Utah Week: Best hikes in Grand Staircase-Escalante

Spooky canyon, by Deb Stanley

One of the best places to explore in Utah is Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It's one of the country's newest National Monuments. It was created by President Bill Clinton in 1996.

Grand Staircase-Escalante is a rugged frontier. The National Monument's Web site says this was the last place in the continental United States to be mapped.

The Monument includes 1.9 million acres of canyons, streams, mesas, cliffs, etc. It's a vast place, most of which is only reachable on foot, horse, raft, mountain bike and ATV.

My favorite hikes here:

1. Spooky & Peak-a-boo. Spooky & Peak-a-boo are slot canyons. Spooky is so narrow, you'll have to remove your backpack to make it through some of the tight spots. The canyon walls got so high, my camera refused to take photos, even with a flash. The walls are colorful and at times knobby with embedded sand. Expect to walk through soft, deep sand and expect to do some maneuvering to get up and down some of the canyon obstacles. This is not a hike, it's an intro to canyoneering. And don't forget, never go into a slot canyon if it is raining or rain is expected, people die in slot canyon floods.
 

Buckskin Gulch, by Deb Stanley

2. Wire Pass/Buckskin Gulch. Many call Buckskin Gulch the longest and deepest slot canyon in the Southwest. While many canyons have a few hundred feet or narrows, maybe even a mile, Buckskin Gulch has 12 miles of narrows. The walls of Buckskin Gulch soar up 100 feet, 200 feet, 300 feet and higher. Many people hike this as an overnight trip. For that you'll need a permit. You don't have to do the whole hike to enjoy this spot. Take Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch and hike as far as you want, then turn around. Wire Pass is a nice hike by itself with some very nice narrows. Wire Pass shares its trailhead with hikers going to "The Wave."

3. Willis Creek.  Willis Creek is an interesting hike with several sections of narrows. The hike follows Willis Creek as it winds through narrows areas and open areas. Expect to get your feet wet in the stream as you hike, but the deeper spots can typically be avoided. This is a good hike for families and beginners. Most people hike 1.5 to 2 miles each way through the narrows. 

4. Calf Creek Falls. Grand Staircase-Escalante is not known for its waterfalls, but this is a good one. A 2.75 mile hike takes you to a waterfall with a 126-foot drop and a pool at the bottom. At the falls, it seems the temperature drops 10 degrees even if you don't get in the water. The trailhead is just off Utah Highway 12, 15 miles east of the Town of Escalante. There is a day fee to park and hike here. Bring cash.

5. Devils Garden. Hole-in-the Rock Road is filled with adventures, but this one is for families and people who are kids at heart. Devils Garden features dozens of interesting rock formations and even a few arches. Get out of your car and start walking. This isn't a long hike, just a great place to explore.

6. Zebra Canyon. This is a canyon with pink strips. Seriously. It's a very short canyon with some tight narrows, but the colors are such a surprise and unlike any of the other canyons I've seen. Most people hike Zebra and Tunnel together. By the way, expect some water in Zebra and expect it to be cold!
 

Grosvenor Arch, by Deb Stanley

7. Grosvenor Arch & Kodachrome Basin State Park. Grosvenor Arch is not only a double arch, it's huge! 152 feet high. And you can see it from the parking lot. We got adventurous and found a place from behind the arch to climb up the backside and look down through the arch. Grosvenor is not at Kodachrome Basin State Park, but it's close. Kodachrome is definitely worth your time to drive through and even take a short trail. Kodachrome Basin protects massive sandstone chimneys in a variety of colors from gray and white to shades of red. This is one of those places you have to see for yourself.

8. Lick Wash. Lick Wash is a different kind of slot canyon. While it has some narrow sections, it's really just a pretty canyon with trees inside.The Grand Staircase-Escalante Web site describes Lick Wash as a "delightful half-day hike in a narrow canyon lined with Ponderosa pines and Douglas fir. The upper section is narrow for about 0.5 mile, then it opens into a broad Navajo Sandstone canyon. Cool and shady in the narrows. Little shade in the broad stretches. Easy hiking in a sandy/gravelly wash bottom." If you're looking for narrows, there are better choices. If you're looking for a nice canyon with variety, try this one.

9. Bull Gorge Canyon. Now here's a challenge. Skutumpah Road drives over a bridge at Bull Gorge Canyon. We looked down as we crossed the bridge and decided we needed to see this gorge. While it's hundreds of feet deep at the bridge, I fortunately had an article that said if you hiked just under a half mile up the trail there was a spot you could enter the canyon. They were right. The canyon was very, very deep, but it became shallow enough for us to get in about .4 of a mile from the bridge. Coming from Willis Creek towards Lick Wash, the entrance point is on the right side of the road. We managed to negotiate our way through about 1/3 mile of the canyon. Better climbers or people with ropes will likely manage to see much more from inside the canyon walls. If you get a good photo of the pick-up wedged in the walls, e-mail me.

Read about the best hikes in Utah, secret spots in Utah, best hikes in Arches National Park, best hikes in the San Rafael Swell, and hiking "The Wave."