Don?t miss these attractions alongside the Hole in The Rock Road, Utah

Posted by hiking camping on August 22nd, 2017

The Hole in The Rock road is a historic trail that also acts as one of the main access points into the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. While there are plenty of places to camp along the trail, you should also be aware of the major attractions running alongside it. The road itself is 55.5 miles long that runs southeast from an area near the town of Escalante in southern Utah and gets its name from a geologic feature that is actually a hole in the rock.

A brief history of the trail
If you are wondering about the story behind the route, the credit goes to the Mormons, a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a principal branch of a movement in Restorationist Christianity. In 1879, one of the group’s expeditions made them blast a crevice in the cliffs above the Colorado river in order to continue their journey through the desert. The hole made it easier for them to lift their wagons at a more strategic point while allowing them to take the shortest of three possible routes to their destination. Today, the route offers some of the best hikes on Utah highway 12.

The places of importance
Most of the Hole in the rock road, Utah is navigable by most cars. However, as the terrain gets trickier, only high-clearance vehicles can move safely. Out of the many attractions that lie alongside this road are:

-Devil’s Garden: This place forms a wonderful picnic area is known for its two exciting arches, a glamorous collection of eroded rock formations and a short loop path that invites the curiosity to explore.

-Dance Hall Rock: It is known for its long stretches of rock mounds, pools, overhangs and ravines. Some of the overhangs have the same historical significance because they served as shelter points during the aforementioned Mormon expedition.

-Kaiparowits Plateau: Extending nearly 50 miles from the Escalante area, the plateau covers a large portion of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It is remarkable for its layers of fossil remains and growth of junipers and pinyon pine trees.

-Dry fork slot canyons: These are one of the popular “hiker accessible” slot canyons that are easily navigable and free of any serious obstacles. It is often considered as a warm-up before exploring the better locations. In order to fully appreciate its beauty, a visit to the adjoined canyons called “Spooky” and “Peekaboo” are must-visits.

Author’s bio: The author is a blogger. This article is about the attractions alongside the Hole in The Rock Road, Utah.