Coyote Gulch
Escalante, Utah
Nestled in the heart of Escalante’s canyon country, Coyote Gulch contains two arches, a natural bridge, and several waterfalls/pools. This is a very the popular backpacking destination so plan accordingly! I don't typically like desert trips but this one I would do over and over again! Who doesn't love an oasis in the desert? The most challenging part of this trail was the road to get there. High clearance vehicle needed.
Route
-
12.5 Mile Loop
-
1 night/2 days
-
Moderate/Hard
-
Dogs NOT permitted
-
Park at Crack in the Wall Trailhead (Fortymile Ridge)
-
Night 1 : Camp at Jacobs Hamblin Arch
-
Day 2: Hike back out
-
High clearance vehicle recommended
-
When to go : March-November
-
Backcountry permit required for overnight stays
NOTE
The Hole in the Rock Road is very long, sandy and washboardy with some major dips/rocks. High clearance vehicle is a must. It takes about 2-3 hours to get to the Crack in the Wall Trailhead from the dirt road.
Obtain permits at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center in the town of Escalante or at one of the entry trailheads. Day use does not require a backcountry permit, but please sign the trail register.
AllTrails Link
Day 1 : Crack in the Wall Trailhead
HIGH CLEARANCE VEHICLE RECOMMENDED. I made the huge mistake of taking my Audi A3 on the Hole In The Rock Road thinking it was only going to be just washboard/gravel. I was so wrong and honestly can't believe we made it out. The car needed some serious repairs after this, but it was worth it! It took us about 2-3 hours to reach the trailhead, but with a better vehicle, the average time is about 1.5/2 hours to reach the trailhead. We ended up car camping at the trailhead (got there pretty late) and some rain was rolling in. The next day we began our hike to the Crack In The Wall!
Day 2 : Crack in the Wall to Jacob's Arch
I found that there wasn't a clear trail to the Crack. We followed karens/trail markers and our GPS to the overlook. There will be a bunch of trail markers at the entrance of the Crack. You do have to descend a few big rocks and some narrow passage ways to get to the floor of the canyon. So we just threw our packs down and descended one at a time. The view from the Crack was amazing and below you can see this big sandy bowl that rolls into the canyon. The trail is really clear once you get down from the crack and you will end up following the Escalante river the rest of the way. It's shaded and green with lots of water to cool off in. We stayed pretty dry and cool the entire way. There were multiple watering holes and waterfalls to take a dip in. Honestly my favorite part of the trip was all the waterfalls!
Day 3 : Hike Out
We Camped right below Jacobs arch. It sits in the beautiful red amphitheater with red rock circling us in a big bowl. It was very busy when we got there, so the noise at night was super annoying. Peoples voices were echoing off the walls. Dogs are not allowed and there were tons of dogs in the canyon, so that should give you a hint on what it was like. There's a short cut out of the canyon right by the entrance to the arch. It's a rope that hangs down the canyon wall. It looks steeper than it is. We climbed out that way and looped back to our cars. Once your out of that canyon wall, there is no shade or water. We trekked through burning sand for about an hour to reach our car. All in all though it was a great trip and would definitely do it again. Just in a more equipped car!
