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The Grand Staircase-Escalante National
Monument encompasses a vast area of multi-hued cliffs, twisting canyons,
expansive plateaus and all manner of buttes, pinnacles and mesas. It
is untamed land filled with terrifically difficult terrain. It features
some terrific scenic drives, good hiking, challenging off-road 4wd exploring
and plenty of photo opportunities.
| The monument comprises
three areas. The Grand Staircase area starts from the edge of the
pink cliffs of Bryce Canyon National Park and descends successive
steps of gray, white, vermilion and chocolate cliffs to the Cockscomb
Ridge, a striking 20 mile long ridge of rock thrust up from the
earth. The large Kaiparowits Plateau, a broad mesa carved through
with narrow canyons, occupies the center of the monument. To the
east is the Escalante Canyon area, through which runs the Escalante
River and the canyons created by it and its tributaries. |
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You can explore the monument from
many small towns around its border, including Kanab, Tropic, Escalante, Boulder and Page,
AZ. You will find lodging and
dining options in these towns as well as guide services for hiking, biking,
horseback riding, etc.
To learn more about the Grand Staircase,
select one of the topics from the links to the left. When you're done
browsing, select Print
Grand Staircase Guide to efficiently download and print a complete guide to the
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. |