Utah Road 400

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View when entering Cottonwood Canyon from the south after passing over higher elevations from highway 89. The road will follow the watercourse for a while and then (not following the stream) will continue away to the north, following an eroded geologic fault adjacent to the Sawtooth Mountains.

Along the fault - view south at a terrain transition point where the road shifts from the major valley and its powerlines to an adjacent and parallel minor valley

View north at the same location

Kodachrome Basin State Park

Grosvenor Arch

Road 400 (Cottonwood Canyon byway) connects the Page, Arizona area near Glen Canyon Dam via Utah Highway 89 with the hamlet of Tropic, Utah (from 89 via Utah Highway 12) near the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park and traverses portions of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. (An alternate paved route via Highway 89 passes some distance to the west.) This is a good quality dirt road (mostly a thin coating of sand and dust over smooth sandstone) that allows passage of ordinary vehicles during dry weather (confirm road conditions locally before use). Originally constructed as a maintenance road for power lines traversing the canyon, it is considered impassible in wet weather as several dry washes are crossed near each end of the canyon and portions may be inundated by fast stormwater runoff. Patient drivers of this road will be rewarded with a close look at spectacular geological features, which while not especially large are jagged, varied, and colorful. Owing to dusty conditions, fast driving is discouraged, so extra time should be allowed if this route is used. The only other unpaved road traversing the Grand Staircase is to the east and is only suitable for high clearance four wheel drive vehicles.

Tourist sites accessible from the northern reaches of this road include Grosvenor Arch and Kodachrome Basin State Park. There are no services available and emergency drinking water should be carried.

A good overview of the terrain in this region may be seen at the project relief map at the Glen Canyon Dam interpretive center, located on the North side of the Glen Canyon below the dam, where the road crosses over the bridge.

The canyon may be located on satellite images by starting from Lake Powell. The large, eroded area to the northwest is the Grand Staircase . The canyon is identified by the relatively straight gouge at the western boundary of this area running slightly east of north, in the center of Kane County (A virtual flight using Google Earth is especially instructive. - turn on Borders, Roads and Terrain and look for the county title text "Kane". Tilt to a low angle, zoom in to Road 400, and fly up the canyon.