Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah is a vast, rugged landscape where time itself feels exposed in every sandstone layer. Spanning nearly 1.9 million acres, this monument is a living geology book, revealing a spectacular sequence of cliffs, plateaus, and canyons.

Named for its “grand staircase” of colorful cliffs that step down from Bryce Canyon to the depths of the Grand Canyon, the monument is divided into three main regions, with each offering its own brand of wilderness magic. The Escalante region, where we were, draws hikers into a labyrinth of narrow slot canyons where sunlight dances on swirling rock walls. We did not visit the other regions which are some of the most remote and scientifically rich fossil sites in North America. It is there that paleontologists have uncovered new dinosaur species that once roamed these ancient floodplains.

Sandstone canyons, plateaus, cliffs, unique rock formations….Some of the world’s best hiking trails are here. Because of the heat, our morning hike was only a couple miles….brief but fun! But we enjoyed the crystal clear river and red rock canyons.

This is the largest but least visited park unit in the southwest. Beyond geology and fossils, Grand Staircase–Escalante is a sanctuary for solitude. Trails aren’t always marked, and cell service is scarce; it is really the raw, unfiltered beauty of the American Southwest.

We got up at night to observe the sky since we were in a “dark skies” area. There were so many stars…so awesome….but because of the haze from a forest fire in the area, they were not shining as brightly. We want to learn more about the star apps we already have on our iPads. We also want to visit more dark sky areas in a more thought-out manner!