Scenic Byway 12
Escalante, UT

Escalante is called the "Heart of Scenic Byway 12" because it is geographically located near the middle of the Byway. The Anasazi and Fremont Indians lived in the area hundreds of years before the first European explorers appeared, Father Silvestre Velez de Escalante being one of them. Originally called Potato Valley, for a wild species of potato found there by early European immigrants, the town's name was later changed to Escalante in honor of the Spanish explorer who, in 1776 and 1777, along with his superior Francisco Domínguez, set out on an expedition in search of a northern route to Monterey in California, from Santa Fe, now in New Mexico. Father Escalante is well-remembered because he chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin desert. For many years the area was a rugged wilderness with few roads.

Today scenic backways and improved gravel roads provide easy access to fascinating areas. Be sure to explore Escalante State Park nearby and learn more about the area in the two visitor centers located in town. Alternatively, take a historic walking tour of the town that includes buildings that date back to the 1880s or eat at a local restaurant or cafe to enjoy the small town feel of Escalante.