Backpacking Coyote Gulch

*View from our campsite under Jacob Hamblin Arch*

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”
― Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire

Coyote Gulch Route Overview

A few years ago, my husband and I started off our backpacking season exploring Coyote Gulch. This 3-day backpacking adventure ranks high on our list of must see places. Stunning campsites, towering arches, waterfalls, classic Utah red rocks, and rock scrambling opportunities make this the dream adventure.

The route consisted of entering into the mouth of the canyon and meandering along the stream passing by waterfalls, arches, and plenty of vegetation. When you get to the end of the canyon, you ascend up from the bottom of the canyon and have the option to scramble through a large Crack and climb above the canyon walls. Upon climbing above the canyon, you enter into an open spacious place with vast views of the canyon and river beneath you.

If you are new to desert backpacking, coyote gulch is a great place to start: there are dependable water sources year round, generally little elevation gain, and it is easy to navigate. Since our route was an out-and-back we had plenty of flexibility to make the route as challenging or relaxed as we wanted. We chose to set up a base camp which gave us the ability to scramble through the cracks without our packs. Again, this trip offers plenty of opportunities to adjust your itinerary to fit your and your family's needs.

We chose to plan for our trip to be at a conservative pace so that we wouldn't feel pressured to travel faster than our urge to explore would allow.

Route Details

TRIP DATE May 26 - May 30

DISTANCE 31.29 mi roundtrip
ELEVATION GAIN 2146 ft
TRAILHEAD Red Well Trailhead
DIFFICULTY Easy/moderate.
For the most part, this is a fairly easy backpacking trip. That being said, if you are planning to go through the Crack in the Wall, some comfort with scrambling is required.
As always, difficulty depends on your level of experience, physical fitness, weather conditions, and your level of preparation. Test out your gear before you go, train if you are concerned about your physical preparation, and check the weather prior to heading out!
BEST TIME TO HIKE Late spring (March- early June) and the fall (October - mid November) are the most comfortable times of year to hike Coyote Gulch, however there are 2 natural springs that offer a dependable water source year round.
Summer is doable, however, you will want to be prepared for high temperatures and deer flies. Flash flooding can be an issue in this canyon, so always check the National Weather Service prior to heading out on your trip.
WATER Perennial springs provide reliable drinking water
PERMITS Free overnight permits are required for backpacking through Coyote Gulch. Pick up your permit at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center.
PETS Dogs prohibited

Maps, Guidebooks, GPS

Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante & the Glen Canyon Region: A Guide To 59 Of The Best Hiking Adventures In Southern Utah (Regional Hiking Series)
GPS track on Cal Topo I created. Load it onto your phone using the Gaia GPS app. There are several trailhead options. We started from the Red Wall Trailhead which involved a gradual descent into the canyon. I would recommend doing your research and deciding which route is best for your group.

Highlights

Petroglyphs
Waterfalls, Large arches, natural bridges, vertical canyon walls
Hanging gardens clinging to canyon walls
Climb through a large crack in the wall
Amphitheaters
Stunning campsites
Stream fording (I would consider this a highlight, but some might not prefer this)

Trailhead

To access any of the trailheads for Coyote Gulch, drive on State Highway 12 until you reach Hole-in-the-Rock Road. I would highly recommend having a 4wd vehicle, especially during the wet season. This road can get washed out when it rains and become a slippery muddy mess. The drive to the Red Well Trailhead can have deep ruts making it difficult to navigate without a high clearance vehicle. That being said, we were able to drive our Subaru outback to the Red Well Trailhead without issue.

To access the Red Well Trailhead, go 30mi south on Hole-in-the-Rock Road to a junction with a dirt road heading east (BLM 254). Follow this road for 1.5mi until you reach the trailhead.

Route description

Day 1:

We started off our trip driving from Denver to Escalante, where we picked up our permits at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, grabbed some food, and made our way down Hole-in-the-Rock road. We decided we would make it down a significant portion of the 30 mi dirt road and camp in one of the dispersed camping spots along Hole-in-the-Rock road. This gave us the chance to be close to the trailhead and get an early start the next morning. We found our tent site, set up camp, made dinner, and enjoyed a gorgeous night under the stars.

