 Westward, the cliffs of tributary canyons give way to the barren stretches of the San Rafael Desert, beyond which a variety of mountains, plateaus and canyons make up the terrain.Most of Bryce Canyon National Park lies in the southwestern part of the county and the northern half of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument occupies the middle of the county.A large portion of Capitol Reef National Park lies in the east-central part of the county.