Outbound Collective logo

Escalante, Utah

Looking for the best backpacking in Escalante? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Escalante. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Backpacking Spots in and near Escalante

  • Escalante, Utah

    Backpack the Escalante River

    14 mi / 400 ft gain
    The Escalante River trail is an easily accessible, moderately strenuous hike within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The national monument encompasses over 2 million acres of wilderness, choc-full of large canyons, narrow slot canyons, rivers, hoodoos, arches, natural bridges and more...
    Read more
  • Escalante, Utah

    Escalante River Trail: Escalante to UT-12

    12.97 mi / 3373 ft gain
    Escalante River Trail: Escalante to UT-12 is a point-to-point trail that takes you by a river located near Eggnog, Utah.
    Read more
  • Boulder, Utah

    Backpack Death Hollow in Grand Staircase-Escalante

    22 mi / 1600 ft gain
    The most popular route into Death Hollow is from the Boulder airstrip near the town of Boulder, Utah.  The trailhead for the Boulder Mail Trail begins, or ends here depending on which way you are hiking.  Leave a car at the Highway 12 bridge over the Escalante River for the thru hike, or get luck...
    Read more
  • Boulder, Utah

    Camp and Fish Deer Creek Lake

    2.7 mi / 702 ft gain
    There is something magical about Deer Creek Lake. The views are amazing, the hike is revitalizing, and the mountain air speaks to your soul. Stars seem to shine brighter here than any other trip you will go on. Out here, it is you and the wild. You will be able to see fish colored with bright cut...
    Read more
  • Garfield County, Utah

    Golden Cathedral Trail

    4.5
    9.27 mi / 1398 ft gain
    From highway 12, drive south down the hole in the rock road for about 17 miles to a dirt road on the left that is well marked for Egypt. Follow that dirt road 9.9 miles to the Egypt Trailhead. There is a BLM trail register at the trail head. After that, take one of the numerous ways down to the E...
    Read more
  • Garfield County, Utah

    Hike in the Upper Muley Twist Canyon

    4.5
    10 mi / 750 ft gain
    This hike is by far my favorite trail I've been on. To begin, you access Upper Muley Twist Canyon Road from the top of the Burr Trail Road switchbacks. Regular vehicles can be driven a little less than half a mile to the trailhead (adding about 3 miles to get to the trailhead, about 6 miles round...
    Read more
  • Tropic, Utah

    Under the Rim Trail to Swamp Canyon Camp

    5.0
    23.79 mi / 5794 ft gain
    This trail is just about the only way I would see Bryce Canyon. When we initially drove in it was like we were at Disneyland, with crowds of people everywhere. We soon discovered, however, that very few people enter Bryce Canyon's backcountry. We chose to visit Bryce in July due to it's higher el...
    Read more
  • Bryce, Utah

    Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail

    4.9
    2.93 mi / 679 ft gain
    There are many many trails that explore the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon and this is just one option of a combination of trails that is about 3.5 miles. The Navajo trail begins at Sunset Point and you head straight down dozens of switchbacks to what is called "Wall Street". It doesn't take long to get...
    Read more
  • 37.475289,-112.240302

    Hike Bryce Canyon's Riggs Spring Loop

    5.0
    8.71 mi / 2044 ft gain
    Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is a spectacular place. It really has to be seen to be believed. Some of the most scenic parts of Bryce are easily accessible by the average visitor via car-accessible overlooks. However, if you're not into crowds or want to hike/backpack in Bryce...there are so...
    Read more
  • Kane County, Utah

    Coyote Gulch Loop

    4.7
    10.59 mi / 4354 ft gain
    Easy hiking, water availability, and spectacular scenery make this a "must do" hike. Three days are best to see all this canyon has to offer. You can either make this a 3-5 mile hike or a longer 10-15 mile hike. The perfect trip down Coyote Gulch is three days and two nights. Hike in to Jacob Ham...
    Read more
  • Kane County, Utah

    Hike to Broken Bow Arch

    4.7
    6.28 mi / 732 ft gain
    The trailhead starts at the Willow Gulch Trailhead, located just off of Hole in the Rock Road in the Grand Staircase -Escalante National Monument. The coordinates for the trailhead are 37.324812,-111.023019. To get there head east on highway 12 out of Escalante, Utah until you get to Hole in the ...
    Read more
  • Kane County, Utah

    Reflection Canyon

    5.0
    15.24 mi / 1368 ft gain
    Backpacking Reflection Canyon is not for the faint of heart. It's an intense, challenging hike that takes you through slot canyons, climbing up and down shifty sandstones and traversing rugged terrains and ravines. Although the elevation gain is almost nothing, the up and down climbs from one rav...
    Read more