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Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Utah > Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Highlights:

Great expanse of scenic wilderness, with arches, cliffs, many narrow canyons and countless rock formations, based around two major rivers (Paria and Escalante) and their tributaries. Also contains most of the Grand Staircase, a series of differently colored sandstone escarpments

Nearby towns:

Bryce Canyon, Torrey

Management:

BLM

Location:

37.770, -111.601 (Escalante)

Seasons:

All year, but low elevation areas are rather hot in summer, and access roads are often impassable during wet weather

Rating (1-5):

★★★★★

Weather:

Weather Forecast

Escalante is a small town at the center of south Utah, surrounded by some of the most rugged yet beautiful country in the state. The areas to the south and east were amongst the last places in America to be explored and mapped, and have long been popular with adventurous explorers and back-country enthusiasts because of the countless spectacular canyons, badlands, cliffs, hoodoos, arches and other red rock formations, and the peace and solitude provided by the region.

The land is lightly regulated; there is very little development, no entrance fee, few facilities, and free primitive camping is allowed almost anywhere. A small number of places have a maintained path, or a recognized trailhead, but for the most part, exploration is off trail, cross-country.

The area has been protected since September 1996 after the establishment of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (administered by the BLM rather than the NPS), which covers 1.7 million mostly roadless acres, bordered approximately by Capitol Reef National Park to the northeast, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area to the southeast, road UT 12 to the north, Paunsaugunt Plateau to the west and road US 89 to the south (see map).

Grand Staircase-Escalante Table of Contents

Map of the national monument
Introduction
The East - the Escalante River
Escalante locations
Escalante trails
Escalante tours
Escalante canyons
The West - the Paria River
Paria locations
Paria rock formations
Paria canyons

Location

Overview map of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

The upper end of Death Hollow

Narrow passage in Willis Creek

⇧

Introduction

The principal attractions within the preserve are based around tributaries of the two major river systems - the Paria in the west and the Escalante in the east, around which are a series of escarpments of differently colored sandstone strata - the Grand Staircase - which extend to neighboring areas like Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks and the Vermilion Cliffs. The creation of the national monument was met with a mixed response, since the added protection and restrictions on further industrial development of the area were counterbalanced by the increase in visitation, with consequent problems of pollution and spoiling of the environment. Partly because of these issues, the monument was, in December 2017, split into three separate preserves, the Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits and Escalante Canyons units, totaling about 60 percent of the original area, however this was reversed in 2021.

The Nautilus

Yellow Rock

Streaked sandstone

The Burr Trail entrance

Calf Creek Canyon

⇧

Grand Staircase - The East - the Escalante River

The largest canyon system in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is formed by the Escalante River. This, the last in all America to be discovered and mapped, runs through the small town of Escalante and then down a long canyon towards Lake Powell, en route joined by dozens of side-canyons, many of which are quite narrow and fascinating to explore. This region also has numerous natural bridges and arches, plateaus and ridges, but there are only two maintained access routes - the Burr Trail and the Hole-in-the-Rock road, and quite lengthy hiking is necessary to reach most of the interesting places. One alternative is sightseeing by boat from the lake, as the lower reaches of the Escalante River are flooded.

Escalante Locations

Burr Trail

Mostly paved backcountry road that leads east from Boulder into Capitol Reef National Park, where it meets the Notom-Bullfrog Road. Gives access to many canyons

Hell's Backbone Road

Scenic, unpaved road between Escalante and Boulder that climbs high up the southern slopes of Boulder Mountain, round the upper ends of several deep canyons

Escalante and Boulder

Two small towns in the northeast, linked by scenic route 12, described by some as the most beautiful paved road in Utah

Hole-in-the-Rock Road

The main access to the western Escalante River and its numerous tributary canyons; an unpaved, 55 mile route that is usually fine for all vehicles apart from the last few miles, which lead to a viewpoint above Lake Powell

⇧

Escalante Trails

Boulder Mail Trail
★★★★★

14.5 miles, 1,140 feet

Historic, cross-country route between Boulder and Escalante, over three major drainages (Sand Creek, Death Hollow, Mamie Creek) and expansive slickrock benches

