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Escalante And South Capitol Reef Guide

https://www.where2goguides.com/g/wendy-and-justin/grand-staircase-escalante

Activities / Places

#1.Burro Wash Slot Canyon trail head

want to go trailhead hiking / walking

Notes

    • 8 miles rt if explored from the bottom (the non-technical route)
    • There is a trail head parking area off Notom road; don't drive up the wash
    • Likely to encounter pools

#2.Cottonwood Wash trail head

want to go trailhead hiking / walking
Slot canyon in Capitol Reef

Notes

    • 6 miles rt
    • Trail head located right off Notom road
    • Likely to encounter deep pools
    • Can climb up and look down on the pools; very scenic (see American Southwest description)
    • Good camping on the W side of the road

#3.Sheets Gulch trail head

trailhead hiking / walking
Long, beautiful slot canyon in Capitol Reef

Notes

    • Enjoyable, not too technical slot canyon; 10-20 miles rt depending on when you turn around
    • Includes a scenic arch part way up the canyon
    • Can be pools, but we didn't encounter any that were not passable
    • Can find petrified wood in the wash

#4.Anasazi State Park Museum

want to go cultural site museum

#5.Burr Trail Road

scenic drive
Scenic road connecting Boulder UT to the Notom Rd in Capital Reef

Notes

    • Generally passable by passenger cars (part paved, part dirt)

#6.Upper Muley Twist Canyon (2 wheel drive TH)

trailhead hiking / walking
Slot canyon with arches in Capital Reef

Notes

    • This marks the 2 wheel drive trailhead; 3 miles down the road is the 4 wheel drive trailhead 
    • Typically requires 4WD; sharp/pointy rocks; check with Capital Reef visitor center for road conditions before driving [(435) 425-3791, press 1 for more information, 4 for current road conditions]
    • 14 miles rt from 2 wheel drive TH; 9 miles rt from 4 wheel drive TH

#7.Surprise Canyon trail head

trailhead hiking / walking
Short but colorful slot canyon

Notes

    • 2 miles rt
    • Trail head right off Notom road

#8.Headquarters Canyon trail head

trailhead hiking / walking
Short and sweet slot canyon

Notes

    • 2.5-3.5 miles rt
    • Can explore 2 forks (see American Southwest guide)

#9.Lower Muley Twist trail head

want to go trailhead hiking / walking
Hike through a narrow canyon with overhanging walls

Notes

    • 17 miles rt
    • Perhaps not as interesting as Upper Muley Twist (where you can see arches); this hike is more about seeing undercuts
    • Supposedly good views and a cowboy camp to see (per Roadtrip Ryan)

#10.Escalante Petrified Forest State Park

campground park geologic feature
Great camping option for tents or RVs just outside Escalante. Bonus: a short hike to see petrified logs.

#11.Little Death Hollow trail head

trailhead hiking / walking
Excellent hike through a long slot canyon

Notes

    • Need high clearance, maybe 4 wheel drive vehicle to reach trail head
    • 20-22 mile round trip hike
    • Can go down Little Death and back up Wolverine, but we found Wolverine uninteresting except for all of the petrified wood in the wash; recommend going back through Little Death once reaching Horse Canyon
    • Some waist to chest deep water 
    • Lots of petrified wood in the area

#12.Escalante River trailhead (access to Hundred Handprints)

trailhead rock art hiking / walking

Notes

    • This trailhead provides access to The Hundred Handprints pictographs - see Photographing the Southwest Volume 1 p. 141

#13.Kiva Koffeehouse

coffee shop
Great coffee with an amazing view on the route between Escalante and Boulder.

#14.Cosmic Ashtray trailhead (from Spencer Flats/Old Sheffield Road)

want to go trailhead geologic feature hiking / walking

Notes

    • Trailhead for an 8 mile rt hike to see Cosmic Ashtray; trailhead is 5.8 miles down the Old Sheffield Road (generally well maintained but dirt)
    • Hike is very exposed; do in spring or fall
    • Will pass areas of moki marbles on the way to the trailhead
    • Can poke down Big Horn canyon slot (non technical) on the way
    • Can also get to Cosmic Ashtray via Harris Wash trailhead from Hole in the Rock Road (but requires a sandy 4 wheel drive) 

#15.Moqui hill (place to see Moqui marbles)

want to go geologic feature

#16.Zebra & Tunnel Slots trailhead

trailhead hiking / walking
Slot with beautiful pink and white striped walls

Notes

    • There can be water at the entrance to Zebra
    • Bring some webbing in case you climb up the pour off at the top

#17.Kodachrome Basin State Park

campground park geologic feature hiking / walking
Beautiful park with an excellent campground

#18.Willis Creek Slot Canyon trailhead

trailhead hiking / walking
Scenic slot with a small river running through it

Notes

    • Beautiful slot that ends at Sheep Creek (no obstacles)
    • There are petroglyphs on the hill at the confluence and down Sheep Creek (if you go left from Willis; on the left wall, blue)

#19.Upper Dry Fork trail head (Peek a boo, Spooky, Brimstone slots)

want to go trailhead hiking / walking
Excellent slot canyons

Notes

    • 5 miles for the Peek a boo/Spooky loop; another 3 to add on Brimstone

#20.Bull Valley Gorge trailhead

want to go trailhead hiking / walking

Notes

    • There can be deep, cold water in this canyon

#21.Round Valley Draw trailhead

want to go trailhead hiking / walking
Fun slot canyon

Notes

    • Slot entrance can be a little tricky to down climb
    • May want to bring a few loops of webbing (10m)
    • Don't park in the wash