Steppin' It Up at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

A couple of years ago, we spent some time in southern Utah.  Between the National Parks, National Monuments, and scenic byways, we keep returning to this area.  

On this particular trip, we will do something new for us. We will explore Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  Obviously, we didn’t see all 1.9 million acres of it but the landscape we did see was pretty impressive.

Entrance Sign and Park Map

The main Visitor Center for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is in Kanab (745 E. Highway 89, Kanab, UT, 84741; 435-644-1300). However, you can find other Visitor Centers in Cannonville, Big Water, Escalante, and at Anasazi State Park.    

Visitor Center in Escalante

We were about 10 miles south of Fredonia when we got our first distant view of the “staircase” (at the time we were on our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon).   

I wasn’t sure what to expect but I found out this isn’t your typical stairway …

The “steps” are bands of rock layers. Since I’m not a geologist, I found this description: “The National Monument’s name is a reference to the series of cliffs rising from south to north from the foot of the Kaibab Plateau (adjacent to the Grand Canyon) to the rim of Bryce Canyon. The five cliff formations—Pink, Gray, White, Vermilion, and Chocolate—are classic examples of biological diversity, spanning five different life zones. Each cliff band is separated by progressively higher terraces.”

After a short drive, we entered the Kaibab National Forest. We stopped at a parking lot (LeFever Overlook - 6,700 feet elevation). From this vantage point, we get a full view of the colorful succession of “risers” that make up the Grand Staircase.  

In 1996, almost 1.9 million acres was designated as the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The park is divided into three sections: The Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits Plateau and the Escalante Canyons.

We spend the night in Kanab, Utah. In the morning, we fill our rental vehicle with gas and make sure we have plenty of food and water for our trek into the wilderness. 

While we are visiting the Monument, we will drive on two of the interior roads – Skutumpah Road and Cottonwood Canyon Road. These unpaved and remote roads may be impassable in wet conditions so check with one of the Visitor Centers before you begin your journey. Today, the road conditions are dry. Since we don’t have a high clearance vehicle, we will take it slow and enjoy the great scenery. So, let’s get going ...

From Kanab, we go east on US-89 (southern side of the Monument) and drive 10 miles to Johnson Canyon Road. We turn north and drive another 15-20 minutes before entering the National Monument.

Johnson Canyon Road

We turn onto Skutumpah Road #500. This is a rugged 34 mile dirt road that runs between Johnson Canyon Road and Cannonville.     

Since we will be spending the night in Cannonville, we take our time traveling and admiring the scenic beauty along this stretch of road. If you are short on time, we were told to allow two hours of driving time to travel the entire distance from Glendale, Utah to Cannonville, Utah. But if you are like us, we can never drive somewhere without stopping to take pictures or going for a hike. So, it takes us longer than normal to get from Point A to Point B. This allows us to appreciate the journey as well as the destination.

 Skutumpah Road - Distant Views of the "Staircase"

There are always distractions along the way and Skutumpah Road is no exception. Here we find two slot canyons (Lick Wash and Willis Creek) that are easy to walk.

We arrive at Lick Wash. "Carved by flood waters over eons of time, Lick Wash snakes through towering Navaho Sandstone walls exposing how the rock straya was formed. Deposited during the Jurassic Period (190 million years ago) when the region was a Sahara-like desert, prevailing winds laid down tiers of sand one way in the summer and another way in the winter to form cross-bedded layers."

Lick Wash

We are told the first 1.5 miles of the slot canyon are the best. So we take our time listening to the quiet (no one else is here) and photographing the rocky swirls and lines of the canyon walls.  

Hiking in the Slot Canyon (Lick Wash)

We return to the car and continue driving down the dusty narrow, hilly road until we reach Willis Creek. We have about 30 minutes before sunset.   

Willis Creek is a puddle-jumping, shallow creek that runs down the middle of the canyon floor. Its quick and easy access makes this slot canyon a popular spot.

Willis Creek - Slot Canyon

Numerous times, we cross the creek with the aid of stepping stones. It is a good thing the slot canyon is not very long because the sun sets and we still have 8 miles to drive on this primitive road.

It is 7:30 p.m. when we head for Cannonville. It is a very small town but there is a hotel that has a store with some food. We get an oven baked pizza and take it to our room and settle in for the night.

The next morning, we decide to drive to Grosvenor Arch.  We turn onto Kodachrome Way (in my head I’m hearing Paul Simon singing Kodachrome – that tune will stay with me all day!). We pass the entrance to Kodachrome State Park – that will have to wait for a future visit.   

We drive nine or ten miles on the Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Backway to Grosvenor Arch.

Cottonwood Canyon Road

The arch is easily seen from the parking lot but a short walk down a sidewalk provides a closer vantage point for photographing it and appreciating its graceful and natural beauty.

 “The massive sandstone formation stands 152 feet high and spans 92 feet. Originally called Butler Arch by the early settlers, Grosvenor Arch was renamed in 1947 for a former president of the National Geographic Society. Formerly part of Kodachrome Basin this double arch now lies within the boundaries of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.”  

Grosvenor (double) Arch

We leave the arch and return to Cannonvillle and UT-12. A portion of UT-12 is a scenic byway that traverses through a corner of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. “This 60 mile stretch of road (from Cannonville to Boulder, Utah) is considered to have some of the best scenery in the Monument.”

Powell Point on UT-12 (Blues Overlook and Pink Cliffs)

“The Upper Blues Overlook/Powell Point (7,600’ elevation) was named after John Wesley Powell, who led expeditions in the late 1800s to map this region which at that time was one of the last “blank spots on the map” of the continental U.S. The Blues Overlook sits across from the delicate pink limestone ledges of Powell Point, which rises to an elevation of 10,188 feet, and above “The Blues,” a badland of gray-green shales deposited some 80 million years ago when the area was covered by an inland ocean.”

We stop at the Escalante Visitor Center before continuing east on UT-12 (an All American Road) … but that’s another blog post.

For photos and other information regarding nearby parks and scenic drives, I invite you to view my blog posts by clicking on the following links:

An All American Road - Scenic UT-12

High On Zion NP

Bryce is Nice - Bryce Canyon NP

We're Heading South to the North Rim (Grand Canyon)

Family vacations created some of my favorite memories. To start planning your memorable trip to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, click on the “Plan Your Visit” link below:

Plan Your Visit - Grand Staircase Escalante NM

or

Visit Utah - Life Elevated - Grand Staircase Escalante NM

For information about slot canyon hiking, lodging/camping, and other pertinent information, please click on the following link:

Hiking Grand Staircase Escalante NM