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Show Outdoor & Travel May 2002 Esollainiitte tors vaiirMy Page 12 Whether you wan to visit Utah's newest national -monuments or some of the oldest attractions in the state, Escalante is the place to be. The new national monument is the Grand Staircase of the Escalante National Monument. This 1.7 million acre monument was crated in 1996. The monument gets its name from the scenic gorges carved by the Escalante River. Five geological steps create a staircase effect throughout the monument with each step composed of cliff faces and rock layers that have distinctive dis-tinctive colors and characteristics. While much of the monument is remote wilderness, accessible only by hiking, two highways, US 89 on the south and Highway 12 on the north allow for some spectacular views and the monuments intersected inter-sected by four scenic back ways that allow some vehicular access. There are more than 300 archeo-logical archeo-logical sites within the monument-from monument-from fossilized remains of the late cretaceous periods to the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi Indian civilization. civ-ilization. These, along with the beautiful geological features are best seen by hiking into the back ft..., . f,:?-i.W " .... ,r' country of the monument. North of the town of Escalante is Escalante State Park. This unique area of the state is home to many diverse features. While the park is probably best known for its famous petrified forest, for-est, there are also other attractions withing the park boundaries. For those willing to brave the back country, there are fossilized dinosaur bones and remnants of ancient Fremont Indians to be found. Also located mostly withing the park boundaries is Wide Hollow Reservoir. This beautiful beau-tiful lake offers great fishing fish-ing for rainbow trout and bluegill. Swimming is also permitted per-mitted in the cool .alpine waters and there are plenty of places to lounge and enjoy watching the many species of birds, animals and water fowl that inhabit the area. The area surrounding the park is a haven for the plants and animals of the Upper Sonoran life zone. The trees are mostly pinyon and juniper, although cottonwoods are found around the lake shore. There are many species of wild flowers and small rodents, lizards, waterfowl, water-fowl, birds, deer and coyotes can be seen in and around the park. To the north and east of the Grand Staircase is Capitol Reef National Park. Here again there is a wide variety of things to see. . Among the main attractions are the rock art and petroglyphs left by the Fremont Indians who lived in the area many years ago. The ridges (called "reefs" by the early pioneers) and domes that reminded explorers of state capitol buildings gave the park its name. The nearly impassable, impassa-ble, rugged back country was alone an ideal hideout for Butch Cassidy and his infamous Wild Bunch around the turn of the century. Some of the remote sections of the park are open to four-wheel drive vehicles, but much of the area is accessible only to foot traffic. Goblin Valley Is a great place for hide-n-seek. Wonderland Inn and Restaurant Pool & Jacuzzi 360 Views Junction of Hwys 12 & 24 Torrey, UT 435-425-3775 800-458-0216 Wonderland Texaco Hiking & Biking Supply Center ATV Guided Tours & Rentals Trailer Park & Campground Within Minutes of Kanab EXPRESS Hotel & Suites 9 Hole Golf Course Swimming Pool - Spa Convention Facilities 800-574-4061 815 E. Hwy 89 Kanab 65 Rooms Gift Shop 0 Non-Smoking Rooms Credit Cards Accepted 0 386 E. 300 S. (Hwy 89 to Page) Kanab, UT 84741 435-644-5373 Fax 435-644-5388 Located on the world-famous Burr Trail on the way to Capitol Reef National Park and Escalante Grand Staircase Monument. Clean log cabin restaurant serving home-cooked foods. 1 55 E. Burr Trail Rd. Off Hwy 12 Boulder 435-335-7447 bldrmesacolorcountry.net Bryce Canyon Pines a home away from home Bryce Canyon Pines Resort is less than 5 minutes min-utes from Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon Pines Resort offers full service RV park, rustic cottages, ana modern motel rooms. Bryce Canyon Pines Resort can be your home away from home, while you enjoy the scenic sights surrounding Bryce Canyon. In addition to viewing beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park you can relax in the heated pool and spa, enjoy a home cooked meal in our restaurant, restau-rant, or even spend a day with real cowboys on a horseback ride to Butch Cassids secret hide out. Join a true Western cowboy cow-boy on a horseback ride to the secret hideout of infamous infa-mous outlaw Butch Cassidy. Your cowboy' guide will share some extraordinary history during your adven- ture as well as a few stories of his own. Horseback rides are lavailable to the beginner as Iwell as 'the more experienced rider from ages 6 and up. 'Choose between a half hour anA nnfi Vmni n'na urli-itlt 1ao1 ithrough a red rock Ponderosa iForest. Also available are half land full day horseback adven-Itures adven-Itures through the twisted for-Imations for-Imations of red canyon on the trails Butch Cassidy once Jroamed. Bryce Canyon is jlocated on scenic highway 12 isituated amid a Ponderosa for-iest for-iest with an incredible view of Ithe surrounding mountains, iBryce Canyon Pines offers I everything you need to make ;Tffigj'filT&g!lifBri' tW W liy0ur vacation complete r (POOR f |