The Hole In Road
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The Hole In Road
Hole-in-the-Rock Road, Escalante District
This is a rough dirt road that can usually be driven by high-clearance two-wheel drive. The last seven miles are recommended four-wheel drive. There are no facilities along the road.
This 62 mile (100 km) drive (one way) runs from Escalante, Utah to the actual Hole-in-the-Rock on the western shore of Lake Powell following the general route of of the original Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition . Most of the road is in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, however the last approximately 5 miles are within the boundaries of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Most of the road is passable to high-clearance, two-wheel drive vehicles in dry weather. The last few miles within Glen Canyon are best traveled by foot, bicycle, or four-wheel drive vehicle. There are numerous side-roads that leave this main road. Nearly all of these are only recommended for four-wheel drive.
Persons traveling this road should carry plenty of water (at least one gallon--4 liters--per person per day) and be equipped to get themselves out of any difficulty they might encounter. This road is not routinely patrolled by any agency. Temperatures can range over 100° F (38°C) in summer to near 0° F (-17°C) in winter. Sudden heavy rains, especially in summer months may make this road impassable. If you are caught near the end of the road during a heavy storm, you may not be able to make it back to the paved highway, even with a four-wheel drive.
For latest road conditions and travel information, call the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center at 435-826-5499 or check the Road Report from the Bureau of Land Management .
There are other sections of the Hole-in-the-Rock trail on the east side of Lake Powell as well, where the expedition's journey continued. For the most part, these eastern sections are much rougher, requiring well-equipped four-wheel drive vehicles.
Check at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center for a free permit to stay overnight.
This is no Sunday drive. In good weather, most of the road is passable to high-clearance, two-wheel drive vehicles in dry weather. The last few miles within Glen Canyon are best traveled by foot, bicycle, or four-wheel drive vehicle. There are numerous side-roads that leave this main road. Nearly all of these are only recommended for four-wheel drive.
Pets are allowed in most parts of the recreation area. Pets must be on a leash that is no longer than six feet in length. Owners must clean up solid pet waste.
Pets are NOT allowed in the following areas:
There is no extra fee beyond park entrance.
This guide will help point out areas of historical and scenic interest along the road. Mileages indicated do not allow for side trips. Be aware that your odometer may not register exactly the same mileage listed here. Please keep this in mind as you drive.
Mile 0.0, Junction of Hole-in-the-Rock road and Highway 12:
The town of Escalante, a few miles west of this junction, provided the last chance for the pioneers to obtain food and supplies and to make repairs on their equipment.
Mile 4.2, Ten Mile Spring:
A small seep where the first major camp was established after departing from Escalante.
Mile 12.0, Devil's Garden:
About 1/2 mile southwest from this road, one can observe spectacular rock formations. This site has been designated as an Outstanding Natural Area by the Bureau of Land Management. Always carry water when walking in the desert!
Mile 14.0, Twenty Mile Spring:
At this site, now called Collett Wash, water was so scarce the pioneers had to dig in the sand to obtain sufficient quantities for survival.
Mile 36.4, Dance Hall Rock:
This is a large, solid sandstone amphitheater. The pioneers set up a base camp near here and held dances in the natural theater, accompanied by violins, to keep the morale up.
Mile 37.1, Forty Mile Spring:
This area served as a base camp and rendezvous point, since the well-used road ended here. A member of the advance party of scouts, Platt D. Lyman, commented on the terrain that lay directly ahead: "It is certainly the worst country I ever saw . . . "
Mile 39.1, Carcass Wash:
A major obstacle for the expedition, as well as the site of a terrible accident that took the lives of 13 Boy Scouts on June 10, 1963. Brake failure on a truck was blamed.
Mile 45.7, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Boundary:
You have left Bureau of Land Management lands and are now within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a National Park Service area. From here to the end, the condition of the road worsens and is recommended for four-wheel drive only.
Mile 48.7, Fifty Mile Spring:
A major mission camp was located in this general vicinity at one of these three springs. The first child born on this journey was born here.
Mile 50.1, Hole-in-the-Rock Arch:
A commemorative plaque is mounted in stone next to the road, pointing out a natural arch at the top of the Kaiparowits Plateau. Careful observation will reveal faint remains of wagon tracks to the side of the road.
Mile 55.3, Hole-in-the-Rock:
The expedition of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints made use of the Hole-in-the-Rock cut to cross the Colorado River in 1880. Construction of this passageway was very difficult. The workers were plagued by lack of wood, forage for cattle, bitter cold, and diminishing food supplies. Blasting powder and picks were used to widen and/or fill various sections of the crevice. At the lower part of the Hole, a road was constructed on the side of a sheer cliff wall. Although a three-foot shelf had already existed, an extension to the shelf was formed by driving two-foot stakes into the rock and piling vegetation and rocks on top. This portion of the trail was nicknamed "Uncle Ben's Dugway" in honor of its engineer, Benjamin Perkins. After six weeks of picking, chiseling, drilling, blasting, and digging, the Hole-in-the-Rock road had been completed.
No reservations are needed. Check the road report ahead to make sure road is passable. Check in at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center if you plan to stay overnight and get a free permit.
The weather in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is usually typical for the high deserts. Summers are extremely hot with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with night time lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable and unpredictable with extended periods of winds. Fall weather is usually nice and mild, a great time to beat the heat.
Temperatures can range from 110° F (38°C) in June & July to O° F (-16°C) in December & January. Precipitation is generally light (less than 6 inches [15.2cm] annually) though heavy rains and flash flooding is possible during the summer and fall "monsoons." The road will not be passable in inclement weather.
