Hole-In-The-Rock Rd and Reflection Canyon
The 60+ mile BLM road in Utah dubbed Hole-In-The-Rock Rd is located on the eastern-most edge of Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument just outside the small town of Escalante. We discovered this road while researching Reflection Canyon, a picturesque bend on the edge of Lake Powell.
Some History
While incredibly beautiful, Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir with a dark past. The area around Glen Canyon was once home to Navajo & Ancestral Puebloeans. In 1963 the Bureau of Reclamation built the Glen Canyon Damn. This destructive infrastructure project has not only displaced an entire population of Navajo people from this once thriving cultural haven, and submerged many sacred ancestral and spiritual sites, but now due to the mega drought that has plagued the Southwest since the early 2000’s, the water levels have plummeted threatening the harvesting of hydropower from the reservoir. This only adds insult to injury leaving many to believe that this irreplaceable damage has been all for nothing. Learning and acknowledging the history of this flooded canyon has given us a deeper respect for the land and the people who cherish it.
LEAVE NO TRACE
When traveling in the backcountry, remember to please respect the land by following Leave No Trace principles and sticking to established trails as much as possible. Everything including human and pet waste will need to be packed out. The area around Glen Canyon is home to delicate cryptobiotic soil crusts which play a large role in protecting the area from erosion. Cryptobiotic soil is the dark, bumpy, raised soil you might see on your way to Reflection Canyon. Do your best to avoid stepping on or walking close to it. Once compacted by hikers, pets or vehicle tires, these biocrusts can take up to several decades to recover. Reflection Canyon is a moderately trafficked hike that sees hundreds of visitors each year. By educating ourselves and others on these principals, we can help to preserve these areas for future generations!
photo credit: U.S. Forest Service fs.usda.gov
Renting a Jeep
After reading multiple trip reports, blogs, and AllTrails reviews on this 15+ mile out-and-back trek to Reflection Canyon, we realized that it would not be possible for us to access the trailhead via Hole-In-The-Rock Rd with our van due to the condition of the road. On a whim we decided to look into renting an off-road vehicle to handle the long, rough road out to the trailhead and found Epic Jeep Rentals in Escalante offered by Jan and Scott at Escalante Yurts. Not only were they super nice and helpful guides, but their Jeeps were marketed as being built specifically for Red Rock Country. After some discussion, we decided to pull the trigger and book the Jeep! In order to make the most out of the day without completely exhausting ourselves, we decided that we would pick up the jeep in the evening, pack it up with everything we needed for the hike and car camp for the night at the trailhead.
Getting to the Trailhead
The day leading up to the hike was spent preparing our packs, filling up on water and getting everything else we needed together to transfer into the Jeep for the trip. After a hefty healthy dinner, we arrived at Escalante Yurts around 6pm where we signed the paperwork and got everything moving. We pulled the cushions from the bench in our van, folded the seats down in the Jeep and stuffed two of our cushions in the back, just barely, to make a decent bed for ourselves (and Tonkins). After throwing the rest of our stuff in the back we were on the road!
Immediately after starting down Hole-In-The-Rock Rd, we hit some pretty nasty washboard, but were pleasantly surprised by the ride of the Jeep. In our van we probably would have had to drive below 10MPH just to keep us from rattling off the road. The road continued like this for many miles. About halfway through the 50-mile expedition the washes that we crossed started to get pretty intense and the road became quite rocky which took some skill to maneuver. At this point we realized there was no way our ProMaster could have made it this far. From there, the condition of the road just became worse and worse. Much to our delight, the Jeep Wrangler Sport Unlimited 4x4 with 35-in BFG KO2’s handled everything in it’s path with such ease it was shocking. We were both grinning and laughing at multiple points during the drive. The estimated 2.5+ hour trip took us only an hour and a half! When we arrived at the coordinates we could see no sign of a trailhead marker or anything to indicate we were at the right place, but after confirming the spot on the map, we pulled off and cozied up for the night.
