Hole in the Rock Road is a 57 mile long dirt/sand/gravel road that provides a means to travel through Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument from Escalante to Lake Powell. It ends literally at a hole in the rock that allows views of Lake Powell. As you go along the road the conditions deteriorate until the last 10 miles or so require a high clearance 4WD vehicle. Joe drove the first 37 miles and it took nearly 2 hours to go that far (one way and another 2 hours back to our camper). At that point the road was about one and a half lanes wide and very rough between washboarding and the rocks randomly sticking up trying to tear off the oil pan. As you drive along you will occasionally see various car parts both in the road and along the side the road. Joe did see one oil pan and several air dams or deflectors that had been torn off the bottom of bumpers.
During our time near both Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments we have learned that our high clearance 4WD one ton dually is not a good vehicle to drive on the dirt roads used to see these amazing places. The suspension is too stiff resulting in an unacceptably bouncy ride. It is also too wide for many of the Jeep trails and too long to make many of the turns. This and the summer heat of the American Southwest deserts has limited us somewhat in where we have gone and what we have seen. Looks like it might be time to add a a vehicle that can get us to these places we love to visit.
Devils Garden
Devil’s Garden is about 12 miles down the road and is the most amazing place we visited on this road. Hoodoos and arches are densely packed into a small area making it a great place for everybody to explore.
We believe it looks like a woodpecker talking to an iguana.
So, why bother to drive down Hole in the Rock Road given how big a hassle it is? Along the way you will find some of the most amazing geologic sites in the world. Joe visited several of them and left several others on his bucket list, primarily due to the heat. No 10 mile hikes when the temperatures are above 90.
Cedar Wash Arch
About 3 miles down Hole in the Rock Road is the Cedar Wash Road. If you follow it for about 3 more miles you will find a parking spot and a trail that will lead you to a view of the Cedar Wash Arch. It is a fairly difficult trail with significant parts of it requiring walking on a steep grade with a 100 plus foot drop a foot or two away. The Arch is beautiful and it is a short trip from Escalante.
Big Horn Canyon
Big Horn Canyon is an interesting tributary of Harris Wash in a rarely explored area just 4 miles up Hole in the Rock Road. It runs three miles through hilly, shrub-covered land, cutting into Navajo sandstone rock layers that display an unusually wide range of colors, textures, and formations.
It is about 2 miles to the start of the canyon making this about a 10 mile hike to see the whole thing.
Due to hot weather Joe didn’t finish the hike and will want to return in cooler weather to see the entire canyon. The 400 foot deep section still needs to be seen.
Peek-a-Boo Canyon
Peek-a-Boo Canyon (different from the previously documented Peek-a-Boo) is one of the most famous and popular hikes along Hole in the Rock Road. Joe went after not being able to hike to four different arches further along on Hole in the Rock Road due to horrible deep sand disturbed by others creating a road he could not drive through without getting stuck and needing a tow to finish.
Still on the bucket list is Coyote Gulch, Golden Cathedral, and Cosmic Ashtray. We’ll come back some spring or fall and see what else is down Hole in the Rock Road. It is most definitely worth the effort to explore Hole in the Rock Road. But maybe we’ll bring a Jeep instead of the big truck. 🙂