Plan Your Visit to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Travel Guide
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is known for its stair-shaped cliffs of pink, gray, white, vermillion, and chocolate rock. You will find everything Utah’s National Parks are known for: scenic drives, desert waterfalls, narrow slot canyons, natural bridges, arches, toadstools, slick rock canyons, badlands, green forests, and pictographs. Scenic drives, hiking, off-roading, swimming under waterfalls, and camping are popular activities at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This area is remote and huge (1.9 million acres). Do not skip Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument if you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure.
You are excited to visit Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and want to know the best time of year to visit, where to stay, what not to miss, and where to eat while there. Researching the best things to do while visiting Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument while working full time is overwhelming and you don’t have hours to spend on the internet. Save time and plan an unforgettable trip full of top activities with this Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument travel blog.
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Where is Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Grand Staircase-Escalante is located in south-central Utah. The area is bordered by Bryce Canyon to the northwest, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the east, and Capitol Reef National Park to the northeast.
Facts About Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Due to its remoteness, Grand Staircase-Escalante was the last area of the continental US to be mapped.
Grand Staircase-Escalante became a national monument in 1996.
The monument is 1.9 million acres, slightly larger than the state of Delaware.
There are three regions: the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante.
Grand Staircase consists of a progression of geological steps descending to Arizona’s Grand Canyon.
There are fossils over 70 million years old in Grand Staircase-Escalante, including fish, turtles, shark teeth, plant life, and dinosaurs.
Best Time of Year to Visit the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
May, June, and September have the least amount of precipitation and are the best times to visit the slot canyons. September and October have mild weather. It is often over 100° in the summer and below freezing in the winter. November-March receives the highest amount of precipitation in the form of both rain and snow making many roads impassable.
Accommodation in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
There is no fee to boondock (dry camp) at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Check the visitor center for a map of available sites. There are also two first-come, first-serve campgrounds: Deer Creek Campground and Calf Creek Campground. You will find MANY campsites and small towns with accommodations throughout this 1.9-million-acre area.
Highlights of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Drive incredible scenic drives, high clearance vehicle required (see below)
Photograph Grosvenor Arch
Go canyoneering at Golden Cathedral
Scramble through slot canyons (see below)
Hike backcountry trails (see below)
Rappel into the Cosmic Ashtray
Swim under Lower Calf Creek Falls
Scenic Drives in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
All American Road Scenic Hwy 12 runs 123 miles through the monument with scenic viewpoints scattered throughout the drive.
Follow the pioneer’s route on the 62-mile Hole-in-the-Rock Scenic Drive to Devils Garden, Peek-a-Boo, and Spooky slot canyons.
Drive Hell’s Backbone through a desert forest to Hell’s Backbone Bridge.
Take the Burr Trail Scenic Backway to Singing Canyon, Long Canyon overlook, and Waterpocket Fold switchbacks.
Follow scenic Cottonwood Canyon Road to Kodachrome Basin State Park, Grosvenor Arch, and the Cottonwood Narrows.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s Slot Canyons
Combine Zebra Slot with Tunnel Slot for a 6.6-mile RT hike, expect water up to your waist in the slot.
Combine Dry Fork Narrows, Peekaboo Slot (scrambling required) with Spooky Slot (11 inches wide!) for a 4.4-mile hike
Visit Cottonwood Narrows (3-mile trail) and Hackberry Canyon (4-mile trail) off Cottonwood Canyon Road.
Head to Red Breaks Slot Canyon for a canyoneering adventure, 7.3 miles RT.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Hikes
Walk the 1-mile loop through Devil’s Garden’s sandstone hoodoos, arches, and domes.
100 Hands Pictograph Panel Hike, 1.1 miles
Hike 2.2 miles to Cedar Wash Arch
Explore the toadstool formations on the 1.5-mile Toadstool Hoodoos Trailhead.
Check out Escalante Natural Bridge, 5.5 miles roundtrip with 12 river crossings.
Explore Lower Half Calf Creek Falls, 6 miles RT
Hike 8.3 miles to the Cosmic Ashtray
Challenge yourself with river crossings on the Golden Cathedral Trail, 9.1 miles RT.
See Steven’s Arch and narrow canyons on the Coyote Gulch and Hurricane Wash’s 10-mile hike.
Check out Jacob Hamblin Arch, 15 miles RT
Hike 18 miles through the backcountry to Reflection Canyon.
One Day in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Visit Grosvenor Arch.
Drive Scenic Hwy 12 stopping to take in the view at the overlooks.
Drive the Burr Trail Scenic Backway switchbacks and take a walk through Singing Canyon.
Have dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm.
Be sure to check the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Park Service for current events.
Tips for Visiting Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Be prepared. Most roads are dirt, clay, or gravel and may be in poor condition.
Trails are unmarked and there are few signs.
Mountain bikes are not allowed on slick rock.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is in the backcountry, download offline maps or bring a GPS.
There are not many services. Start with a full tank of gas and bring a lot of water and snacks.
Backcountry trails may not be well marked, Cairns (piles of stacked rocks) are often used to mark the route.
Start hikes early. There is very little shade on trails, sunscreen is mandatory.
Bring double the amount of water you think you will need.
Be on the lookout for rattlesnakes, babies are the most dangerous.
Many roads are backcountry and require high-clearance vehicles, be sure you have a spare tire.
Roads may be washboarded, consider letting some air out of the tires.
Sudden heavy rains can make this road impassable, and a tow can cost over 1k out here – turn back. For the latest road conditions call the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center at 435-826-5499.
Dogs are allowed but not recommended in Dry Fork, Peekaboo, or Spooky Slot Canyons.
Practice Leave No Trace Principles.
Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass and keep exploring National Parks
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