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Red Canyon Visitor Center
5m
Surrounded by brilliant red cliffs and ponderosa pines, this visitor center is a perfect introduction to Utah’s Scenic Byway 12. Stop for maps and local information, then explore nearby trails and get your first close-up look at the colorful formations that make Red Canyon so memorable.
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5m
Drive beneath Red Canyon’s iconic red-rock tunnels, one of the most recognizable sights along Highway 12. Framed by towering sandstone formations, these dramatic gateways offer a striking preview of the landscapes waiting farther along the route.
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Bryce Canyon National Park
10m · Admission ticket not included
Famous for thousands of towering hoodoos, Bryce Canyon looks unlike almost anywhere else on Earth. Enter the park to admire vast natural amphitheaters from overlooks like Sunrise and Sunset Points, or hike among the colorful rock spires for an even closer look.
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Mossy Cave Trail
10m · Admission ticket not included
Follow a short creekside trail into a surprisingly lush corner of Bryce Canyon country. Along the way, see colorful hoodoos, a small waterfall, and the sheltered grotto known as Mossy Cave, where seasonal ice formations can sometimes linger into warmer months.
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Cannonville
5m
This small pioneer town sits at the gateway to some of Grand Staircase–Escalante’s most dramatic backcountry scenery. Pass through its quiet streets while discovering how Mormon settlers built communities in this remote and challenging corner of southern Utah.
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Henrieville
5m
Surrounded by colorful cliffs and open ranchland, Henrieville is one of the tiny communities scattered along Scenic Byway 12. Learn how early settlers adapted to life in this isolated landscape and how ranching helped sustain generations of local families.
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5m
This small historic cemetery offers a quiet glimpse into the lives of the families who settled southern Utah. Walk among simple graves and pioneer names while reflecting on the hardships faced by those who created communities in this rugged desert environment.
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10m
Look toward the towering cliffs of Powell Point, a prominent landmark rising above the surrounding plateau country. Its colorful rock layers reveal millions of years of geologic history and provide a dramatic reminder of the immense scale of the Grand Staircase landscape.
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Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
10m · Admission ticket not included
Step into a landscape filled with colorful fragments of trees that turned to stone millions of years ago. Follow trails past brilliant petrified wood, enjoy views over Wide Hollow Reservoir, or pay the park entrance fee to explore this remarkable window into Utah’s prehistoric past.
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Spooky Gulch
10m
Squeeze through one of southern Utah’s most famous slot canyons, where twisting sandstone walls narrow to just inches in places. Reaching Spooky Gulch requires a backcountry side trip, but adventurous hikers are rewarded with an unforgettable journey through sculpted desert rock.
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15m
Stop high above the Escalante Canyons for sweeping views across miles of slickrock, cliffs, and winding desert terrain. This spectacular overlook reveals just how vast and rugged Grand Staircase–Escalante really is and makes an excellent stop for panoramic photographs.
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15m
Built into the dramatic landscape along Highway 12, this distinctive roadside stop blends naturally into the surrounding sandstone scenery. Pause for food or coffee while enjoying expansive views over the Escalante River canyon and the rugged wilderness beyond.
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Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area
15m · Admission ticket not included
Tucked between towering sandstone walls, this scenic recreation area is the gateway to one of Utah’s most popular waterfall hikes. Stop beside Calf Creek, enjoy the shaded canyon setting, or pay the day-use fee and hike toward beautiful Lower Calf Creek Falls.
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10m
Follow the Escalante River into a landscape of soaring canyon walls, cottonwood groves, and hidden traces of human history. This backcountry trail offers hikers a closer look at the waterway that carved through the sandstone and helped shape the region around it.
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10m · Admission ticket not included
Flowing year-round through an otherwise dry desert landscape, Calf Creek creates a ribbon of life beneath towering sandstone cliffs. Watch for cottonwoods, wildlife, and ancient cultural sites while discovering why this small stream has been so important to the surrounding ecosystem.
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Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area
10m
Look down into the winding canyon carved by Calf Creek and see how water has transformed the desert below. The viewpoint offers an impressive perspective on the contrast between pale slickrock, deep canyon walls, and the green vegetation following the creek.
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Upper Calf Creek Falls
10m
This trailhead leads to the lesser-known upper waterfall of Calf Creek, reached by a shorter but steeper hike than the famous lower falls. Descend across slickrock to discover a secluded cascade and swimming area tucked beneath sandstone cliffs.
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Boulder
10m
One of Utah’s most remote communities, Boulder remained inaccessible by paved road until well into the 20th century. Explore a town surrounded by mountains and slickrock while hearing how residents once relied on pack animals and difficult trails to stay connected with the outside world.
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15m
This trail follows part of the historic route once used to carry mail between Boulder and Escalante. Hike into rugged canyon country and imagine the determination required to cross slickrock, streams, and steep terrain simply to keep these isolated communities connected.
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15m
Rising prominently above the surrounding landscape, Sugarloaf Mountain adds another dramatic landmark to the drive across southern Utah. Watch the terrain change around you as desert cliffs gradually give way to the higher forests and mountains of the Aquarius Plateau.
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15m
Originally developed as a cattle route, the Burr Trail now offers one of southern Utah’s most spectacular scenic drives. Follow it through colorful canyons and slickrock country toward Capitol Reef, where dramatic switchbacks eventually descend into the Waterpocket Fold.
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20m
Utah’s largest national forest stretches across mountains, plateaus, forests, and colorful canyon country. Drive beneath towering ponderosa pines and quaking aspens while watching the landscape change dramatically from the hot desert below to cool high-elevation forests.
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15m
Pause at this elevated viewpoint for a broad look across southern Utah’s rugged high country. Sweeping forests, distant cliffs, and layered desert landscapes show how dramatically the terrain changes as Highway 12 climbs across the Aquarius Plateau.
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10m
Take in a vast panorama of the valleys, mesas, and desert country stretching far below Boulder Mountain. On clear days, the immense view reveals the scale of southern Utah and offers a striking contrast between forested highlands and the arid landscape beyond.
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10m
One of Highway 12’s grandest viewpoints, Larb Hollow looks across an enormous expanse of cliffs, canyons, and distant desert formations. Stop here to appreciate the scale of the Waterpocket Fold country and the seemingly endless wilderness surrounding Capitol Reef.
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Capitol Reef National Park
20m · Admission ticket not included
Centered around the enormous Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef protects a landscape of colorful cliffs, domes, canyons, and historic orchards. Explore scenic drives, ancient petroglyphs, and the pioneer community of Fruita while discovering how millions of years of uplift and erosion shaped this remarkable park.
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Teasdale
10m
Set beneath Boulder Mountain, Teasdale developed as a small agricultural community surrounded by orchards, fields, and spectacular red-rock scenery. Pass through this peaceful town while learning how settlers relied on farming and livestock to build lives in southern Utah.
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Torrey
15m
This welcoming gateway town sits just west of Capitol Reef National Park beneath dramatic cliffs and high mountain scenery. Stop for restaurants, lodging, and supplies, or simply enjoy the transition from the quiet streets of Torrey into the spectacular landscapes of the national park.
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Escalante Interagency Visitor Center
10m
A useful gateway to Grand Staircase–Escalante, this visitor center helps travelers understand the monument’s enormous and often remote landscape. Stop for maps, trail information, safety advice, and exhibits about the geology, wildlife, archaeology, and human history of the region.
