Driving the Hole in the Rock Road

Check the weather report before heading out on this road

NPS

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 most recent Road Report. If you are having an emergency, call 911.

Tips for a safe and enjoyable trip

• Pack out what you pack in. Carry out all trash and food scraps. Help keep wildlife wild by not feeding them human food.
• Always take plenty of drinking water with you. One gallon per person per day is recommended. Make sure to eat to balance electrolyte loss and bring snacks.
• Flash floods happen in an instant here. A storm can appear out of nowhere, sending water flooding into a canyon. If you see or hear a threat of rain or storms, DO NOT RISK your safety for the scenery. Never enter washes or narrow canyons when it is raining or threatening to rain.
• Check with a ranger or official for road and weather conditions before starting your trip.
• Warning: there is limited cell service in this area. Leave your trip itinerary with someone so you can be located in case of car trouble or other mishaps.
• Leave the scenery as it is. Do not write or carve on rocks, do not disturb plants or wildlife. Take only pictures, visit with respect and leave no trace.

This scenic drive is the west portion of the road left by the San Juan Mission. There are other sections of the historic 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.

Details

Duration

1-14 Days

Check at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center for a free permit to stay overnight.

Activity

Scenic Driving

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.

All day- and overnight hikes into the Esclante region of Glen Canyon are access by this drive. Trailheads can be found for Coyote Gulch and many other side canyons. Read up on any specific hikes you may want to attempt before you go. Depanding on the weather, the time of year, and your physical abilities, you may need to bring in and pack out much more gear and water than you think.

Pets Allowed

Yes

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.

Areas Closed to Pets

Pets are NOT allowed in the following areas:

• All archeological sites.
• The portion of Cathedral Wash between the road and the Colorado River.
• Dogs and other companion animals are prohibited from entering Coyote Gulch within the boundaries of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. (This prohibition does not apply to guide dogs accompanying visual impaired persons or to hearing ear dogs accompanying hearing impaired persons.) This prohibition includes all dogs or other pet animals used to carry or transport recreational equipment or food.

Activity Fee

No

There is no extra fee beyond park entrance.

Location

Hole-in-the-Rock Road, Escalante District

Starts at the Junction of Us Hwy 12 and Hole-in-the-Rock Rd south of Escalante UT.

Mile by Mile Guide

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.

Reservations

No

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 to get a free permit.

Season

Year Round

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 0° 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.

Time of Day

Day, Dawn, Dusk

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.

Accessibility Information

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 restroom facilities or shade structures along the road. None of the side hikes are paved, evenly graded, or fitted with railings or other assistive structures.