The destination
The Colorado Plateau is the concentration point for canyon geology: more hoodoos, arches, mesas, and slot canyons per square mile than anywhere else on earth. Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Grand Staircase-Escalante are the plateau's quieter, deeper acts — the places where the serious canyon country begins when Zion and Bryce end.
Canyonlands is the Colorado Plateau at full scale — a flat-topped mesa country dissected by the Green and Colorado rivers into a system of canyons visible only from the air or from the rim, which means most of the park's interior is accessible only to those willing to carry water and permit. Island in the Sky's Grand View Point at dusk, when the light descends through the canyon layers and turns everything orange, is one of the USA's finest viewpoints and sees a fraction of Zion's traffic.
Grand Staircase-Escalante is the under-driven gem: a 1.9-million-acre monument of slot canyons, dinosaur tracks, and Hole-in-the-Rock pioneer history. Coyote Gulch's arch and bridge system, accessible on a multi-day loop, is the kind of canyon landscape that takes a day to adjust to and three days to not want to leave. Natural Bridges National Monument at the end of the loop has the darkest certified sky in the country.
The Alaska Adventure Guide
6 min read
Adventure Missions are planning inspiration, not real-time travel or safety guidance. Always verify weather, permits, closures, local regulations, and official conditions before you leave.