At The Top Of The Grand Staircase

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah is the location of one of the best-known terrestrial records for the late Cretaceous. A major effort in the new century has documented over 2,000 new vertebrate fossil sites, provided new radiometric dates, and identified five new genera of ceratopsids, two new species of hadrosaur, a probable new genus of hypsilophodontid, new pachycephalosaurs and ankylosaurs, several kinds of theropods (including a new genus of oviraptor and a new tyrannosaur), plus the most complete specimen of a Late Cretaceous therizinosaur ever collected from North America, and much more. At the Top of the Grand Staircase: The Late Cretaceous of Southern Utah documents this major stepping stone toward a synthesis of the ecology and evolution of the Late Cretaceous ecosystems of western North America.

A guidebook to exploring America's newest national monument in a unique part of Utah. The author discusses the Canyons of the Escalante, Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Grand Staircase in terms of weather conditions, locations and resources available in surrounding towns, Native America history, geologic structure, and its history of European exploration and settlement. Contains maps and many b&w photographs.

Lace up your boots and sample the finest trails in southern Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante region and the stunning 1.2-million-acre Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. With thorough descriptions and detailed maps, this book leads you to both well-known and little-used trails. Whether traveling down remote desert roads or up serene canyons, you will be rewarded with vivid memories and a yearning to return.

Up to date with current events, boundaries, and public land information Descriptive trail guides for 25 hikes with color photos and color maps Detailed natural history and archaeology This guidebook covers the original 1.88 million acres of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument designated in 1996 to protect its natural wonders and preserve the area for scientific research. In 2017, the monument was trimmed to 1 million acres, reducing protections around some of the world's most geologically diverse landscapes. The hikes featured in this book range from family-friendly day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips that will excite the most adventurous of spirits and will educate readers about the importance of protecting public lands, visiting sensitive areas with respect, and considering low-impact recreation as a pillar of multi-use policy for enhanced conservation.

Spark your sense of wonder and immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring landscape of Utah's five national parks. Inside Moon Zion & Bryce you'll find: Flexible Itineraries: Unique and adventure-packed ideas ranging from one day in each park to a week-long road trip covering all of them, designed for outdoor adventurers, road-trippers, families, and more The Best Hikes in Utah's National Parks: Individual trail maps, mileage and elevation gains, and backpacking options for Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, and Grand Staircase-Escalante Experience the Outdoors: Trek between the thousand-foot walls of the Narrows, hike Angels Landing to unbelievable canyon views, and marvel at hoodoos in Bryce. Soak up the serenity of winter on cross-country skis or take a week-long road trip to hit every park on your list. Contemplate ancient Indigenous rock art throughout the parks, mountain-bike through the desert in Moab, and stay late to spot constellations in the dark sky How to Get There: Up-to-date information on gateway towns like Moab, park entrances, park fees, and tours Where to Stay: Campgrounds, resorts, and more both inside and outside the parks Planning Tips: When to go, what to pack, safety information, and how to avoid the crowds, with full-color photos and easy-to-use maps throughout Expertise and Know-How: Utah-based outdoorswoman Maya Silver shares her tips for travelers who want to backpack, mountain bike, raft, rock climb, hike, and more Find your adventure in Zion and Bryce with Moon. Visiting more of North America's incredible national parks? Try Moon USA National Parks, Moon Yellowstone & Grand Teton, or Moon Best of Grand Canyon. Hitting the road? Try Moon Southwest Road Trip. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument contains abundant fossil material in most formations within its borders. These formations range in age from Permian to Cretaceous. More than 800 individual fossil localities are known so far, and almost all areas of the monument that were examined contain at least some fossil material. Important new findings of this survey include: several partial dinosaur skeletons in the Kaiparowits Formation; a ceratopsian skull in the Wahweap Formation; the previously unreported presence of many ammonoid and bivalve genera in the monument in the Dakota, Tropic, and Straight Cliffs Formations; the first fossils of any kind from the Entrada Sandstone within the monument, including a dinosaur tracksite containing more than 250 tracks of at least 30 individuals; previously unrecognized sites and abundances of vertebrate ichnogenera in the Navajo, Kayenta, Moenave, and Chinle Formations; the first ichnofossil material from the Wingate Sandstone in the monument; and a previously unreported sponge genus from the Kaibab Limestone. The Cretaceous rocks exposed within the monument contain one of the best and most continuous records of Late Cretaceous terrestrial life in the world. Research on these strata is still in its earliest stages.

The Grand Staircase region, located in Southern Utah, is highly regarded as one of the best places in the world to study the period near the end of the Age of Dinosaurs--a time called the Late Cretaceous. In a relatively short period (geologically speaking) of about 25 million years, southern Utah was at times covered with an ocean teeming with life, swampy shorelines, and massive rivers draining a huge mountain range in the west. This diversity of plant and animal life has led to incredible fossil discoveries in the Late Cretaceous rocks, that have become a critical piece in a puzzle that stretches from Alaska to Mexico. In Where Dinosaurs Roamed, Christa Sadler looks at this important era in the history of life. Modern mammals, birds, and flowering plants were just getting their start, slowly gaining ground in the ecosystems of the time. Many of the fossils that paleontologists have found in southern Utah are unique: big, headline-grabbing creatures such as a dinosaur with fifteen horns; a distinctive cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex; a peculiar scissor-clawed dinosaur with feathers; and a thirty-foot long alligator relative. Add to this a host of smaller vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants, and paleontologists have been able to recreate entire ecosystems from the time between 74 and 100 million years ago. Altogether, these finds paint a picture of life in a very hot world, and may have lessons to teach us about our future world as well.

This is the story of one man's adventures in acquiring and bringing back to life some of America's most enticing and historically significant dwellings. With the eye of a connoisseur, the business acumen derived from a legendary career in international finance, and a Jeffersonian grasp of classical architecture, Richard Hampton Jenrette reveals his charming, often risky, ventures in the world of old houses.