Escalante Interagency Visitor Center
Our public safety messaging is intended to help people make informed decisions while visiting the Monument.
The Escalante Interagency Visitor Center is one of four visitor centers in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, each with a different theme. Tucked away in the heart of Escalante, Utah, this Visitor Center is packed with information about the local geology and ecosystem of the nearly one-million acres encompassed by the Monument. Overlooking the geologic monocline northeast of the facility, it provides a glimpse of the geology of the Escalante desert.
The friendly and knowledgeable staff have up-to-date information on road conditions and hiking trails that will help visitors maximize their enjoyment when visiting the area. The facility has an exhibit room, restrooms, a picnic area, interpretive signs, and a theater to watch the video “Traces in Time,” about science and human history in the Monument. We also have information on enjoying and exploring the Dixie National Forest and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Opened to the public in 2005, the Visitor Center is one of the Department of the Interior’s first Gold LEED-rated facilities and is staffed with personnel from the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Forest Service.
To learn more, visit the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Centers page.
Accessibility Description (ABA/ADA)
Click on the image above to view more photos of accessibility features at this site.
The parking area for the facility consists mainly of compacted gravel, along with 3 paved accessible parking spots. One of the accessible parking spots is a van space with an access aisle on the side for vehicles with a mobility device ramp or lift.
An outdoor interpretive kiosk sits on a concrete pad adjacent to the parking lot. It is at a height appropriate for visitors using mobility devices.
A concrete walkway with a slight incline leads from the parking area to the building. The Center has exterior entrances to 3 accessible restrooms.
A covered picnic area sits directly across from the restrooms. There are four metal 4 picnic tables with fixed benches under the shelter, 2 of which have an open space at either end that can accommodate visitors in wheelchairs.
Near the picnic area as well as the entrance to the building, there are numerous interpretive and safety-related signs that are angled to be viewable from different heights. There are also several outdoor benches without arms.
Inside the Center are wide hallways and doorways. Most of the placards and interpretive signs near exhibits are accessible, though a few of the artifacts rest on tables that may be too high for easy viewing for some people. In the video-screening room, the chairs can be moved to accommodate people who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
There are plenty of photos in the above Flickr album showing signs and displays, to help visitors who like to know what to expect when they go to a new place.
Descriptions and photos uploaded September 2024. Please note that actual on-the-ground conditions may vary due to natural events (e.g., weather, wildfires, erosion), normal wear and tear, or site improvements.
Phone
Activities
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Geographic Coordinates
Directions
Located on Highway 12, 58 miles east of Highway 89.
Summer Hours
Open Thursday through Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., (closed Wednesday).