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Kaiparowits Plateau

Cottonwood Canyon   |  David Swindler
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The 1,600-square-mile Kaiparowits Plateau rises thousands of feet from Lake Powell to the south. In aerial imagery, it appears as a strip of slight green among the otherwise red rock landscape surrounding Lake Powell and the Colorado River in this region. The green is due to the pinyon-juniper woodland clinging to the high elevation of many plateau portions.
 
The Kaiparowits Plateau lies between the Grand Staircase region (to the west) and the Escalante Canyons region (to the northeast).

This area is one of Utah's more scientifically significant landscapes due to its sedimentary rock formations containing an unbroken record of fossils spanning 30 million years of the Late Cretaceous Era. Life forms of all kinds are recorded here, including dinosaurs. 

This area includes the Grosvenor Arch, the Cottonwood Canyon Narrows, Hackberry Canyon, the Cockscomb, and the old Paria townsite. 
 

Climate and Weather

Visitors come year-round to the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument region, but most come during spring and autumn. Since the region is a desert environment with daytime high temperatures often reaching 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit almost daily from June through August, summer is the least favorable time for hiking and visiting hikers. 

Autumn provides some of the most stable weather of the year. Clear, warm, sunny days and cool nights make this one of the most delightful seasons to visit the Grand Staircase-Escalante region. Expect daytime highs to range from the 70s and 80s in September to the 40s and 50s by November. Overnight lows typically range from 20 to 50 degrees.

When to Visit

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Visit the BLM website for visitor center hours and more travel information. 

Fees and Permits

Entrance is free. Overnight permits are required for car camping and backpacking. Stop in at a visitor center for a permit (also available at some established trailheads and campgrounds).

Be Prepared

Well-prepared travel is responsible travel.

Do your part by planning ahead
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