Temples and Towers of the Virgin

This imposing rock formation -- thought to be the tallest sandstone towers in the world -- provides the backdrop for the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and is one of the most memorable images of the park. The West Temple is the tallest, rising 3,800 feet from the canyon floor. The temples and towers are comprised of Navajo Sandstone, a reminder of a time when this area was a vast desert covered with sand dunes. The great dunes were eventually covered with other sediments and turned to rock; iron oxide in groundwater gave the sandstone its red color.