in Cedar Breaks The amphitheater, located near the west end of the
Colorado Plateau, covers the west side of the
Markagunt Plateau, the same plateau that forms parts of
Zion National Park. Uplift and erosion formed the canyon over millions of years, raising and then wearing away the
shale,
limestone, and
sandstone that were deposited at the bottom of an ancient lake , known as
Lake Claron, about 60 million years ago. It continues to erode at a pace of about every 5 years. Atop the plateau, much of the area is covered by volcanic rock known as
tuff, formed during cataclysmic eruptions around 35 million years ago. The rocks of the eroded canyon contain
iron and
manganese in various combinations, providing brilliant colors that led Indians to call it the
Circle of Painted Cliffs. Iron oxides provide the reds, oranges and yellows, while manganese oxides provide shades of purple. The color of the rock is soft and subtle compared to the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon. The area is a form of
badlands—canyons, spires, walls, and cliffs so steep and confusing that the land, while of great aesthetic value, is of little utilitarian worth. Early settlers called them
badlands or
breaks and created the current name by combining
breaks with
cedar for the many
juniper trees (often incorrectly called
cedars) that grow in the area. Cedar Breaks National Monument was established in 1933. A small lodge designed by
Gilbert Stanley Underwood and built and operated by the
Utah Parks Company once existed near the south end of the monument, but it was razed in 1972. The Cedar Breaks Lodge was the smallest of the park lodges in the Southwest. It was deemed "uneconomical to operate" by the Park Service, but protests associated with its demolition caused the Park Service to re-examine its policies concerning lodges in other parks, contributing to their preservation. ==Climate==