Backpacking Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
The grand staircase escalante national monument is one of utahs most amazing off the beaten path destinations and one in our humble opinion not to miss.
Backpacking grand staircase escalante national monument. I hike down canyon towards the escalante river for a couple days before heading. The best time of day to hike in this slot canyon is early when the sun starts to pour into the canyon and bounce light and shadow off the walls. We went in and out of the canyon at jacob. Permits are free of charge in the monument and self registration is offered at the trailhead register boxes or hikers can register at any of the grand staircase escalante visitor centers.
The diversity of geology is incredible in grand staircase escalante national monument. The grand staircase escalante national monument area offers campers superb opportunities to sleep under the stars so to speak. The grand staircase escalante national monument in southern utah is home to thousands of canyons large small spectacular remote popular and fascinating all at the same time. But above all grand staircase escalante national monument is a backpacker and hikers paradise and the best way to get acquainted with the region is through a series of day hikes that cover the monuments varied landscapes.
With an area of 2933 square miles it immediately became the largest national monument in the lower 48. There is so much to see in grand staircase escalante national monumentyou wont find a more scenic rugged and remote place to hike. The unusual geology of the grand staircase itself can be best viewed by car from a scenic overlook off of us. Unlike the narrow spooky slot canyon willis creek is a wide almost spacious slot canyon to explore.
This was a short 3 day backpacking trip into the lower gulch in utahs grand staircase escalante national monument. It took a surprise executive order signed by president bill clinton on september 18 1996 in the midst of his reelection campaign against bob dole to finally designate the 17 million acre grand staircase escalante national monument. Monica david matt and i went on a 3 day 2 night backpacking trip to coyote gulch which is in the grand staircase escalante national monument. Grand staircase escalante national monument utah backcountry permits are required for any backpacking in the grand staircase escalante national monument.