Cosmic Ashtray
★★★★★

4.6 miles, 200 feet

Cross-country route to a huge, sand-filled crater, ringed by partly overhanging cliffs, with a rock pillar at the center; created by wind erosion

Escalante River Trail
★★★★★

2.5 miles, 100 feet

Varied trail along the wide Escalante River canyon west of UT 12, passing two arches, some Anasazi ruins, a petroglyph panel and a narrow tributary ravine

Lower Calf Creek Falls
★★★★★

2.75 miles, 200 feet

Popular path that follows a sheer-walled riparian canyon, either close to the stream or across more arid land above, to a dramatic waterfall in a sheltered alcove

Upper Calf Creek Falls
★★★★★

1.1 miles, 560 feet

88 foot waterfall close to UT 12, reached by a steep descent down a white slickrock slope

⇧

Escalante Tours

Affiliate disclosure

⇧

Escalante Canyons

Big Horn Canyon
★★★★★

3.8 miles, 700 feet

Medium depth drainage that has several stretches of shallow narrows in its east (main) fork, and a short but deeper, more colorful and photogenic slot in the west fork

Boulder Creek
★★★★★

1.5 miles, 400 feet

Short, cross country hike down a rocky ravine into the middle part of Boulder Creek

Brimstone Gulch
★★★★★

2.9 miles, 350 feet

Extremely dark and enclosed slot that eventually becomes too narrow to explore at ground level

Coyote Gulch, Dry Fork
★★★★★

1.1 miles, 200 feet

Long drainage containing 0.7 miles of moderately deep and narrow passageways near its upper end

Death Hollow
★★★★★

2 miles, 600 feet

Off trail hike into the lower end of Death Hollow, a deep canyon through sheer Navajo sandstone cliffs, containing a permanent stream

Egypt 3
★★★★★

2.7 miles, 400 feet

Excellent narrows in three distinct sections; a long succession of interlinked potholes, followed by extremely narrow passageways through strangely textured rocks, and finally a lower technical section with drop-off and pool

Escalante River Slot Canyon
★★★★★

1.4 miles, 500 feet

Minor tributary ravine on the south side of the Escalante River, quite easily accessible from Hwy 12; forms a nice short slot, with shallow pools and twisting passages through dark-colored sandstone

The Gulch
★★★★★

10 miles, 650 feet (loop)

Major Escalante River tributary containing a permanent stream, and joined by several side-canyons that form short slots; accessed from the Burr Trail

Harris Wash
★★★★★

5.3 miles, 300 feet

Long, deep and relatively wide drainage providing an obstruction-free hiking route to the Escalante River. Four tributaries forms slots, most unusual (and shortest) being stripy Zebra Slot and enclosed Tunnel Slot

Little Death Hollow
★★★★★

8 miles, 600 feet

Remote, east-side Escalante tributary that after a long open section, eventually forms a fine slot canyon, with over 2 miles of narrow, twisting passageways through colorful Wingate sandstone

Peekaboo Gulch
★★★★★

1.1 miles, 180 feet

Minor tributary of Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch forming a short slot at its southern end, containing sharp fins, interlinked potholes several small arches

Phipps Wash
★★★★★

5 miles, 800 feet

Large sandstone arch, reached by hiking across sand and slickrock then down the deepening drainage of Phipps Wash, which eventually meets the Escalante River

Red Breaks
★★★★★

3 miles, 500 feet

Extensive, branched, north-side tributary of Harris Wash in a rarely visited area

Spencer Canyon
★★★★★

4 miles, 550 feet

Short, branched, south side tributary of the Escalante River; longest fork is straight and vertical-walled, with a tight, dark slot in the upper end

Spooky Gulch
★★★★★

1.2 miles, 220 feet

Short, narrow, claustrophobic slot canyon, a tributary of Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch

⇧

Grand Staircase - The West - the Paria River

The western section of the national monument contains most of the Grand Staircase, a series of uplifted sandstone cliffs stretching in order of increasing age between Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon. Cutting through the cliffs is one of the two major canyon systems; that formed by the Paria River and its many tributaries. The main access to the upper reaches of the river is by the 50-mile Cottonwood Canyon Road running between Cannonville and US 89; this is a bumpy gravel track that is often impassable after rains due to the clayish soils. The most visited section of the river is towards the south, either side of the Hwy 89 crossing, where popular places include the Paria Rimrocks and the Paria townsite, while just outside the national monument are the Paria River narrows, the Buckskin Gulch slot canyon and the eroded features of Coyote Buttes and the Wave.

