Thirteen majestic natural formations, erupting from a defined area of the southwestern desert floor, are designated as Monuments by the U.S. Department of Interior. To better understand these Monuments of the Southern Plateau, more specifically referred to as the Southern Colorado Plateau, you must first identify, locate and grasp the magnitude of the area that is home to the monuments.
Southern Colorado Plateau
The Southern Colorado Plateau encompasses the four-corners area of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. Its name is derived from the Colorado River that meanders through it. Each of the four states is home to one or more of the 13 National Monuments.
Monuments
Because of the significance of the Monuments in the Southern Colorado Plateau, the U.S. National Park Service is responsible for their protection and preservation. New Mexico contains six of these, with five in Arizona, one in Utah and one in Colorado.
Magnitude and Significance
The Southern Colorado Plateau Monuments are combinations of mountains, canyons, deserts and rivers. Because of the unique ecology, geology, history, culture, climate, vegetation, and wildlife information each of the monuments provides, they are individually important not only as sightseeing destinations, but also for their historical and scientific value that must be preserved.
Tags: Colorado Plateau, Southern Colorado, Southern Colorado Plateau, Monuments Southern, Monuments Southern Plateau, Southern Plateau
