CEDAR BREAKS NATIONAL MONUMENT

national monument consisting of a vast natural amphitheatre (10 sq mi [26 sq km]) eroded in a limestone escarpment (Pink Cliffs) 2,000 ft (600 m) thick, in southwestern Utah, U.S., 15 mi (24 km) southeast of Cedar City. Once a part of Sevier (now Dixie) National Forest, it was established in 1933. It is situated on the Markagunt Plateau at elevations reaching 10,700 ft. Iron and manganese oxide impurities in the limestone cliff formations produce an amazing variety of colours that change constantly with the angles of the Sun's rays. When the spring snows melt, many colourful flowers (including the marsh marigold, buttercup, larkspur, gentian, lupine, and sunflower) appear on the slopes and meadows. Wildlife includes mule deer, chipmunks, squirrels, badgers, and a variety of birds.