The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
Four visitor centers are located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center is one of them. This center, like all four, focuses on one aspect of the National Monument and is staffed with personnel from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service, and Forest Service. These are all federal government organizations, and the BLM specifically oversees public lands often open for dispersed camping. Campers are not permitted to stay overnight at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. The focus of the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center is local ecology and geology, and this center features multiple exhibits on the insects, plants, and geographical features of the local area. This center also offers visitor information on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and trip planning. You may also be able to see a scheduled film on ecology and geology at the center's auditorium or explore the on-site bookstore from Tuesday through Saturday.
The Escalante River Trail is an out-and-back trail that begins in wildflower fields and later passes over Escalante Natural Bridge, then passes a skyline arch, Anasazi ruins, petroglyphs, and Sand Creek. Length: 15 miles Intensity: Moderate
The Box Trail is a long hiking trail that explores The Box, a large rocky canyon. This trail crosses a creek multiple times and includes some slick areas of rock scrambles. Length: 16.2 miles Intensity: Difficult
Another trail leading through a canyon is the Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail. This heavily used hiking trail features a tall waterfall and pool at its end with great canyon views. Length: 6.7 miles Intensity: Moderate
If you'd like to enjoy some water sports near the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, consider checking out Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, which has access to Wide Hollow Reservoir. In this reservoir, anglers can catch rainbow trout and bluegill, and anyone can use the park's public boat ramps for boating on the water. This state park also offers rentals for kayaks and paddle boards.
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is home to 84% of Utah's plant life. Visitors can see species such as sagebrush, yucca, cottonwood, orchids, primrose, and more in the area. The Escalante Interagency Visitor Center also features information on the native fauna of the area, which includes burrowing owls, desert bighorn sheep, gray foxes, red-spotted toads, and more.
The public is free to use one of the many picnic sites at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center during operating hours. You may also enjoy having a picnic at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, which has covered picnic sites just outside its visitor center. These picnic sites are offered on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations accepted.
While it may be convenient to use a Bureau of Land Management free camping area, you should know that these areas usually do not offer any amenities. If you don't mind primitive camping, you may use them for up to 14 days at a time; however, if you would prefer to go RV camping with full hookups or for longer than 14 days, consider staying at a nearby privately-owned campground instead. You may want to check out Escalante Cabins & RV Park, a campground with full hookups and free Wi-Fi located right across the street from the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. You may also enjoy staying at Yonder Escalante, an RV resort with all the same amenities plus a pool, hot tub, and on-site dining options.
If you're looking for BLM camping near me, consider staying at Hurricane Cliffs Recreational Area, just a few miles outside Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This area is one of many nearby Bureau of Land Management campgrounds that offer free dispersed camping with no amenities. Other campgrounds you may stay at include the Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area and the Lava Flat Designated Dispersed Camping Area, both of which are free to use but do not offer water, electricity, or restrooms.
If you are planning on just visiting the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, you don't need to pack much, but visitors who plan on hiking near this center should remember to pack at least a gallon of drinking water per person per day. Those who choose to stay at a BLM-managed campground should also pack plenty of drinking water plus equipment like fire starters and trash bags. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
If you want to hike or camp near the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, know that you will be required to follow the BLM's "Leave No Trace" principles. These principles apply to all BLM-managed lands and ask you to clean up after yourself to help keep the land clean and safe for others to use. Campers who use a BLM campground will also be asked to watch campfires at all times.
Address: 755 W Main St, Escalante, UT 84726 LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 37.77272222, -111.6155333 To reach the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center from nearby Bryce Canyon National Park, take UT-63 to UT-12, then continue for about 45 miles. From there, you will enter the city of Escalante, and you will continue for 0.2 miles before turning right into the center's parking lot. Ready to visit Escalante Interagency 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 to 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.