Day 2:

The next morning, we woke up, made breakfast and drove to the Red Well Trailhead. It turned out that camping nearby the night before was a wise decision. As we began driving, frozen rain started to come down. Chris and I sat in the car at the trailhead trying to muster up the courage to get out there and start hiking. A very cold desert hike was not what we had imagined, but we decided to laugh it off and make the most of it.

We started down the trail and began a very gradual descent into the canyon. We were shocked to see so much vegetation in the canyon. We passed by waterfalls, large amphitheaters, and had to meander our way along the stream. It was still drizzling at this point and we decided to stop under one of the overhanging to dry off and change out our layers to get warm again. We were soaked to the bone.

Knowing it had been raining that day, we kept a close eye on the water, noticing if there was any sign of potential flash flooding (debris in the water, rising water levels). Luckily, the water seemed stable and the storms had passed.

By the time we had finally warmed up, the rain had stopped, and we found ourselves in complete awe at what was surrounding us. Around every turn we were shocked by the beautiful waterfalls, towering formations, and colors in the rock. As if the day couldn’t get any more impressive, we arrived at Jacob Hamblin Arch and found ourselves camping in one of the most picturesque camp spots we could have imagined. There was no one else in sight and the arch towered above our campsite, revealing the beautiful sky through its opening. Before dinner, we scrambled up into the arch to see another view of the canyon. Stunning.

Highlights from the day:

Waterfalls
Warming up under a large ampitheater
Camping under Jacob Hamblin Arch
Hiking up into Jacob Hamblin Arch

*Rainy start to the trip at Red Well Trailhead*

*Drying out and layering up as we try to get warm from hiking in the freezing rain*

*Jacob Hamblin Arch- where we would set up base camp for the next two nights*

*Looking down at our campsite from inside Jacob Hamblin Arch*

Day 3:

We woke up the next morning to the sun shining through the arch, backlighting the trees around us.

As we got ready to continue on our adventure, we decided to make Jacob Hamblin Arch our base camp. We left the tent and our backpacking gear set up at our campsite and continued on for a long day hike with smaller packs. This gave us the chance to get through the Crack in the Wall without having to drag our large backpacking packs through the crack using a rope. We wanted to travel light for the second day of hiking so that we could explore and scramble more freely.

The hike consisted of a quick detour to look at some petroglyphs, a black lagoon, more waterfalls, and a lot of navigating our way along the stream. The approach up to the Crack-in-the-Wall consisted of a long sandy hill. This felt like the most uphill of the whole trip. I was grateful to not have my heavy pack on me for this section. The long hill gets you up to an overlook leading to the large crack that you scramble through.

Crack-in-the-Wall was definitely a highlight–I love scrambling on my adventures and getting to climb up through the crack added a fun challenge. If you don’t decide to base camp like we did, make sure you bring a rope to attach to your pack so that you can drag your pack up through the crack. Once you make your way up the crack, you find yourself in a vast open space overlooking the entire canyon. Absolutely incredible. We spent some time taking in the view and then continued back the way we came from to get back to camp.

Our feet were very wet by the time we got back to camp and we made sure to take out our insoles and get them into a sunny spot to dry out before the sun went down. Chris surprised us with Patagonia Provision’s Smoked Salmon as a dinner treat! A great way to end such a beautiful day.

Highlights of the Day:

Sunshine streaming through the arch in the morning
Scrambling through Crack-in-the-Wall
Wading through the stream
Getting to see the canyon from up above
Petroglyphs
Black Lagoon

*Waking up to the sun coming through the arch*

*Overview before climbing up into the crack*

Day 3:

On the last day, we packed up camp and said goodbye to our little home away from home. The weather on the way out was sunny and gorgeous–a very different experience from our freezing first day. Even on the hike back, it seemed as if there was still more to explore.

We got to our car around midday and began our drive to Moab, where we would spend the night to break up our drive home. There are some great dispersed camping spots in the Moab area–ask around or do some research to find a great free site to enjoy before heading home. As always, make sure to leave the site better than you found it!

Highlights of the Day:

Climbing inside tiny slot canyons to see see more waterfalls
Exploring the same route with fresh eyes–sunshine!

If you hike this trip, tag @christietaylormorgan on Instagram and use the hashtag #adventuremamablog so I can take a look!

Happy Trails!