About the monument
Grand Staircase-Escalante
National Monument
What makes this place so special?
01 / 08
The Grand Staircase
connects Utah’s entire
desert landscape.
02 / 08
It stretches from the Rocky Mountains to the Mojave Desert.
Photo by Eric Bennett
03 / 08
Drops 7,000 feet from mountain top to valley floor.
04 / 08
Contains 1,300+ plant
and animal species.
05 / 08
Is the ancestral homeland for many modern native Tribes.
Photo by Wells Shoemaker
06 / 08
Has multi-generational
ranching families working
the land to this day.
07 / 08
Holds fossils that give us
a pristine record of
earth’s climate.
08 / 08
And is one of the west’s last truly wild places.
What makes this place so special?
01 / 08
The Grand Staircase
connects Utah’s entire
desert landscape.
Photo by Eric Bennett
02 / 08
It stretches from the Rocky Mountains to the Mojave Desert.
03 / 08
Drops 7,000 feet from mountain top to valley floor.
04 / 08
Contains 1,300+ plant
and animal species.
Photo by Wells Shoemaker
05 / 08
Is the ancestral homeland for many modern native Tribes.
06 / 08
Has multi-generational
ranching families working
the land to this day.
07 / 08
Holds fossils that give us
a pristine record of
earth’s climate.
08 / 08
And is one of the west’s last truly wild places.
THE MONUMENT
Take a look around.
The Grand Staircase is a vast landscape that is hard to capture. Here are a few highlights.
Things to Do
DRIVE
Take a trip through time on scenic byway 12, frequently cited as one of America’s top 10 most scenic highways. Or bring your 4WD vehicle and see how far the dirt roads take you into the depth of the monument.
HIKE
Whether it's a few steps from the car to get a photo, a few miles to see a waterfall, or a few days into the backcountry, Grand Staircase has hikes of every level.
DISCOVER
From ancient archeological sites to Utah's most diverse range of wildlife, there are not enough lifetimes to discover everything the Grand Staircase has to offer.
Learn how GSEP serves the
Grand Staircase
Grand Staircase
