaiparowits Plateau bounds the opposite side of the valley. Bryce Canyon was not formed from erosion initiated from a central stream, meaning it technically is not a canyon . Instead headward erosion excavated large amphitheater -shaped features in

5762-525: The remote area and the lack of accommodations kept visitation to a bare minimum. Ruby Syrett, Harold Bowman, and the Perry brothers later established lodging and "touring services". Syrett later served as the first postmaster . By the early 1920s, the Union Pacific Railroad became interested in expanding rail service into southwestern Utah to accommodate tourists. Conservationists became alarmed by

5848-411: The river and lake bed sedimentary rock . The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce Canyon National Park is much smaller and sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park . The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m). The area is in portions of Garfield County and Kane County . The Bryce Canyon area

5934-503: The roots are exposed will not be as low as the hardiness zone number would indicate. As an example, Quebec City in Canada is located in zone 4, but can rely on a significant snow cover every year, making it possible to cultivate plants normally rated for zones 5 or 6. But, in Montreal , located to the southwest in zone 5, it is sometimes difficult to cultivate plants adapted to the zone because of

6020-565: The same data as the AHS. It revised hardiness zones, reflecting generally warmer recent temperatures in many parts of the country, and appeared similar to the AHS 2003 draft. The Foundation also did away with the more detailed a/b half-zone delineations. In 2012 the USDA updated their plant hardiness map based on 1976–2005 weather data, using a longer period of data to smooth out year-to-year weather fluctuations. Two new zones (12 and 13) were added to better define and improve information sharing on tropical and semitropical plants, they also appear on

6106-750: The same formation but at a higher elevation is in Cedar Breaks National Monument , which is 25 miles (40 km) to the west on the Markagunt Plateau . Rainbow Point, the highest part of the park at 9,105 feet (2,775 m), is at the end of the 18-mile (29 km) scenic drive. From there, Aquarius Plateau , Bryce Amphitheater, the Henry Mountains , the Vermilion Cliffs and the White Cliffs can be seen. Yellow Creek, where it exits

6192-505: The same latitude as Alaska or Greenland, but the effect of the warm North Atlantic Current is even more pronounced here than it is in Britain and Ireland. Save for a very small spot around Karasjok Municipality , Norway, which is in zone 2, nowhere in the Arctic part of Scandinavia gets below zone 3. The Faroe Islands , at 62–63°N are in zone 8, as are the outer Lofoten Islands at 68°N. Tromsø ,

6278-424: The same mean winter minima on the few coldest nights and be in the same garden zone, but have markedly different climates. For example, zone 8 covers coastal, high latitude, cool summer locations like Seattle and London , as well as lower latitude, hot-summer climates like Charleston and Madrid . Farmers, gardeners, and landscapers in the former two must plan for entirely different growing conditions from those in

6364-533: The shorter and much cooler summers of Ireland and Britain. Owing to the moderating effect of the North Atlantic Current on the Irish and British temperate maritime climate , Britain, and Ireland even more so, have milder winters than their northerly position would otherwise afford. This means that the USDA hardiness zones relevant to Britain and Ireland are quite high, from 7 to 10, as shown below. In 2012

6450-497: The southeast coast of Sweden has a colder winter due to the absence of the Gulf Stream. Central Europe is a good example of a transition from an oceanic climate to a continental climate , which reflects in the tendency of the hardiness zones to decrease mainly eastwards instead of northwards. Also, the plateaus and low mountain ranges in this region have a significant impact on how cold it might get during winter. Generally speaking,

6536-406: The sun, natural or humanmade protection from excessive sun, snow, frost, and wind, etc. The annual extreme minimum temperature is a useful indicator, but ultimately only one factor among many for plant growth and survival. An alternative means of describing plant hardiness is to use "indicator plants". In this method, common plants with known limits to their range are used. Sunset publishes

6622-508: The unreliable snow cover. Many plants may survive in a locality but will not flower if the day length is insufficient or if they require vernalization (a particular duration of low temperature). There are many other climate parameters that a farmer, gardener, or landscaper may need to take into account as well, such as humidity, precipitation, storms, rainy-dry cycles or monsoons, and site considerations such as soil type, soil drainage and water retention, water table, tilt towards or away from

