Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Understanding it, Visiting it

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) covers a large area encompassing many different scenic areas and unique places of interest all nestled in south-central Utah. GSENM’s large size and and wide diversity often makes it misunderstood, simply because there’s so much to know and absorb. This video will hopefully clear up some of the confusion by explaining its many of facts and features, as well as showing how various places inside GSENM look.

See our blog post explaining more about GSENM:

Gaia GPS discount link:

Video timeline index:
00:00 Introduction
02:57 Background & History
12:14 Geography
19:18 Roads
23:27 Geology
33:21 Services
36:41 Places: Skutumpah Road
42:21 Along Hwy 89
45:42 Cottonwood Road
55:51 Hole-in-the-Wall Road
1:05:32 Escalante & Calf Creek Cyns
1:10:03 Burr Trail

[MoneyMikeMurray]

I'm a an off road tour guide in Kanab. I spend most of my time in BLM land or the monument. This was a great video! So comprehensive and 100% spot on. Thanks for the great content.

[CapricornGirl]

I had the opportunity last year to travel Burr Trail from Capitol Reef to Boulder, then UT 12 to Bryce, what an amazing trip. A few years back, I visited Cottonwood Canyon road which is incredible. I would love to go back in the next few years, this area of the country is so beautiful. Thanks for the great video.

[Lizerator]

You put an incredible amount of work into this video. Thank you so much. It's a wonderful guide to this vast and amazing area.

[rosiealaniz]

Wow! You just have giving me the answers i have been looking for years! What a wonderful and well made video of the this area! I will contact you for a tour for sure! THANK YOU, SO SO MUCH! Rosie from Dallas

[steveblankenship]

Absolutely your best video and it could have been a three hour video with all the information packed in there and I’m going to watch this one several times. Looking forward to the next one.

[Stoic]

Hello Good Folks.

A well-done video on a complicated story; lots of moving parts so to speak. Thank You!

I've been lucky enough to kick around chunks of the Monument over past years. Always humbling.

A quick comment for folks who may be interested: The U.S. congress in 1906, via the Antiquities Act, granted a sitting president the authority to designate "national monuments" only within existing federal lands. Congress kept authority to add, change, or delete them of course. With respect, I don't see a "land grab" as such.

A great summer to All...

[mountaingoddess]

What an excellent video for my upcoming trip to Utah! I’ve been to SW Utah a number of times but this time I’m just going to spend all my time at GSENM!! I especially loved the map portions! Thank you for such a detailed vlog! 💖.

[kruanne]

This is a fantastic video. Thank you so much especially as this park is on my list for a visit this year. I did a few geologic trips with your videos in California, now it's time for Utah :).

[gordonengland]

One of the best videos ever of this area.

[MaximRedin]

Thank you for the video. I like the idea. So many picturesque places, so many gorges which i would like to visit one day. Btw i am watching you from Russia

[jc_from_tx]

Wow!! thanks awesome video and info, can’t wait to go back there to explore more.

[farmermark]

Excellent presentation. Thank you! Hope to visit there and many other places in the western US in a few years when I retire.

[BobBowmanRMBImages]

Very inspiring video! I’ve been to parts of Escalante NM but not in the heart of it. I’d like to switchback through from 89 to 12 moving eastward

[zdtqxhs]

60 miles on a dirt road in the dark, not on my bucket list😵‍💫. We all appreciate your intrepid determination😱

[faithfulmemories]

Loved the video, lots of interesting info! Did not like the politics at the beginning, we already have enough division in our country and everything is just a matter of different perspectives. I really appreciate these videos because they help ALL of us plan our next adventures, at the same time Social Media is the reason ALL of our parks are overcrowded not because they were named a National Monument or Park.

[salemk.]

Can you make a video about Bears Ears INM?

[tfcooks]

I hiked Coyote Gulch the first year Grand Staircase was created. It was incredible.

[ShrekSwag]

best vid ever i watch the entire thing1 thank u so much <33

[belindaliu]

Is any tour from arches national park canyonland and monument in moab city?

[dieseldirtdude]

ive experienced alot, but not all of what you have shown here, very knowledgeable guide through what i believe is utahs lesser known gem, ive got a grand parents old collection of nat geo's here in oak hills, ca. would you guys be interested?