Escalante: Aquarius Plateau

Escalante combines a working small-town character with vast sandstone country in a way that reflects its position on Utah’s Colorado Plateau. The town sits along Scenic Byway 12, a route connecting canyon landscapes and high plateaus in southern Utah. South of town, the Escalante River has cut through the slickrock and side canyons of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. Hole-in-the-Rock Road begins nearby, following part of the route associated with Mormon settlers’ difficult 1879–80 journey toward the Colorado River. Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, just north of town, preserves fossilized wood and includes Wide Hollow Reservoir. Discover how Escalante belongs to Utah’s canyon country by browsing webcams across the surrounding plateau.

Utah has functioned as a frontier region within the United States since the mid-19th century. Its terrain spans the Great Basin, the Wasatch Range and the Colorado Plateau, where red-rock canyons and high desert occupy much of the south and east. The Great Salt Lake is the state’s defining inland water body, while the Colorado River has carved some of its most dramatic canyon country. Salt Lake City grew from the 1847 settlement of Mormon pioneers, and Utah entered the Union in 1896. Five national parks, including Zion, Arches and Bryce Canyon, reflect the extraordinary variety of its protected landscapes. Continue through nearby webcams to explore different parts of Utah.

The Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts define much of the United States — their ports, fisheries and trade routes have long tied the country’s economy to the wider world. Between them, the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains and Mississippi River basin form sharply different regions, from high western ranges to broad agricultural heartlands. Cities carry much of the national story: New York’s Statue of Liberty, a gift from France dedicated in 1886, remains an enduring symbol, while Washington, DC concentrates major federal institutions. Indigenous nations have shaped these lands for millennia, and their living cultures remain essential to the country’s identity. Find related webcams in the surrounding areas to build a fuller picture of the United States.