Grand Staircase-Escalante
We drove through Grand Staircase-Escalante on Scenic Byway 12, between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. It’s slot canyons, waterfalls and slickrock, with Escalante and Boulder as the bases.
In July 2026 the monument was cut to about 181,500 acres, around a tenth of its former size. What remains is the Canyons of the Escalante unit, which includes Calf Creek, and the small Kaiparowits Horizon unit. The land taken out is still federal public land.
Top sights
Lower Calf Creek Falls
A sandy 6-mile round trip to a 126-foot waterfall, in the Canyons of the Escalante unit.
The Escalante River canyons
Side canyons, natural bridges and rock art at the heart of what’s left of the monument.
Scenic Byway 12
The road between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, through Escalante and over the Hogsback to Boulder.
Hikes
All Escalante hikesLower Calf Creek and Dry Fork details from the Bureau of Land Management; Willis Creek figures from Visit Utah. Never enter a slot canyon if storms are forecast anywhere upstream.
Where to stay
Escalante and Boulder
Escalante has the most places to stay and the interagency visitor centre. Boulder is smaller and sits at the start of the Burr Trail. Tropic, just outside Bryce Canyon, works for the western side.
Stay near the parks either side
Itineraries
Map
Before you go
- Monument boundaries: a July 2026 proclamation reduced the monument by about 90%. Some trailheads and roads that used to be inside it, such as parts of Hole-in-the-Rock Road, may now sit on ordinary public land, but you can still visit them.
- Fees and permits: there’s no entrance fee. Calf Creek day use costs $5 per vehicle, and interagency passes are accepted. Overnight stays in the monument need a free permit from a visitor centre or trailhead.
- Roads (BLM report, 5 October 2026): Cottonwood Canyon Road is closed by flooding. Hole-in-the-Rock Road is heavily washboarded, with high-clearance 4WD needed for the last 7 miles. The paved Burr Trail is fine from Boulder, but its dirt section needs high-clearance 4WD when muddy. Skutumpah Road is not recommended.
- Flash floods: don’t enter a narrow canyon if storms threaten. Rain upstream can flood a slot canyon even when it’s dry where you are.
- Visitor centres: Escalante Interagency Visitor Center opens Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm in summer. Kanab and Big Water open daily, 8am to 4pm. Cannonville is closed until further notice. Winter hours can differ.
- Check the latest from the BLM before you go.
We check these details against the Bureau of Land Management whenever we update this page.