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Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Includes  Why Go? Day Hikes...... 140 The largest park in the Southwest, -Escalante Overnight Hikes. . . . . 144 National Monument (GSENM) features spectacular scenery Driving...... 145 in rough-cut wilderness. From the Grand Canyon floor, geo- Cycling...... 149 logical strata climb in staircase fashion 3500ft to Bryce Can- yon and the canyons. These rock layers tell Sleeping...... 149 260 million years of history in a riot of color. The diversity of landscapes is astounding – pink dunes, white cliffs, red canyons, vast slickrock and undulating slot canyons. The monument was established in 1996 by US President Best Hikes Bill Clinton in a controversial designation. Many ranchers and residents were concerned about losing access. Local ¨¨Slot Canyons of Dry Fork/ legislators and mining interests were stymied. Environment (p142) activists appeared and conflicts ensued. Years later, federal ¨¨Willis Creek (p143) versus local control is still a hot issue, though there is also rec- ¨¨Lower Calf Creek Falls ognition that the land needs, and deserves, some protection. (p141) ¨¨Escalante River Natural Bridge (p140) Driving Distances (miles) Bryce Canyon National Park ¨¨Boulder Mail Trail (p144) (Park Entrance) 80

Escalante 30 50 Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Canonville Visitor Center) 65 15 35

Best Drives Kanab 150 75 120 85 ¨¨Burr Trail (p145) Grand Canyon North Rim (Park Entrance) 2157145 190 155 0 ¨¨Hole-in-the Rock Road (p145) ¨¨Cottonwood Canyon Road (p147) Boulder Bryce Canyon National Park (Park Entrance) Escalant e Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Canonville Visitor Center ) Kana b

Note: Distances are approximate Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument k Day Hikes 137 - - - - -

- icies & l ational (www.blm. ations taircase- l - in devel Campfires rand S rand egu G Total area:Total 2969 sq miles 4900ft Elevation: Average high/low Park Po R stay must All vehicles roads, on designated open to which are cars, bikes, mountain - vehi all-terrain 4WDs, and other (ATVs) cles vehicles. off-highway are oped campgrounds rings; to fire restricted allowed you’re elsewhere not Do pan. a fire use to at archaeolog light fires shel- or in rock sites ical Banned or alcoves. ters dogs Gulch, in Coyote elsewhere, allowed are leashed. often ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ scalante N 13°C) temperature Escalante) (at in July: 91°F/55°F (33°C/ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ Reservations While GSENM camp grounds do not accept res ervations, park the state campgroundsand private wild campdo. Campers may on Bureau of Land Manage ment land, following regu standardand Leave lations ethics. Some pop Trace No require permitsular hikes based on a lottery system. Resources Fast Facts E Monument gov/ut/st/en/fo/grand_ staircase-escalante.html)

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You’ll need a free permit to car-camp or backpack overnight, need a You’ll In the south, Hwy 89 arcs east from the larger town of the south, Hwy 89 arcs east from the larger In Don’t Miss Don’t multiple visits. to it is conducive big that GSENM is so or Calf Creek (Lower Boulder near with a hike Start the slot of some and explore Bridge) Natural Escalante drive time, have If you Rd. on Hole-in-the-Rock canyons the and enjoy Kanab toward Rd Canyon the Cottonwood hikes. lesser-known its of solitude There is no comprehensive topo for the park but the Fill up on water at visitor centers, since there is none at Check with rangers at a visitor center about road Day use is generally free. Visitor centers in Escalante, ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ National Geographic Trails Illustrated (www.natgeomaps. Illustrated Trails Geographic National mapcom) No 710, Canyons of the Escalante, covers the northeast corner of the park. trailheads and most campgrounds. conditions, the weather forecast and the type of vehicle suitable for the roads you plan to travel. Much of the park is on 4WD roads and clay surfaces become impassable when wet. Cannonville and Kanab offer free park bulletins and maps, and sell more detailed maps, like the USGS 7.5-quadrangles. ¨ ¨ ¨

¨ When Arrive You use fee. jor trailhead. Only Calf Creek Recreation Area carries a day- Only Calf Creek Recreation jor trailhead. ly paved Burr Trail crosses the monument’s northeast corner crosses the monument’s Burr Trail ly paved Reef. from Boulder into Capitol kiosk or ma information center, visitor from any available Kanab. Three unpaved roads cross the park between the cross the park between roads Kanab. Three unpaved roughly north Johnson to south: Skutumpah and highways, Mountain Rd and Smoky Canyon Rds, Cottonwood Canyon leads southeast Rd, a dead end, from Rd. Hole-in-the-Rock Part Area. Recreation National Hwy 12 toward Glen Canyon ernmost Grand Staircase, south of Bryce Staircase, ernmost and west Grand Canyon east Plateau, Kaiparowits Rd; central Canyon of Cottonwood Rd; of Hole-in-the-Rock Rd and west Canyon of Cottonwood of the Burr southwest and the eastern Escalante Canyons, the north, skirts scenic Hwy 12 the boundaryIn of Trail. towns of Escalante and through the small GSENM, passing Boulder. There is accessible monument the stations; entrance are no the west areas: geologic three major encompasses It 24/7. Entrances