Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument Things to Do

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has a prehistoric past with ample fossils being found in the area but it also has strong and well preserved evidence of both Fremont and Anasazi tribes making the beautiful red rock canyons home. Both pictographs formed with color and petroglyphs formed by chipping away rock are readily found while out on the trails. This petroglyph of a mother and baby big horn sheep is a fine example and we came across it while hiking in the Buckskin Gulch

The Grosvenor Arch is an impressive 152 foot high and 100 feet wide double arch easily visited by driving one mile east of the Cottonwood Canyon Road. The arch is named after Gilbert H. Grosvenor, the founder of the National Geographic Society. There is a picnic table and pit toilets there, making it a convenient stop. While the arch is visible from there, a short walk will give you a chance to not only stretch your legs but also one to see just how high 150 feet is.

The Hackberry Canyon is a meandering hike up the aforementioned canyon that was recommended to us by some people we met at the White House campground. This is a walk that can go for miles and with more time and perhaps a bit earlier in the day we might have tackled more than the half mile or so we did. We were essentially walking along a sandy wash and in a wetter season, this would be a great place to while away the hours. Of course, you'd need a four-wheel drive to get in here then. It was hot and dry and though beautiful, we found ourselves hurrying back to the comforts of our air-conditioned car.

Even scenic drives in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are for the adventurous. No slick paved roads in this park, not even one slicing through some of Utah's most scenic splendor en route to Bryce Canyon National Park. Cottonwood Canyon Road is forty miles of dirt road that is described as “often wash-boarded and full of ruts.”

Though it can be traversed in dry conditions in a two-wheel drive vehicle, four-wheel drive is generally recommended. We did it in a Camry with no problems in very dry mid-May but inquire at the visitor center about current road conditions. It is a beautiful drive and you'll really escape the crowds on this remote stretch of road. You could never get out of the car except to snap a few photos of the amazingly colorful rock formations but why do that, there are some fine short walks to stretch your legs.

It is a bit tricky to find the turnoff for Cottonwood Canyon Road. There is a small sign but best to use the odometer method. In this case, it's 10 miles from Big Water Visitor Center. They'll give you a rough map of the area, detailing the hikes with mileage between all the unsigned attractions. They will also give you a small but helpful guide to the drive with mileages and details of things to see as well as trail heads.

For those who complain about the cost of hiking permits and need to drive down dirt roads, there are a few hikes off the main highway. The short but very pretty hike to the Toad Stools is well worth the effort and short enough to do later in the day when it's cooled down a bit. This two-mile round trip hike passes through a lovely desert setting over some incredible rock formations, with the Vermilion Cliffs as a backdrop.

The toad stools are oddly shaped rock formations caused by uneven erosion that effects the base more quickly, thus creating a top heavy “mushroom” effect. It is quite an interesting trail that follows a wash and has some small scrambles over rock formation en route. For such a short walk, it will get the uninitiated and those lacking in time a good feel for desert hiking in the area.

Perhaps the hardest part of the hike is finding the trail head. Though located right on scenic route 89, there is no sign for the hike. Ever keeping their visitors on edge, the Monument rangers hand out maps detailing how far in miles everything is from each other. For instance, the toad stools hike is 7.6 miles from the Big Water Visitor Center or 1.4 miles from White House. This is a free hike but you should sign in at the trail head for safety purposes.

Once at The Wave, you will be surprised at how small the area is though in no way will you be disappointed with it. It is stunning. We'd been hiking around the southwest for a month and had super high expectations and we were in no way let down.

We had a fairly serious group of photographers in our group of permit holders so we found it quite easy to get shots without anyone in them. People seemed to realize the importance of getting perfect photos and took turns getting into the best spots. Shade was hard to come by so everyone huddled together to rest, snack and replenish fluids in what small patches there were. We could only stay so long due to the heat and more importantly lack of supplies. It would have been nice to walk back with the sun lower in the sky but we enjoyed the return hike quite a bit. With The Wave finally under our belt we perhaps appreciated the natural desert setting more, and the cacti were in mad bloom.

The Wave has to be the best bit of non-advertised advertisement ever. Even though the newly crowned Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument has been running now since 1996, it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management rather than the National Park system, putting the protected area in a more subdued limelight.

In a state blessed with too many National Parks to mention, this “adventure” park exudes a more insider's only allure. Rather than follow the one price includes all mentality of the National Park system, this one is free to enter with money generated via day hiking/backpacking permits, some of which are limited to protect the fragile ecosystem. The Wave is naturally one of these limited access hikes, and hence its approaching cult status amongst those in the know.

While most of the day hike permits in the Monument can be obtained at each trail head via a self-pay envelope, The Wave permits are limited to 20 per day. Half of those are reserved on the Internet and the other are “won” in a lottery type atmosphere each day for walk-ins.

Anyway, what about the hike you say? Well, there is no marked trail per se. When you “win” your right to purchase the $5 permit, you also get a detailed description, map, and even photos to help guide you over the approximately three miles of incredibly beautiful but desolate desert that brings you to the geological wonder. We were told it was best photographed mid-day due to shadows and rather than lug a whole day's worth of water/food around, we did it later in the morning than we normally would. It was great for photos at The Wave but the hike was hot and the light was a bit washed out en route. If I were to do it again I would go out very early morning and bring enough supplies to last the day. The hike out is just as beautiful if not as dramatic as The Wave itself and you shouldn't rush through it in mere anticipation of getting “there.”

The Big Water Visitor Center is conveniently located right on scenic route 89 running between Kanab in Utah and Page in Arizona. It would be the rare tourist in this area that would not pass by it. But the mistake is to not stop in to get a deeper appreciation of this area's illustrious and ancient past.

There are numerous displays but perhaps most impressive is a huge colorful painted mural depicting life many million years ago. I was always a huge prehistoric creature fan as a kid and this much more elaborate portrayal was much appreciated by me now. I can only imagine how much I would have enjoyed it 40 years ago. The rangers were particularly knowledgeable and even in mere conversation were giving full blown presentations on not only the past but what the park was up to in uncovering the mysteries of a time long gone. It seems there are more fossils being found in this area than anywhere in the world.

100 Upper Revolution Way
Big Water, UT, 84741
435-675-3200

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
7 days a week
April - October

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
7 days a week
November - March