About this city
Also known as: Heart of the Red Rocks
Escalante is a historic, remote desert city located along Scenic Byway 12 in eastern Garfield County, surrounded entirely by the stark canyon wilderness of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Named after Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Franciscan missionary who explored the region in 1776, it was officially settled by Mormon pioneers in 1876 who established a resilient cattle and agricultural oasis in the red rock country. Today, the town has transitioned from its isolated ranching roots into a world-class outdoor hub, catering to international hikers, canyoneers, and geologists looking to test themselves against the rugged, wild interior of the Colorado Plateau.
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Practical Tourism Metadata
Suggested stay: 2–4 days
Test your nerve squeezing through the famous, ultra-narrow slot canyons of Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Gulch. Hike along a sandstone cliff trail to view the breathtaking, 126-foot cascading waters of Lower Calf Creek Falls. Kayak, paddleboard, or view ancient fossilized wood at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, or drive the historic, unpaved Hole-in-the-Rock Road.
