Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [83]
About 12 miles in, the road passes by the sign to Devil's Rock Garden, an area of classic red-rock formations and arches, where you'll also find a picnic area (about 1 mile off the main road). The road continues across a plateau of typical desert terrain, ending at a spectacular scenic overlook of Lake Powell. The first 35 miles of the scenic byway are relatively easy (in dry weather) in a standard passenger car, but then it gets a bit steeper and sandier. The last 6 miles of the road require a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. Allow about 6 hours round-trip, and make sure you have plenty of fuel and water.
Another recommended drive in the national monument is the Cottonwood Canyon Road, which runs from Kodachrome Basin State Park south to U.S. 89, along the monument's southern edge, a distance of about 46 miles. The road is sandy and narrow (and washboard in places) but usually passable for passenger cars in dry weather. It mostly follows Cottonwood Wash, with good views of red-rock formations plus distant panoramas from hilltops. Unfortunately, two power lines mar views through the canyon and make photography a challenge—though in all fairness, we should acknowledge that the road would not exist at all if not for the power lines.
About 10 miles east of Kodachrome Basin State Park is a short turnoff from Cottonwood Canyon Road that leads to Grosvenor Arch. This magnificent stone arch, with an opening 99 feet wide, is well worth the trip. (It bears the name of National Geographic Society founder and editor Gilbert H. Grosvenor.)
Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching. The isolated and rugged terrain offers a good habitat for a number of species, such as desert bighorn sheep and mountain lions. As for birds, more than 200 species have been spotted, including bald eagles, golden eagles, Swainson's hawks, and peregrine falcons. The best areas for seeing wildlife are along the Escalante and Paria rivers and Johnson Creek.
CAMPING
Backcountry camping is permitted in most areas of the monument with a permit (free at press time), available at the Interagency office in Escalante and the BLM office in Kanab. There are also two designated campgrounds. Calf Creek Recreation Area, about 15 miles northeast of the town of Escalante on Utah 12, has 13 sites and a picnic area. Open year-round, the tree-shaded campground often fills by 10am in summer. Located in a scenic, steep canyon along Calf Creek, surrounded by high rock walls, the campground has a volleyball court and offers access to an interpretive hiking trail (see "Hiking, Mountain Biking & Horseback Riding," above). It has drinking water and restrooms with flush toilets, but no showers, RV hookups or dump station, or garbage removal. In addition, from November through March, water is turned off and only vault toilets are available. To reach the campground, vehicles ford a shallow creek. The campground is not recommended for vehicles over 25 feet long. Campsites cost $7 per night; day use is $2 per vehicle.
The national monument's other designated campground is Deer Creek, 6 miles east of the town of Boulder along the scenic Burr Trail Road. It has four primitive sites and no drinking water or other facilities; camping costs $4 per night.
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CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
by Don & Barbara Laine
UTAH'S LARGEST NATIONAL PARK, CANYONLANDS IS A RUGGED HIGH desert of rock, with spectacular formations and gorges carved over the centuries by the park's primary architects, the Colorado and Green rivers. This is a land of extremes, of vast
panoramas, dizzyingly deep canyons, dramatically steep cliffs, broad mesas, and towering red spires.
The most accessible part of Canyonlands is the Island in the Sky District, in the northern section of the park between the Colorado and Green rivers. A paved road leads to sites such as Grand View Point, overlooking some 10,000 square miles of rugged wilderness.