In the morning we awoke to a faint glow on the cliffside above where we were camped, it was beautiful out there! We fired up our MSR Pocket Rocket to boil some water and used our AeroPress to brew up some BulletProof coffee to start the day off like we normally would. After hydrating with the water we brought for the car and snapping a few sunrise shots at the Jeep, we headed out on the trail!
Navigating
With no clear path from the road, we followed our downloaded AllTrails map and eventually noticed some footprints. From here it became a little clearer where the path lied but it wasn’t always obvious, especially on the slick rock. There were some helpful rock stacks closer to the canyon made by previous hikers that keep you going in the right direction, but despite that, you will need some navigating skills to complete this hike. AllTrails is a great app to have for this (iOS , Android). In order to download trail maps for use offline, you will need to purchase the Pro version of the app ($30/yr). This is a must if you don’t feel like adding extra miles to your hike. You can track and record your progress as you follow the map with your phone’s GPS all while offline using the AllTrails Pro App. Many reviews as well as some major websites describe this as a 20-mile hike. While carefully navigating the route on the map, we were able to complete the out-and-back hike to Reflection Canyon in just over 15 miles. This took around 9 hours including our time at the viewpoint. There were a couple times I had my phone in my pocket when I noticed it vibrating. They were alerts indicating that we had strayed away from the trail! Super cool and convenient features on this app! On the AllTrails map for this hike, as you may read from the reviews, the last third of the trail splits before you reach viewpoint. Be sure to stick to the eastern trail (left outgoing, right incoming). This seems to have the more mellow terrain and shaves a few miles off the hike.
The Payoff
When we finally made it to Reflection Canyon, we were quite tired and sore, this was no walk in the park. But wow, what a beautiful sight!
We took our time there, ate some of the food we brought and got in some nice rest and relaxation amongst the beauty of the canyon. We took plenty of shots on our Canon DSLR which wasn’t very light in the pack but well worth bringing along. The view is at the rolling edge of a sheer cliff, so please BE SAFE, watch your footing and try not to drop anything! The weather was perfect while we were there, but we hear it can get quite windy so be aware of that. We were lucky enough to bring Tonkins along on this beautiful hike, but it was a little nerve racking having him up there with us. If you want to bring your pup along just make sure that they are not only in good shape to complete the hike, but that you also have good control of them at the viewpoint.
Overall, the time of day we were at Reflection Canyon was not the best for pictures, and to hike in and out in one day was definitely rough on the body. If we were to do it again, which we definitely would, we would probably come more prepared with some light backpacking gear and stay the night out there to rest and experience the sun set and rise. We felt that we went in amazing weather conditions. It was clear and sunny, and the temps topped out at about 65ºF. There is virtually no protection from the sun, and usually no water along the trail, so we would really only recommend this hike in the Spring or Fall when the weather is less extreme. Also, pay close attention to the forecast and always be aware of flash flooding.
If you do decide to camp at Reflection Canyon, you will need obtain a free permit at the Escalante Visitor Center.
