Escalante - Grand Staircase
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a dramatic, multi-hued landscape that is rich in natural and human history. Extending across 1.9 million acres of Utah public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Monument represents a unique combination of archaeological, historical, paleontological, geological, and biological resources. These strikingly beautiful and scientifically important lands are divided into three distinct regions: the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante.
Canyons of the Escalante A huge natural amphitheater has been eroded out of the variegated Pink Cliffs (Claron Formation) near Cedar City, Utah. Millions of years of sedimentation, uplift and erosion have created a deep canyon of rock walls, fins, spires and columns, that spans some three miles, and is over 2,000 feet deep. The rim of the canyon is over 10,000 feet above sea level, and is forested with islands of Englemann spruce, subalpine fir and aspen; separated by broad meadows of brilliant summertime wild flowers. Created in 1996, America's newest National Monument gets its name from the scenic gorges carved by the Escalante River.
Five geological steps create a staircase effect throughout the monument. Each step is composed of cliff faces and rock layers, each with distinctive characteristics and colors. This remote wilderness area is rich in history with over 300 archeological sites - from fossilized remains of the late Cretaceous period to the cliff swellings of the Anasazi Indian civilization. Visitors can enjoy hiking through the maze of canyons or camping in the solitude of breathtaking vistas.
Getting There
The Monument is accessed by two highways and intersected with four scenic backways. US 89 runs along the southern edge, and Highway 12 - recognized as one of the outstanding scenic byways in America- borders the northern edge.
For more information call 435-826-5499 or visit www.ut.blm.gov/monument/
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