Kodachrome Basin is a small, popular state park situated a few miles south of UT 12 due east of Bryce Canyon, and reached by a paved road. The park contains eroded, multicolored rock formations in various shades of red, yellow, pink, white and brown; together with the (usually) deep blue sky and occasional green vegetation this combination led the National Geographical Society to name the area, with the consent of the Kodak Film Corp. The one unique feature of the park is the presence of many spires or 'chimneys' of rock, known as sand pipes, which are thought to be solidified sediment that filled ancient springs or geysers, left standing after the softer surrounding Entrada sandstone rock weathered away.
Exploring: All trails and features can be explored in less than one day. The best place too see the sand pipes and other formations is the Grand Parade along the park road, and two easy footpaths wind through the nearby rocks. The road ends at a 27 site campground, where the short but rather steep and narrow Eagles View Trail begins. This climbs 460 feet to a pass at the top of the cliffs encircling the basin and offers the best overall views (see QTVR). Another longer route is the Panorama Trail, a 3 mile loop past more pipes to another good viewpoint from where a continuation path heads further west to the site of an old geyser. An unpaved road forks east from near the ranger residence, with two branches, one leading to Chimney Rock - the largest sand pipe in the park, and the other towards Shakespeare Arch.
Surroundings: The surrounding country is also worth exploring, for example to see Grosvenor Arch, one of the largest of such structures in the state, which is located 10 miles southeast. Dirt tracks lead from the near the park into a large wilderness area, at the south edge of which is Lake Powell. Many colorful canyons, mesas and arches can be explored by 4WD vehicle and hiking trails; particularly notable areas are Cottonwood Canyon and the Paria River and its tributaries. This region now falls within the boundaries of the Grand Staircase -
Escalante National Monument.
Kodachrome Basin Hotels: The nearby towns of Tropic and Cannonville have a few motels, as does Bryce Canyon.
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| Main attractions: |
Red, yellow, pink, white and brown-colored eroded rock formations, most unusual being the tall white columns (sand pipes) rising high above the softer surrounding rocks. Park has a pleasant campground and several short, scenic trails |
| Nearest city with hotels: |
Bryce Canyon, 19 miles |
| Management: |
Utah State Parks |
| Location: |
37.51635, -111.988635 |
| Seasons: |
All year |
Kodachrome Basin - Hiking
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| Shakespeare Arch - isolated arch reached by a short trail |
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