6708-535: The unusual place "Bryce's Canyon", and the name stuck. A combination of drought, overgrazing , and flooding eventually drove the remaining Paiutes from the area and prompted the settlers to attempt to build a water diversion channel from the Sevier River drainage. That effort failed, leading most settlers, including the Bryce family, to abandon the area. Bryce moved his family to Arizona in 1880. The remaining settlers dug

6794-713: The year. Macaronesia consists of four archipelagos: The Azores , the Canary Islands , Cape Verde and Madeira . At lower altitudes and coastal areas, the Portuguese Azores and Madeira belong to zones 10b/11b and 11a/11b respectively. The Azores range from 9a to 11b and Madeira ranges from 9b to 12a, 9a and 9b found inland on the highest altitudes such as Mount Pico in the Azores or Pico Ruivo in Madeira. The Spanish Canary Islands hardiness zones range from 8a to 12b depending on

6880-607: The zone 11a is limited only to a few spots. In the Iberian Peninsula, it can be found on the southern coast, in small Spanish areas inside the provinces of Almería , Cádiz , Granada , Málaga and Murcia . In Portugal , zone 11a can be found in the Southwest on a few unpopulated sites around the municipalities of Lagos and Vila do Bispo . In mainland Greece , zone 11a can be found in Monemvasia and also in areas of Crete ,

6966-579: Was built the same year on the plateau to provide access to outlooks over the amphitheaters. From 1924 to 1925, Bryce Canyon Lodge was built from local timber and stone. Members of the United States Congress started work in 1924 on upgrading Bryce Canyon's protection status from national monument to national park to establish Utah National Park. A process led by the Utah Parks Company for transferring ownership of private and state-held land to

7052-675: Was closed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 , before a phased reopening started on May 6, 2020. The Bryce Canyon area experienced soil deposition that spans from the last part of the Cretaceous period and the first half of the Cenozoic era. The ancient depositional environment varied. Dakota Sandstone and Tropic Shale were deposited in the warm, shallow waters of the advancing and retreating Cretaceous Seaway (outcrops of these rocks are found just outside park borders). Other formations were created, but mostly eroded away following two major periods of uplift. The Laramide orogeny affected

7138-518: Was completed in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps . Park administration was conducted from Zion National Park until 1956 when Bryce Canyon's first superintendent started work. The USS Bryce Canyon , named for the park, served as a supply and repair ship in the U.S. Pacific Fleet from September 15, 1950, to June 30, 1981. Bryce Canyon Natural History Association (BCNHA) is a non-profit organization, established in 1961. It runs

7224-785: Was led by U.S. Army Major John Wesley Powell in 1872. Powell, along with a team of mapmakers and geologists, surveyed the Sevier and Virgin River area as part of a larger survey of the Colorado Plateaus . His mapmakers used many Paiute place names. Small groups of Mormon pioneers followed and attempted to settle east of Bryce Canyon along the Paria River . In 1873, the Kanarra Cattle Company started to graze cattle there. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent Scottish immigrant Ebenezer Bryce and his wife Mary to settle land in

7310-600: Was named after the national park. The two campgrounds are North Campground and Sunset Campground. Loop A in North Campground is open year-round. Additional loops and Sunset Campground are open from late spring to early autumn. The 114-room Bryce Canyon Lodge is another way to stay overnight. List of national parks of the United States The United States has 63 national parks , which are congressionally designated protected areas operated by

7396-623: Was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce , who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area was originally designated as a national monument by President Warren G. Harding in 1923 and was redesignated as a national park by Congress in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.992 sq mi; 14,502 ha; 145.02 km) and receives substantially fewer visitors than Zion National Park (nearly 4.3 million in 2016) or Grand Canyon National Park (almost 6 million in 2016), largely due to Bryce's more remote location. In 2023, Bryce Canyon received 2,461,269. The park

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