Highway 12, All-American Highway

All-American Roads are one-of-a-kind scenic byways that possess features so unique that the road qualifies as a destination in itself.  That’s right, when you’re on an All American Highway you actually are justified to preach that it’s the journey, and not the destination.  It is indeed a spectacular drive, but we were glad to be over the first part of it which stretches between Torrey and Boulder, during which the road makes a pass at 9,600 ft and was blanketed in snow.  It being a difficult drive, Lish was naturally in control and floated over the treacherous All-American with enviable chutzpah.   

The main feature that the All-American showcases is the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which extends over 1.9 million acres of mineral-less useless farmland. The sandstone cliffs, canyons, plateaus and rock formations extend from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park and Capitol Reef National Park.  Grand Staircase-Escalante was created in 1996 by President Clinton, and its main claim to fame is that it was the childhood home of the notorious Butch Cassidy.