This wilderness area is best traveled during daylight hours - the night sky is beautiful but very dark, and the road does end at a long drop into Lake Powell. Enjoy the views when you can see them.
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Hole-in-the-Rock Road
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Even with modern SUVs, the 55.5-mile road brings a sense of adventure and demands a bit of preparation. For most of the way, it’s doable for a handy driver even without a high-clearance vehicle, but toward the end the going gets rough, and a proper 4x4 is absolutely necessary. You also wouldn’t want to undertake the drive if a single raincloud is on the way — once the road is muddy it becomes completely impassable, rendering motorists stranded on a rarely-patrolled route. You’ll want to bring plenty of extra water, maps, a full fuel tank (with perhaps a spare gas container), and other basic supplies in case something unforeseen happens. With that in mind, the modern-day adventurer has it quite a bit easier than the original pioneers who were sturdy enough to undertake this in wagons. Along the way there are many amazing stop-offs to explore — lovely camping spots and slot canyons worth peeking into.
You’ll turn onto Hole-in-the-Rock Road from UT-12 just a few minutes outside the town of Escalante, and it’s “Southward, ho!” from there. Twelve miles down the road, you’ll reach Devils Garden , a head-turning rock formation with a couple of interesting arches, a picnic area, and a short pathway worth checking out. At about mile 26, you’ll reach the turnoff for the Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch trailhead, which bears its own list of wonders. A detailed map and guidebook will point you in the right direction to explore the famed non-technical slot canyons, Peek-a-boo and Spooky , from this gulch. (Both are doable as a day-hike.) At mile 36 (at which point traffic is extremely sparse), you’ll pass Dance Hall Rock, a natural sandstone amphitheater where the original pioneers set up a base camp and held dances to violin music to keep their spirits up.
Finally at Mile 55.5, you’ll arrive at the famed Hole-in-the-Rock, where original travelers had to literally dig in and blast a passage through the red rocks to descend to the river below. After six weeks of chiseling, digging, and blasting in terrible conditions, they finally completed what roughly passed as a road for their wagons. This section can now be hiked down by intrepid hikers unafraid of an unmaintained, steep pathway that descends several hundred feet to the water. It’s a challenging scramble down (and back up), but if you think of the early settlers who managed to get full-sized wagons and cattle down it, you’ll truly take pause in utter awe at their determination. For additional information on the Hole-in-the-Rock expedition, check out the Bluff Fort Historic Site in Bluff. GPS Coordinates: 37.728098, -111.532497
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Hole in the Rock Road: Camping, Logistics & Things to Do
Road conditions on Hole in the Rock Road
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Interested in hiking and camping on Hole in the Rock Road in Grand Staircase Escalante but having trouble deciding what to do or if you are prepared to take on this off-road adventure? We’ve got you covered! In the article below, we have created a complete guide to Hole in the Rock Road in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, from details on dispersed camping and finding good campsites to the best hikes along the road and vehicle safety tips !
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Hole in the Rock Road is a 62 mile (one way) dirt road through Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in southern Utah, ending in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The road travels east from the town of Escalante through one of the most remote areas of Utah, if not the entire United States, and gets progressively more rough the farther down you go. As such, driving Hole in the Rock Road requires advance planning and vehicle safety preparedness.
Hole in the Rock Road is home to some of the best hikes in Grand Staircase Escalante , from narrow slot canyons to towering arches, and offers an escape from the crowds of the nearby Utah National Parks. If you’re looking for off-the-beaten-path adventures, unique hiking experiences, and plentiful free camping, we highly recommend spending a few days on Hole in the Rock Road!
Hole in the Rock Road follows the general path of the San Juan Expedition of 1879, organized by the Morman church to secure a site for settlement in the area east of the Colorado River. The expedition consisted of 250 women, women, and children who set off from Salt Lake City and headed east towards the Colorado River.
To reach their destination, the group decided to take a supposed short-cut, but ended up stuck at “Hole-in-the-Rock”, a narrow crack in the canyon wall just west of Lake Powell. A trip that was expected to take 6 weeks ended up taking 6 months, as the group slow chipped away at the hole, until widening the opening enough to pass through with their carriages and supplies.
The expedition continued until it reached the San Juan River and eventually established a settlement that is now known as Bluff, Utah. Today, if you drive to the end of the road, you can still see (and hike through) the very same “hole in the rock” that held up the Mormon expedition!
The majority of Hole in the Rock Road is located in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, with the exception of the last 5 miles which leads into Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Grand Staircase Escalante is one of the largest areas of protected land in the United States, encompassing nearly 2 million acres in southern Utah.
Grand Staircase Escalante is rugged, remote, and insanely beautiful. While more and more people flock to Utah’s Big 5 National Parks (Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef), we have found Grand Staircase to be significantly less crowded and just as scenice, if not more so, than any of the national parks. As one of the last places in the US to be mapped, it truly is a wild, Western experience!
With tons of amazing hikes, from narrow slot canyons to sandstone arches and even massive waterfalls, there is so much to do in Grand Staircase! Many of the best hikes in Grand Staircase are located off Hole in the Rock Road, making it a great base for exploring the area.
Before we get into it, we wanted to start with a word about preserving the incredible landscapes found in Grand Staircase Escalante. You’ve almost surely heard or read about “ Leave no trace “, but it’s especially important in this remote area, as services are limited, the ecosystem is particularly fragile, and there are often no defined trails. Here are a few important things to keep in mind:
Grand Staircase Escalante is a remote and rugged place. P
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