
He was transferred to a station in nearby Panguitch in 1915 and wrote that visiting what is now known as Sunset Point set off his desire to protect the area. Humphrey as the person "most responsible" for making the canyon a national park. Park historians wrote that Bryce helped build a seven-mile irrigation ditch and built a road in the area, leading to people calling it "Bryce's Canyon" - a name that would eventually stick.īut the story of how it ended up as a national park essentially began in the early 20th century. Multiple explorers either passed through the area or likely did in the 1700s and early 1800s, before Ebenezer Bryce and his family settled in 1875, joining a few families that moved to the area the year before. While Native Americans were known to live in the surrounding areas, about 12,000 years ago, the National Park Service points out that the earliest known human interaction with what is now known as Bryce Canyon dates back to the Fremont culture at about 200 A.D., with the Paiute Tribe occupying it for the first time around 1200 A.D.

Its "distinctive" red rock hoodoos, spires and towers were formed first through the vast water that used to exist in the region, before these rocks were reshaped through the shifting of the earth, weathering and erosion over a long period of time into the splendor seen today, the U.S. The canyon contains "unusual scenic beauty, scientific interest and importance and it appears that the public interests will be promoted by reserving these areas with as much land as may be necessary for the proper protection thereof as a national monument," Harding wrote in his proclamation.īut the steps to get to that point began many years before Harding's proclamation and there were a few steps left before turning the canyon into the park that millions of people visit every year.īryce Canyon's unusual scenic beauty took millions of years to craft.

Harding designated Bryce Canyon a national monument, putting it on track to become Utah's second national park almost five years later. history for KSL.com's Historic section.īRYCE CANYON - Thursday marks 100 years since U.S.
#Weather forecast for bryce canyon utah series
It might be nippy but it’s worth it.Editor's note: This article is a part of a series reviewing Utah and U.S. So layer up, pack warm and check the weather. Snow can start in October and can last until April, but the coldest months are December through February.

Winter: Snow-capped hoodoos might be dazzling, but they come at a cost: Winter temps in Bryce almost always dip below freezing and the days can be brisk.As always, check the weather forecast and bring one layer warmer than you think you’ll need. October is a weather checkerboard, with storms some days and perfect blue skies the next. Fall: Winter can come quickly in Bryce, but September temperatures are ideal, usually staying in the 70s during the day.Exercise caution, however: Summer rains start in late July and August and can leave you drenched and exposed to lightning. It’s a perfect time to beat the city heat and head out into the fresh, thin air.

The temps hover in the low 70s in June and hit the 80s in July and August, making hiking a much less sweaty affair than in other parts of southern Utah. Summer: Summer is beautiful in Bryce Canyon.Be prepared for snowstorms in March and April. Spring: Bryce’s spring is closer to winter and temps don’t really start warming until May.It's warm (but not hot) in the summer, and snows in the winter, allowing this playground to stay open all year long. Bryce Canyon's elevation makes the weather ideal during all four seasons.
