Coyote Gulch to Cottonwood Canyon — Grand Staircase Desert Spine via Skutumpah Road and Willis Creek

Skutumpah Road cuts south from Cannonville across the high benches of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and the stretch linking Willis Creek to Cottonwood Canyon Road is one of the most underrated dirt-road crossings in southern Utah. You’re threading between the Paria River drainage and the Kaiparowits Plateau, dropping through mudstone badlands that turn into greasy clay after rain — the kind that packs under your tires and refuses to let go. Willis Creek itself, accessed via a spur, is a narrow slot canyon you can walk into for a mile, red walls barely shoulder-width in places. The junction at Johnson Canyon marks your turn south toward Cottonwood Canyon and the distinctive pink and white Cockscomb formation — a tilted monocline that runs the length of the route like a crooked spine.

Wet weather closes this road completely — the BLM isn’t kidding when they say impassable when wet. Dry conditions make it a moderate high-clearance run; a stock 4WD with decent clearance handles it fine. Plan for 2–3 hours of dirt driving. No permits needed, no services between Cannonville and US-89. Carry water for the full run, and fill up in Kanab or Panguitch before you head out. Summer thunderstorms are the real threat — check the BLM Kanab field office road conditions before you go. Fall and spring offer the best light on those canyon walls.