No Mans Mesa

No Mans Mesa rises as one of the most isolated landforms in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, its top holding a near-relict desert grassland ecosystem that's gone largely undisturbed for lack of easy access. Reaching it means hiking the length of Lick Wash into Park Wash, then climbing what remains of an old goat trail up the mesa's flank.

What makes it worth the effort

• A concentration of native grasses unmatched elsewhere in southern Utah, visible even to a casual botanist
• Solitude — this is one of the region's least-visited named landmarks
• Round trip runs about 12 miles minimum with 1,500-plus feet of climbing, typically 6 to 8 hours

This route is recommended for experienced hikers only, with real route-finding required and exposure to steep drop-offs on the final climb. Flash flooding in the wash sections is a genuine hazard — check the forecast before you go.