The Virgin River Gorge, located between St. George, Utah, and

Beaver Dam, Arizona Beaver Dam is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mohave County, Arizona, Mohave County, Arizona, United States, that is located in the Arizona Strip region and was settled in 1863. It is located along Interstate 15 in ...

, is a long canyon that has been carved out by the

Virgin River The Virgin River is a tributary of the Colorado River in the U.S. states of Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. The river is about long.Calculated with Google Maps and Google Earth It was designated Utah's first wild and scenic river in 2009, during the ...

in northwest

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. The Virgin River rises on the

Colorado Plateau The Colorado Plateau, also known as the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. This province covers an area o ...

and created the topography of both

Zion National Park Zion National Park is an American national park located in southwestern Utah near the town of Springdale. Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park has a unique geography and a variety of ...

and the Virgin River Gorge. The Gorge connects the southwestern rim of the Colorado Plateau and the northeastern part of the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

Interstate 15 Interstate 15 (I-15) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States, running through Southern California and the Intermountain West. I-15 begins near the Mexican border in San Diego County and stretches north to Alberta, Cana ...

runs through the canyon and crosses the Virgin River several times. The Virgin River Gorge section of Interstate 15 is one of the most expensive parts of interstate highway ever constructed. Due to the winding of the canyon, the highway within is also noted for its tricky driving conditions. The climate of the canyon is typical of the Mojave Desert with hot summers and mild winters. Flora and fauna in the canyon are also typical of the Mojave. The canyon is popular among

rock climber Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

hiker Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...

s, and campers.

References

External links

Geologic Map of the Littlefield 30' x 60' Quadrangle, Mojave County, Northwestern Arizona
{{Commons category, position=left Landforms of Mohave County, Arizona Canyons and gorges of Arizona Canyons and gorges of Washington County, Utah Canyons and gorges of Utah

See also

References

External links