These steps became famous after the government declared the 1.7 million acres around it a national monument in 1996. But the staircase isn't the only fantastic feature of this protected land. Sitting in between Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, the monument is full of multi-hued cliffs, twisting canyons, expansive plateaus, and all sorts of buttes, pinnacles, and mesas.

In fact, there are three distinct areas: the staircase itself, which is made up of steps of gray, white, vermilion and chocolate cliffs; the Kaiparowits Plateau, a broad mesa carved through with narrow canyons; and the Escalante Canyon area, where you'll find the Escalante River and the canyons it has created. This varied terrain makes for great exploring, since it's like walking into the ancient past: rock art from the Anasazi Indians, dinosaur fossils, and 270-million-year-old sea shells are common finds. But the area is full of modern creatures as well, such as mountain lion, bear, and more than 200 species of birds, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons.