Overview
Trail length: Not applicable- not really a trail here
Devils Garden is a parking and recreation area that is 11 miles down Hole In the Rock road in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. It is home to a garden of towering hoodoos surrounded by sand, shrubbery, and a few trees.
Getter There:
Leave Escalante heading east towards the Escalante River. A few miles out of town is the Hole in the Rock Road. Travel down Hole in the rock until you see the small sign about 11 miles down for Devils Garden. This road is generally passable with two-wheel drive vehicles for the first while when dry but not always. I have seen cars stuck in sand that had washed over the road recently from a flash flood. It has horrific washboards for most of it making it a miserable drive depending on when the last time it was graded. One time it killed the suspension on my vehicle which cost me over $1200 to fix. I have spoken to lots of people who have gotten flat tires on the road, and a tow from here is expensive. Be prepared for something and expect nothing most of the time.
Trail Description
As mentioned above there is no a specific trail, though there is a sort of social trail that wraps around the north side of the hoodoo garden and kind of leads you into the middle of the area. Soon after entering you should run into an arch called Matate Arch. It s a decent-sized spindly arch that faces north-south in orientation and makes for a fun stop on your exploration. The garden soon thins out the further you go southish. After your fill of exploring, head back towards your vehicle. Pay attention as you romp around in here as there is one other large arch within the area that is fun to walk under though it generally is not great for photos because it is filled with boulders and trees.
Nathan's Take
I like this area and visit it regularly. I do a lot of night pictures here and I like the scenery. I also usually take kids here if I have time as most of it is safe (there are a few major drops to be concerned about) and sandy. Perfect for kids to play in. I addition it is a good meeting spot and begin your adventure spot as there are bathrooms here to use before you head off into the wilds. Generally, I use bathrooms here, make meals, and then set out to find other areas to explore. I have only met one drunk Russian here and the rest of the time the people who pop on by are very nice.
Comments