The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument begins right next to the Stone Canyon Inn and is a very unique region of canyons, arches, plateaus and cliffs. Click here to see maps of our location. This area, which comprises 1.7 million acres, was designated a National Monument just recently in 1996 and is considered to be one of the last explored areas of the continental United States. Bryce Canyon National Park lies to the south and west of the monument; Capitol Reef National Park is to the North and Glen Canyon National Recreation area (Lake Powell) is to the East. Scenic Highway 12, one of the top-ten scenic byways in America (Car & Driver Magazine) passes through the Grand Staircase and is the major access road for the monument. There are back-roads that offer access to the monument such as:

1. The Burr Trail – Going south east from the town of Boulder

2. The "Hole-in-the-Rock" road – going south east from the town of Escalante

3. Cottonwood Canyon Road – which goes south from Cannonville and connects with highway 59 going to Lake Powell.

Various Native American Indians and their dwellings have inhabited this area for nearly 2,000 years, writings and even their food storage areas are still visible in the cliffs and canyons of this region.In 1776 Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante explored the region and had great difficulty finding a way to cross the Colorado River because of the maze of deep canyons and rivers.

One hundred years later John Wesley Powell did significant research along the Colorado River and during that time frame many pioneers settled the valleys around Bryce Canyon and the Grand Staircase. Within the monument there are more trails and areas for exploration than can be experienced in a year, but we can recommend some excellent places to go such as: Coyote Gulch, Bull Valley Gorge Devil’s Garden and Kodachrome Basin just to name a few. If at all possible, you’ll want to spend at least three to five days in this area, more if you can spare the time. Whether you want to experience, scenic overlooks, slot canyons, ancient Indian pictographs and petroglyphs, waterfalls, rivers, mountains, forest or wildlife, you find it is all here in and around the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

Kodachrome Basin State Park -
Positioned at 5,800 feet in elevation, Kodachrome Basin State Park is perhaps Utah’s finest state park and is just a few minutes from Bryce Canyon National Park and the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Kodachrome Basin State Park covers over 4,000 acres of ground and is a magical place with unique geologic formations, caves, arches, walking paths, horseback and wagon riding, and much more. Many of the formations within the park were formed in a very unique way. Anciently there were many geysers in this area that, over time ceased to spew water from their natural rock pipes within the ground. Over subsequent eons of time these pipes were filled with sediment which then became harder rock than the surrounding sediment. Over more time, the surrounding sediment was eroded away leaving the standing rock towers that had filled the pipes of the geysers. These towers are visible throughout the park today where they stand as tall monuments to the geyser activity that once occurred in Kodachrome Basin State Park.

Kodachrome is nine miles south of Cannonville and offers drinking water, modern rest rooms, picnic tables, fire pits, barbecue grills and electricity. A concessionaire provides horse rentals and supplies. The park has a resident ranger. Also close to Kodachrome Basin State Park is Grosvenor Arch a unique multiple arch formation just off the Cottonwood Canyon road.

Zion National Park / St. George Utah
Zion National Park is less than 1.5 hours away from the Stone Canyon Inn. You'll find Zion to be an exciting day trip. As you venture further to the southwest you may want to consider some St. George Utah Lodging options such as a vacation rental.