The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a division of the United States Department of the Interior, administers campgrounds and other facilities all over the country. The BLM manages one out of every 10 acres of U.S. public land. The Cannonville Visitor Center is one of four such centers connected to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which is in south-central Utah. The Cannonville Visitor Center is only open from the middle of March until the middle of November each year, but the accompanying national monument is open all year round. The monument is well-known not only for its history, particularly that of the First Nations peoples who lived there for thousands of years but also for the rich fossil record of the area's dinosaurs millions of years ago. Zion National Park is an hour and a half to the southwest; Bryce National Park is only 20 minutes to the northwest; Capitol Reef National Park is a little over two hours to the northeast; and Grand Canyon National Park is in Arizona, about three hours to the southwest.
In certain areas of the monument, hiking and biking are strictly controlled, and you need a permit to explore them. Contact either the BLM itself or, if it's open, the Cannonville Visitor Center, for information.
The pet-friendly Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail features both river and waterfall views along with scads of wildflowers. It is an hour northeast of the Cannonville Visitor Center. Length: 6.1 miles Intensity: Moderate
This confluence of three trails is tough to follow, so you may want to get a trail map from the visitor center. These trails are an hour and a half southeast of the Cannonville Visitor Center. Length: 6.2 miles Intensity: Difficult
Wide Hollow Reservoir, 40 minutes northeast of the Cannonville Visitor Center, straddles the border of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and covers 30 acres. The water is quite cold, so take care if you swim. You can't rent boats, but there is a boat ramp if you have your own. With a fishing permit, you can chase rainbow trout and bluegills. During the winter, ice fishing is popular.
The climbing opportunities near the Cannonville Visitor Center are moderately difficult to difficult, and there are no beginner routes. Experienced climbers will be able to enjoy several routes rated from 5.7 to 5.10d, the latter of which is the toughest route in the area. It's called Breakfast of Mutton and can be found at Ewe Tower, 20 minutes south of the Cannonville Visitor Center. Other notable routes are Nonplussed on Dust and Crust at the Colossus, a huge pinnacle 20 minutes southeast of the Cannonville Visitor Center, and Wolf-Dog at Dog Gone Tower, just 10 minutes to the southeast.
There are no picnic areas in the national monument, but they are available at the Cannonville Visitor Center. There are also bathrooms and drinking water.
The 1.87-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is divided into five distinct wildlife areas. More than 200 species of birds inhabit the area, including the nearly extinct California condor. The area is home to both mountain lions and bears, too, so be careful when you're out hiking. As a general rule, never approach closer than 175 feet when you spot a predator. If you're particularly lucky, then you might catch sight of the world's fastest bird: the peregrine falcon. Although other birds outclass it in level flight, this falcon approaches 200 miles per hour in a steep dive called a stoop.
BLM RV camping isn't available at the Cannonville Visitor Center. The closest place for Bureau of Land Management camping is Calf Creek Recreation Area Campground, which features 13 RV campsites. It lies on the other side of the national monument, an hour northeast of the Cannonville Visitor Center. If you're visiting between March 15 and November 15, then you can also check out Bryce Canyon RV Resort right in Cannonville. In addition to full hookups, showers, and free Wi-Fi, the resort features a dump station.
If you search for "BLM camping near me" while at the Cannonville Visitor Center, you will discover some options. Twenty-five minutes northwest of the Cannonville Visitor Center, the Dixie National Forest features several areas where Bureau of Land Management free camping is possible. There are no services or amenities available in these primitive camping areas. Bureau of Land Management campgrounds have a rule that you can only remain in the same location for 14 days. Thereafter, you must move to a different location for at least another 14 days. After that, then you can return to your original camping spot if you want.
If you're going to hit one of the 46 trails in the national monument near the Cannonville Visitor Center, you need to have both the right kind of footwear and enough water. Hiking in the region is tough, so you're going to need to bring at least two gallons of water per person for every hour you intend to spend hiking and exploring. Study what to do in case you're surprised by a predator. For example, back slowly away from a bear, and wave your arms gently. Don't make direct eye contact. Also, study the boundaries of where you can go and which regions require a special permit. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
It's critical that you don't take anything from the surrounding environment with you when you leave. Also, never leave anything behind that wasn't already there when you arrived. If you're vigilant, then observing Leave No Trace guidelines is easy, and it's very beneficial to the animals and plants in the area.
To reach the Cannonville Visitor Center, you can either proceed along Route 12 until you reach Cannonville or simply drive down Main Street to Center Street in the town to find the Visitor Center at 10 Center Street. Address: 10 Center Street Cannonville, UT 84718 Ready to visit the Cannonville Visitor Center? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you'll have your RV to return to for the night, where you'll enjoy a full kitchen; bathroom; and nice, soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here's a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
