Hole in the Rock Road

NateGeesaman

NateGeesaman

Donkey
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
272
I have been thinking of a few days in this area and there are so many amazing things along this road I am having trouble picking a few to visit. I have seen Summit's and others' photos of Willow Gulch and it seems high on my list of possibilities along with Peekaboo and/or Spooky Canyon, Metate Arch, and Devil's Garden. Any MUST sees?
 
Escalante and Hole-in-the-Rock are one of my favorite places. For a long time when I thought of going to the desert, that was pretty much the only option.

I would highly recommend the Fortymile + Willow Gulch loop hike. It can be done as a long day hike or easy overnighter. Or if you're like us, two nights. :) Willow gets a bit of traffic but Fortymile is seldom visited and fantastically beautiful. See my trip report here.

Coyote Gulch is of course a no brainer. Lots of info on that anywhere you look.

Driving to the end of the road and hiking down to Powell is a really fun trip too. You need HC 4WD for the last 7 miles but it's not difficult. There is one little spot that looks sketchy but it's totally easy. My most recent TR here.

Zebra canyon is pretty cool but it's just a day hike unless you wrap it up into a big look including Bighorn canyon which is seriously awesome and few people seem to go there. I visited Bighorn in that same TR I did Hole in the Rock last.

Fiftymile Creek and Davis Gulch are extremely high on my to-do list, probably on the same trip but avoid going down through the top of Davis unless you're ready for some serious slot.

Llewelleyn Gulch looks promising but I haven't been there yet.

Harris Wash isn't that great but definitely not bad. I didn't make it all the way to the confluence on my trip there because we brought the wrong fuel and it was windy as hell. I would like to go back and see all of it sometime. TR here.

The Egypt bench down to Fence Canyon, past Golden Cathedral/Neon Canyon and then up Twentyfive Mile Wash looks really cool but that's another I have on the list of to-do's. I did hike down to Fence Canyon one day but not past that. Amazing views from the Egypt Bench.
 
Deadeye008 said:
I would like to hit up the Zebra and Tunnel slot canyons down there.
Click to expand...
I have looked on my map and can't seem to find Zebra and Tunnel canyons, but photos I have seen make them highly appealing to visit. Roughly where along hole in the rock road are they?
 
NateGeesaman said:
I have looked on my map and can't seem to find Zebra and Tunnel canyons, but photos I have seen make them highly appealing to visit. Roughly where along hole in the rock road are they?
Click to expand...


Park here 37.639341,-111.445645
Zebra is here 37.661295,-111.4173
Tunnel is here 37.653553,-111.406893

I just got word from a friend yesterday that the standard big pool in Zebra is gone (again as of yesterday so it could be back anytime). I have a trip in the works to head down there within the next few weeks.
 
A note on Coyote Gulch: Usage is definitely increasing & becoming heavy.
As of the second weekend of March 2012 I've already had 3 groups of 4 people stop in my store in Boulder which are heading out there.
In terms of Zebra - like Summit said. probably very little to no water in it. I just hiked the drainage above it & almost all of the potholes & tanks up there are pretty near dry or at least low. one good rain would refill a lot though.
I may try to get out there myself at some point this coming week.(unfortunately i did not realize how far down i was on my hike in the drainages above it - i headed down from Spencer Flats - and turned around about a mile shy of the slot.)
If i do get out there, expect an updated report.
Anyone doing Zebra and/or Tunnel slots should take a little extra time to hike in the area above them. it's one of the most eclectic & colorful areas in the Escalante Canyons (especially the upper reaches of the drainage). Sticking to the left/west above Zebra leads to some gargantuan sand dunes that rest against the Big Horn Canyon benches. This is also a spectacular return route for anyone wanting to do a Bighorn Canyon loop hike from Spencer Flats.
 
intuitive cat said:
Anyone doing Zebra and/or Tunnel slots should take a little extra time to hike in the area above them. it's one of the most eclectic & colorful areas in the Escalante Canyons (especially the upper reaches of the drainage). Sticking to the left/west above Zebra leads to some gargantuan sand dunes that rest against the Big Horn Canyon benches. This is also a spectacular return route for anyone wanting to do a Bighorn Canyon loop hike from Spencer Flats.
Click to expand...

These dunes?
IMG_9995.jpg

In the top left you can see some cars at the trailhead, and then the bottom right is where Zebra is.... I took this from the north side on a dirt road.

IMG_9997.jpg
 
just got further conformation that Zebra was still dry as of 2 days ago.
 
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