Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is not the kind of place you can visit in one day.

The area features 3,000 square miles of the most awe-inspiring and spectacular sun-baked landscape, and it is so enormous and so magnificent that it takes time to absorb and process it all.

Nature has been shaping the ancient rock here for millions of years. Brilliant red sandstone cliffs throw shadows over narrow slot canyons, and visitors can admire and explore endless slickrock, picturesque washes, prehistoric human habitation sites, and ghost cowboy towns looking like abandoned movie sets.

Hike the Escalante Canyon, cool off under thundering waterfalls, climb the Grand Staircase, or just enjoy the vast wilderness and soul-healing solitude. If you are looking for places to see in Utah for outdoor enthusiasts, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a must-see. There are some nice fishing spots, picturesque camping sites, and trails you can take on horseback or by ATV.

Arches National Park Zion National Park Monument Valley Great Salt Lake Canyonlands National Park Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Homestead Crater Bear Lake Capitol Reef National Park Bryce Canyon National Park Mount Timpanogos Goosenecks State Park Grand Canyon North Rim Mesa Verde National Park Cedar Breaks National Monument Natural Bridges National Monument Heber City - Heber Valley Historic Railroad Dinosaur National Monument Dead Horse Point Golden Spike National Historic Site Timpanogos Cave National Monument Hovenweep National Monument Flaming Gorge Dixie National Forest Paria Canyon, Utah

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