Wildlife Tracking in Canyon Point & Grand Staircase, Utah
The California condor came within twenty-two birds of extinction before the recovery program began in the 1980s. The Vermilion Cliffs, just south of the Utah-Arizona border, are now home to more than a hundred condors in the wild. These are the largest birds in North America — wingspans approaching ten feet — and they soar the thermals above the red cliffs in a way that makes identification effortless: enormous, flat-winged, riding the air without effort for minutes at a stretch.
The annual public condor release at the Vermilion Cliffs on National Public Lands Day has run since 1996. Beyond condors, the Colorado Plateau supports desert bighorn sheep on the canyon walls, pronghorn on the open mesas, and coyotes working the wash bottoms at dawn and dusk. The Condor Viewing Site on House Rock Valley Road is the most reliable observation point, accessible by high-clearance vehicle and positioned directly below the roosting cliffs. Bring a spotting scope — binoculars alone undersell what you can see.
Weather & Conditions
| Month | High / Low | Rain Days | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45° / 22°F | 4 | Good |
| Feb | 52° / 27°F | 4 | Good |
| Mar | 62° / 34°F | 4 | Good |
| Apr | 72° / 42°F | 3 | Peak |
| May | 82° / 51°F | 2 | Peak |
| Jun | 93° / 60°F | 2 | Peak |
| Jul | 99° / 67°F | 7 | Good |
| Aug | 96° / 65°F | 8 | Good |
| Sep | 87° / 56°F | 5 | Peak |
| Oct | 74° / 44°F | 4 | Peak |
| Nov | 58° / 31°F | 3 | Good |
| Dec | 46° / 23°F | 4 | Good |
Where to Go
5 miles from Big Water, Utah. On the edge of Grand Staircase-Escalante with views across the Colorado Plateau.
1.7 million acres of roadless canyon country. Coyote Gulch, Escalante River canyons, Kaiparowits Plateau.
Reservoir formed by Glen Canyon Dam. Kayaking into Lower Antelope Canyon. Wahweap Marina launch point.
Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon on Navajo land near Page. Guided tours required. Lower accessible by kayak from Lake Powell.
270-degree meander of the Colorado River. 1.5-mile round trip hike from Highway 89. Go before 7am or after 6pm.
Lottery permit required via Recreation.gov. 6-mile roundtrip. The most sought-after day hike in the American Southwest.
California condor reintroduction site since 1996. 100+ condors in the wild. Annual public condor release on National Public Lands Day.
Buckskin Gulch — longest slot canyon in North America. Overnight permits required. Flash flood risk is real and serious.
Closest town and airport. Base for Antelope Canyon tours, Lake Powell access, and Horseshoe Bend.
Gateway town to the northwest. Wave permit pickup point. Access to Zion, Grand Canyon North Rim.
Multi-day backpacking route in Grand Staircase. Natural arches, slot canyons, and the Escalante River. Spring and fall only.
Know Before You Go
Permits for Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) are issued through a lottery on Recreation.gov. The advance lottery opens four months before your desired date and is the most reliable method. The daily walk-in lottery requires you to be physically present in Page or Kanab two days before your hike. Less than 5% of applicants are drawn in peak season. Apply for the advance lottery the moment your dates are set.
Slot canyons including Antelope Canyon, Buckskin Gulch, and Coyote Gulch can fill with water in minutes from storms that are completely invisible from inside them. Antelope Canyon operators close tours without warning during storm advisories. The BLM advises checking weather across the entire watershed — not just the sky above the trailhead — before entering any slot canyon.
Horseshoe Bend, Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, and the Wahweap Overlook of Lake Powell are all genuinely extraordinary — and genuinely crowded from 9am to 4pm in peak season. Horseshoe Bend before 7am is a different experience from the same place at noon. The canyon country rewards the early riser more than almost anywhere else in the American West.
Hotels & Lodges for Wildlife Tracking
Amangiri
Minimalist concrete pavilions hidden within the stark mesas of the Colorado Plateau.