Exploring Grand Staircase Escalante

I’m starting to plan a solo trip to Grand Staircase Escalante for a week/+ at the end of March and am looking for recommendations for some of the more obscure and off the grid adventures in the Monument.

I’ll likely drive to Escalante to start, then check out spots along the way to Hole-in-the-Rock.  After that, I’m open for anything, including a nice multi day backpack, slot canyon hike, or whatever.  I’ll be traveling in a 4WD Tacoma, looking to tent remotely, and could easily bring a mountain bike, fly rod, or inflatable kayak if warranted.  Since the idea is extreme social distancing, climbing gear stays at home.  Ideas welcome!

I’ve previously driven the Cottonwood Canyon road from Pariah to Grosvenor Arch and back, but with a nervous wife and two corgis in the truck, I didn’t get to explore much more than a couple half hour stops en route.  Worth repeating from the North?

You’re welcome to hit me with your best, “Yer gonna die” (and you may be right!), but this is a long awaited sister trip to one I did in Bears Ears/Grand Gulch a couple years ago.  Similar multi day experience in Canyonlands-Needles District.  

Cheers,
Loran 

They won’t be obscure anymore if someone tells you about them.....

Edge wrote:

I’m also interested in popular places where no one goes. 

Say that again, but slowly...

James Frost wrote:

Say that again, but slowly...

Pretty sure he knew what he was doing there...

Overland from Escalante to Death Hollow following an old telephone wire was a pretty awesome backpacking overnight. Fun to follow a historic route. 

PM sent.

If you are willing to hike a bit you can find enough Wingate cracks to put IC to shame.

Just get a topographic map and the Wingate is pretty obvious.

Coyote gulch

For some real adventure find a copy of this old map and then believe what it tells you. That's all you really need.

ddriver wrote:

For some real adventure find a copy of this old map and then believe what it tells you. That's all you really need.

We want to be sure people are correctly reading between the lines here! No need for a SAR call-out!

Popular places are Coyote Gulch, Peek-a-boo and Spooky, Dance hall rock, Devils Garden. You can drive all the way to lake Powell and hike down to it through one of the Gulches which is pretty fun. Boulder Mail trail is pretty obscure. But overall Escalante is a realy popular destination for backpackers you'll be lucky to avoid people unless you go down the uglier less watery parts. There are a few spots not a lot of people go but if you know about them you keep them secret, keep them safe.

James Frost wrote:

Say that again, but slowly...

It's the same joke as "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded".

Boulder Mail trail is the one that takes you to Death Hollow!

Mike T wrote:

Boulder Mail trail is the one that takes you to Death Hollow!

Edge wrote:

This entire trip could also be an excuse to visit Hell’s Backbone Grill, which I think might be my favorite restaurant anywhere.  Only ate there once, but wow.

There are people in Salt Lake that make the drive down there explicitly for HBG. Temporarily closed for the winter - they're scheduled to reopen May 1st.

You'll run into a few people on the boulder mail trail but far less than any of the hikes along the hole in the rock road. Have fun!