Is there an entrance fee for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument?

Entrance to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is free. However, some specific areas nearby, like Calf Creek Recreation Area or adjacent State Parks, may require a day-use fee.

Do I need a permit to visit Grand Staircase-Escalante?

Permits are not required for day hiking in most areas. However, free permits are required for all overnight backcountry camping and backpacking. These can be obtained at visitor centers or at some developed trailheads.

What kind of vehicle do I need to explore the monument?

While some main roads like Scenic Byway 12 and Highway 89 are paved, most of the monument is accessed via unpaved roads. A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended for exploring the interior. In wet weather, many dirt roads become impassable even for 4WD vehicles due to heavy clay.

When is the best time of year to visit?

Spring and autumn offer the most stable and pleasant weather, with daytime highs in the 60s to 80s. Summer can see temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C) and carries a risk of flash floods during monsoon season. Winters are cold and high-elevation roads may be blocked by snow.

Are dogs allowed in the monument?

Yes, dogs are generally allowed on most trails in Grand Staircase-Escalante. However, they must be leashed in certain areas (such as the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area portion) and are not recommended in narrow slot canyons where they may struggle with obstacles.

Where can I find visitor centers for Grand Staircase-Escalante?

There are four main visitor centers located in towns surrounding the monument: Kanab, Escalante, Cannonville, and Big Water. Each offers maps, weather updates, road condition reports, and permits.

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Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument | Larry Price

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is among the most remote and rugged land in Utah. Sun-drenched backcountry spreads out well beyond the visible horizon from the road, whether you’re traveling along the The All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12, or on Highway 89.

The monument is defined by three signficant landforms in Southern Utah: the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau and the Escalante Canyons. The monument boasts a mixture of colorful sandstone cliffs soaring above narrow slot canyons; picturesque washes and seemingly endless slickrock; prehistoric sites and abandoned old Western movie sets, among many other treasures. Due to its remote nature, visitors should expect fewer services than in the national parks. Ensure you're prepared to keep yourself safe, review our reponsible travel tips.

Plan Your Trip Hiking Grand Staircase–Escalante

Discover the Grand Staircase-Escalante Region

Things To Do

Explore the Regions of the Monument

Where To Stay

Hotels & Lodging

The quaint towns of Escalante and Boulder (at the north entrance of Grand Staircase) host several boutique hotels, glamping options, RV parks, retreats, and cabins. On the south end of Grand Staircase, visitors enjoy similar accommodations in Kanab.

Lodging in Escalante & Boulder Lodging in Kanab

Camping

Due to its size, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument offers several camping options, from primitive and remote sites to campgrounds with flush toilets, water, hookups and more. Established campgrounds inside the Escalante Canyons section of the monument are Calf Creek Campground and Deer Creek Campground – both are great places to spend a night or two. Find additional camping opportunities at Kodachrome State Park and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. Primitive camping is also allowed in the monument (try to use established areas). Glamping accommodations are available at Ofland Escalante.

Explore Grand Staircase Camping

Nearby Basecamps

Quick Tips for Visiting Grand Staircase-Escalante

Know Before You Go

Voyagers find a vast and pristine backcountry that affords excellent opportunities for solitude and unconfined wilderness recreation, along with great scenic driving opportunities and endless camping options, both developed and primitive. But wherever you travel in this magnificent landscape, whether a drive down remote desert roads or a hike up lonely canyons, you will be rewarded at the end of your trip with vivid memories and a yearning to return.

Much of the sweeping Grand Staircase region is quite remote. Very few trailheads can be reached on paved roads.

The Escalante Canyons area is the most popular area of the monument, especially among hikers. Active waterfalls, arches, riparian oases, sculpted slickrock and narrow canyons are part of the appeal of hikes through the Escalante’s backcountry.
The Grand Staircase area is more remote and less visited. It is spectacular and contains the most extensive network of slot canyons in Utah.
These two areas are separated by the 1,600-square-mile Kaiparowits Plateau, which features unique sedimentary rock formations containing an unbroken record of fossils spanning 30 million years.

When is the Monument Open?

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Visit the BLM website for visitor center hours and more travel information.

What is the Weather in Grand Staircase-Escalante?

Visitors come year-round to the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument region, but most come during spring and autumn. Since the region is a desert environment with daytime high temperatures often reaching 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit almost daily from June through August, summer is the least favorable time for hiking and visiting hikers.

Escalante, Utah, spring weather (March through May) varies, with daytime high temperatures ranging from the 50s to the 70s and nighttime lows ranging from 20 to 50 degrees. Occasional cold air fronts from the west and northwest can bring cold, windy conditions, rain showers in the lower elevations, and perhaps snow on the higher mesas, particularly in March and April. Generally warm, dry weather prevails between storm systems.

Autumn provides some of the most stable weather of the year. Clear, warm, sunny days and cool nights make this one of the most delightful seasons to visit the Grand Staircase-Escalante region. Expect daytime highs to range from the 70s and 80s in September to the 40s and 50s by November. Overnight lows typically range from 20 to 50 degrees.

Is Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Open in the Winter?

Yes, Grand Staircase-Escalante is open in the winter month. Winter weather in the Escalante, Utah region is cold and often windy, and deep snow sometimes covers the ground above 6,000 feet. Some high-elevation areas may be rendered inaccessible by snow between December and mid-March each year.

Some shops and restaurants in the nearby towns of Boulder, Escalante and Kanab close for the winter.

Ensure proper tire tread on vehicles if traveling in the winter, as roads such as the high-elevation, curving Scenic Byway 12 experience slick conditions.

Does the Monument Require Entrance Fees or Camping Permits?

Entrance is free. Overnight permits are required for car camping and backpacking. Stop in at a visitor center for a permit (also available at some established trailheads and campgrounds).

Come Prepared for Heat, Flash Floods, Freezing Temps

Visitors to the backroads should carry plenty of water (at least one gallon — 4 liters — per person, per day) and be equipped to get themselves out of any difficulty they might encounter. Summer temperatures can range over 100° F (38°C) and winters can drop well below freezing at night. Perhaps most importantly, sudden heavy rains may make this road impassable — even for high-clearance, 4WD vehicles.

Visitor Centers and Entrances

The area has no official entrances, but several visitor centers surround the monument(s). The main visitor center for the Escalante Canyons section is the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. The visitor center offers Escalante Canyon maps, great interpretive displays, and helpful staff members to answer questions.

A smaller but exciting visitor center on the north side of the monument is in Cannonville. The Big Water Visitor Center and Dinosaur Museum is an excellent stop on the south side of the monument when visiting Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon and Glen Canyon Dam or hiking one of the numerous trails located within the Grand Staircase region. Learn more about visitor centers.