What We Packed for the Hike
3L Water Bladder (each)
Additional 1.5L Bladder (each)
2x 1L Nalgene Water Bottles (For Tonkins)
Collapsible Water Bowl (For Tonkins)
Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier
Chomps Meat Sticks
Lara Bars
Solely Fruit Jerky
Bulletproof Collagen Protein Bars
Trail Mix
Baby Carrots
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Apples
Canon 6D Mark II + 16-35mm Lens
iPhone with Downloaded AllTrails Map
Portable Charger + iPhone Cable
Chapstick
Tissue
Waste Bags
Pocket Knife
Headlamps
Emergency Blanket
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Wide Brim Hats
Quick-Dry Towel
What We Packed in the Jeep
2.5 Gal Water dispenser
Bed Cushions
Sheet, Blanket, Pillows
Change of Clothes
Jackets
2+ Portions of Tonkins’ Food
MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe Camping Stove Kit
MSR Fuel
Porlex Coffee Grinder
AeroPress Coffee Maker
Fellow Prismo AeroPress Filter
2x insulated cups
Bulletproof Coffee Beans
Grass-Fed Ghee
Collagen Peptides
Brain Octane Oil
Purely Elizabeth Instant Oatmeal Packets
Patagonia Provisions Dry Soup Mixes
Kettle & Fire Bone Broth
Patagonia Provisions Mussels
Avocado
Simple Mills Cracker
Lyposomal Vitamin-C Packets
Small bottle of Branch Basics soap
After the Hike
When we finally arrived back at the trailhead we were in full celebration mode at the sight of our jeep! We quickly got some bone broth boiling and cooked up some of our Patagonia Provisions Green Lentil Soup while we geared down and freshened up a bit. Sleeping in the Jeep the evening prior to the hike was not the most comfortable experience, and our legs were really aching from the long trek. Seeing that we made such good time on the way in, we decided to shoot back to Escalante Yurts (Epic Jeep Rentals) to switch over to the van to get a comfortable nights sleep. We drove the van back to the Hole-In-The-Rock Rd junction where we had spotted a primitive camping area, snagged a spot with a view and had a nice relaxing night. In the morning after we made some coffee and breakfast tacos, we headed back to pick up the Jeep for another round of adventures!
Exploring in the Jeep
Based on our experience with the Jeep the previous day, we wanted to get out there and explore the 4x4 trails in the area. We stopped at the gas station to refuel as the trip to Reflection Canyon trailhead and back burned about half a tank of gas. With a full tank we set out for Hole-In-The-Rock Rd once again. We had passed a lot of fun looking areas and wanted to explore more. The first spot we stopped at was Devil’s Garden. It’s pretty easily accessible in any vehicle, and is only 1/4mi off the main road. We really weren’t feeling up to hiking for any significant length, so this was a perfect spot for us to explore some really cool rock formations.
After some fun with our pup and getting some cool shots here, we pressed on down the road. The next spot we saw came upon was Peek-a-boo and Spooky Slot Canyons Trailhead. We really would have loved to hike these spots in different circumstances, but we read that they required a good bit of canyoneering experience, a decent hike, and a trek through some potential chest deep waters to access. Not only were we unsure if Tonkins could join us, but we were really spent physically. However we decided to turn up this road to have a quick look. From the parking area we discovered a small sign indicating a 4x4 only trail. So naturally we made our way. This turned out to not be a very lengthy trail, but it was super fun, and we saw some really cool camp spots. When we reached the end of the road we stopped for some pics and a quick snack and them headed back. Further down the road, we found another 4x4 offshoot that was marked ‘Chimney Rock’. What a sight to behold!
When we returned back to Hole-In-The-Rock Rd, we saw that we still had about 4 hours til we had to be back to return the Jeep so we ventured a bit further. The next marker we stumbled upon was ‘Fifty Mile Bench’. Looking out we saw a windy road straight up the side of the long cliff formation that runs along almost the entire length of Hole-In-The-Rock Rd. When we made it to the incline we found that it was indeed straight up! There were switchbacks, but the road was very rocky and steep. We saw a few small pull-offs up the mountain with fire pits and some amazing overlooks of the entire area. When we got to the top of the ‘Fifty Mile Bench’ the road turned south, and we found ourselves heading further down until we found the trail leading back down to the main road. This route had taken us almost all the way to the Reflection Canyon Trailhead! When we made it down, we felt like we had really gotten our money’s worth and decided to head back before the sun went down.
Yonder Escalante
Once we dropped off the jeep and got re-situated into our van, we headed back through town to Yonder where we had booked a campsite for the night. It’s not very often that we stay at a campground, but we couldn’t pass this place up. The main selling point for us was their private heated outdoor shower oasis.
Besides that, Yonder offers RV/van/camper sites with a variety off hook-up options, luxury cabins, custom Airstreams, indoor/outdoor clubhouse with fire pits, hot tub and pool lounge, breakfast, as well as a pretty cool drive-in theater with fully restored classic cars. We highly recommend stopping by for some rejuvenation!