Paria Locations

Cottonwood Canyon Road

Lengthy unpaved road through the national monument, also a useful short-cut between UT 12 (near Kodachrome Basin State Park) and US 89 close to the Paria River ranger station.

Paria Rimrocks (Toadstool Hoodoos)

Fantastic rock formations near the Paria River; colorful strata, hoodoos and strangely shaped rocks, in many shades of red and white

US 89 and Paria

Side roads of US 89, including Johnson Canyon Road, Paria River Valley Road and the Paria ghost town/movie set

⇧

Paria Rock Formations

Nautilus Rock
★★★★★

1.1 miles, 130 feet

Shell-shaped outcrop of Page sandstone, split by a curving, wave-like gully, lined by thin, delicate fins and ridges; a very photogenic location

Wahweaap Hoodoos
★★★★★

4.6 miles, 300 feet

Photogenic group of pinnacles and balanced rocks surrounded by undulating mounds and cliffs of white entrada sandstone. Hike also passes a few short slot canyons

Yellow Rock
★★★★★

1 miles, 780 feet

Smooth-sided dome of swirling, multicolored Navajo sandstone, reached by a short but steep trail; many photogenic patterns and textures

⇧

Paria Canyons

Booker Canyon
★★★★★

3 miles, 600 feet

Short but pretty narrows in a remote, little-visited region; a tight, V-shaped slot that gives way to a deeper canyon through photogenic, angled, thin-layered rocks

Bull Valley Gorge
★★★★★

2 miles, 500 feet

Good, deep narrows through colorful, thin-layered sandstone, containing long muddy pools and several dryfalls, hence quite testing to explore

Catstair Canyon
★★★★★

1 mile, 210 feet

Short, red rock canyon through the Cockscomb, alongside US 89; narrows, dryfalls, and a stack of 1950s cars

Cottonwood Wash Narrows
★★★★★

3.2 miles, 300 feet

Short enclosed section of canyon running parallel to Cottonwood Canyon Road, through the angled strata of the Coxcomb

Hackberry Canyon
★★★★★

2 miles, 120 feet

The lower end of Hackberry Canyon forms a deep gorge through light-colored Navajo sandstone, while a shallow creek flows through

Lick Wash
★★★★★

0.9 miles, 120 feet

Brief narrows section enclosed by unusual thin-layered, cross-bedded sandstone; not especially colorful but interesting nonetheless, and quite photogenic

Paria Box
★★★★★

1.8 miles, 400 feet

Short enclosed section of the Paria River, with cliffs up to 300 feet tall; viewed along an easy trail that ends at an elevated viewpoint

Paria River
★★★★★

7 miles, 300 feet

Rival of the Zion Narrows to be the best narrow, water-filled canyon in the Southwest - a usually shallow river flowing through miles of enclosed passageways

Round Valley Draw
★★★★★

2.8 miles, 350 feet

Deep, dark canyon through dull-colored sandstone, thin-layered in some places and nicely eroded. The narrows extend for about a mile, then the gorge gradually opens out and pine trees grow beside the streambed

Starlight Canyon
★★★★★

5.8 miles, 500 feet

Short slot canyon in a remote location. Tributary of the Paria River, wide for most of its length, that forms a pretty, enclosed passageway containing a small stream, flowing through pools and cascades

Upper Sand Creek
★★★★★

3 miles, 550 feet

Remote, trailless, overgrown drainage, winding beneath tall pines and sandstone cliffs, part of the Box-Death Hollow Wilderness

Willis Creek
★★★★★

0.9 miles, 150 feet

Permanent stream flowing through some beautiful narrow sections, between curvy, nicely eroded walls streaked with desert varnish

Singing Canyon

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