Grand Staircase Escalante
The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab should be your first stop when planning a visit to this vast and remote region. Inquire here about canyoneering, hiking, mountain biking, ATV trails, scenic drives, adventure tours, maps and more. The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument Visitor Center is located on East Center Street and is open year round.

A scenic drive through Cottonwood Canyon is a great way to begin exploring Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Gas up and check with the visitor center in Kanab for road closures prior to heading out. Take US-89 for 32 miles until you reach Cottonwood Canyon Road, then head north. The unpaved road follows Cottonwood Wash as it winds through rugged cliffs, red rock formations and open wilderness. You'll pass the old Paria movie set. About 25.5 miles north of US-89, you'll reach the unmarked trailhead for Cottonwood Wash Narrows. A moderate hike along Cockscomb ridge leads deep into this popular slot canyon enclosed by sheer sandstone walls. Next, continue north to nearby Kodachrome Basin State Park or to Grosvenor Arch, a massive natural sandstone arch standing 152 feet high and spanning 92 feet across.

For a trace of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument's Old West heritage, try a scenic backcountry drive through Johnson Canyon. Johnson Canyon Road offers breathtaking views of Vermillion, White, and Pink steps of the Grand Staircase. You'll pass the old Gunsmoke movie set, the largest set constructed in the Kanab area, which can be viewed from the road about five miles from the US-89 turnoff. The partially paved Johnson Canyon Road also leads to Bull Valley Gorge, one of the narrowest and deepest slot canyons within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Adventurers who complete the challenging full-day hike into Bull Valley Gorge will be see something unusual: an old pickup wedged between a bridge of boulders and tree trunks.

Heading north on US-89 leads to Scenic Byway 12, Utah's first All-American road which winds throughout parts of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Visit the rock formations in Devil's Garden, located along Hole-in-the-Rock Road or continue on the Burr Trial. Head east on US-89 for about 60 miles from Kanab to the white stone Wahweap Hoodoos on the edge of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The four-mile hike through Wahweap Wash is fairly easy, and leads to two more challenging hikes to reach additional coves of hoodoos. Head back west about 12 miles for a short hike to the Rimrock Hoodoos.

Common hikes within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument include the 5.5-mile moderately strenuous hike along a developed trail through Lower Calf Creek Falls and more challenging hikes such as Death Hollow, The Gulch, and Twenty-mile Wash. Permits are required for extended backcountry hikes, and can be obtained at the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab.