Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [81]
Unlike most other national monuments, almost all of this vast area is undeveloped—it has few all-weather roads, only one maintained hiking trail, and two small campgrounds. But the adventurous have access to miles upon miles of dirt roads and practically unlimited opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and camping.
The national monument consists of three distinct sections: The Grand Staircase of sandstone cliffs—including five life zones, from Sonoran desert to coniferous forests—is the southwest section; the Kaiparowits Plateau, a vast, wild region of rugged mesas and steep canyons, is the center section; and the Escalante River Canyons, a delightfully scenic area containing miles of connecting river canyons, is the northern section.
JUST THE FACTS
Getting There. The national monument covers an area almost as big as the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined, with Bryce Canyon National Park to the west, Capitol Reef National Park along the northeast edge, and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area along the east and part of the south sides.
Access is on Utah 12 along the monument's northwest edge, from Kodachrome Basin State Park and the communities of Escalante and Boulder; and by U.S. 89 to the southern section of the monument, east of the town of Kanab.
Information & Visitor Centers. The national monument remains a very rugged area, with limited facilities, poor roads, and changeable weather. We strongly suggest that before setting out, all visitors contact one of the monument's visitor centers to get maps and other information, and especially to check on current road and weather conditions.
The Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, 755 W. Main St. (Utah 12; P.O. Box 225), Escalante, UT 84726 (☎ 435/ 826-5499), on the west side of Escalante, is open daily 7:30am to 5:30pm from late March through October, with shorter hours in winter. The Bureau of Land Management's Kanab Visitor Center, 745 E. U.S. 89, Kanab, UT 84741 (☎ 435/644-4680; www.ut.blm.gov/ monument), is open daily 8am to 5pm from late March to mid-November, with reduced hours at other times.
There are also visitor centers in Cannonville (☎ 435/679-8981), east of Bryce Canyon National Park, and in Big Water (☎ 435/675-3200), along U.S. 89 near the southern edge of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (call for current hours).
Fees, Regulations & Safety. There is no charge to enter most of the monument; those planning overnight trips into the backcountry should obtain permits (free at press time) at either of the first two offices listed above. Calf Creek Recreation Area charges $2 for day use and $7 for camping; camping at Deer Creek costs $4. Regulations are similar to those on other public lands and, in particular, forbid damaging or disturbing archaeological and historic sites.
The main safety concern is water— too little or too much. This is generally very dry country, so those going into the monument should carry plenty of drinking water. On the other hand, thunderstorms can turn the dirt roads into impassable mud bogs in minutes, stranding motorists. Potentially fatal flash floods through narrow canyons can catch hikers by surprise. The upshot: Everyone planning trips into the monument should check first with one of the offices listed above about current and anticipated weather and travel conditions.
SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
The monument offers numerous opportunities for outdoor adventures, including canyoneering through narrow slot canyons (with the aid of