Hole in the Rock Road
Encyclopedia
The Hole in the Rock Trail is a historic road running west of the Escalante River
in southern Utah
in the western United States
. Running almost 200 miles (321.9 km) from near Escalante
to Bluff
, it travels within the borders of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
and the adjacent Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
. The road is named after an unusual geologic feature at its southeastern end, Hole in the Rock. It closely follows the historic route used by the Mormon
San Juan Expedition
to colonize an area to the east of the Colorado River
. It is an important access route for visiting the Canyons of the Escalante
. The trail is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, being added to that list in 1982.
The trail runs for 180 miles (289.7 km) from the vicinity of Escalante, Utah
to Bluff, Utah
and is named for the place where the San Juan Mission
of Mormon
Pioneers constructed a descent to the Colorado River
. The natural crevice on the 1000 feet (304.8 m) cliff above the Colorado was enlarged by the party to lower the wagons down to river level, where it could be forded. The portion of the trail below the Hole-In-The-Rock is now flooded by Lake Powell
. After the river crossing the trail continued past the Register Rocks, where the settlers recorded their names, now covered by the lake. The road rises through the Chute and across slickrock to Grey Mesa. Another difficult descent was required from Grey Mesa, requiring the party to cut a road from one ledge to another on the face of the mesa, taking a week. Another week was spent in constructing a road down Clay Hill Pass. Further on, blocked by Comb Ridge
, the trail follows Comb Wash to San Juan Hill, where yet another road was built up the hill. The trail ends in Bluff.
The portion of the trail to the west of Lake Powell is followed or paralleled by a modern unpaved road.
Escalante River
right|Location of the Escalante River within UtahThe Escalante River is a tributary of the Colorado River. It is formed by the confluence of North and Birch Creeks near the town of Escalante in south-central Utah, and from there flows southeast for approximately before joining Lake Powell...
in southern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Running almost 200 miles (321.9 km) from near Escalante
Escalante, Utah
Escalante is a city in Garfield County, Utah, United States, along Utah Scenic Byway 12. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 818.The town was named after Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Franciscan missionary and the first European explorer in the region...
to Bluff
Bluff, Utah
Bluff is a census-designated place in San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 320 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bluff is located at , in the scenic and very sparsely populated southeastern Utah canyonlands of the Colorado Plateau.According to the United States Census Bureau, the...
, it travels within the borders of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument contains 1.9 million acres of land in southern Utah, the United States. There are three main regions: the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante. President Bill Clinton designated the area as a U.S. National...
and the adjacent Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a recreation and conservation unit of the National Park Service that encompasses the area around Lake Powell and lower Cataract Canyon in Utah and Arizona, covering 1,254,429 acres of mostly desert...
. The road is named after an unusual geologic feature at its southeastern end, Hole in the Rock. It closely follows the historic route used by the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
San Juan Expedition
San Juan Expedition
right|Route of the San Juan Expedition through UtahThe San Juan Expedition was a group of Mormon settlers intent on establishing a colony in what is now southeastern Utah, in the western United States...
to colonize an area to the east of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
. It is an important access route for visiting the Canyons of the Escalante
Canyons of the Escalante
The Canyons of the Escalante is a collective name for the erosional landforms created by the Escalante River and its tributaries, the Escalante River Basin. Located in southern Utah in the western United States, these sandstone features include high vertical canyon walls, water pockets, narrow...
. The trail is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, being added to that list in 1982.
Route description
Escalante, Utah
Escalante is a city in Garfield County, Utah, United States, along Utah Scenic Byway 12. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 818.The town was named after Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Franciscan missionary and the first European explorer in the region...
to Bluff, Utah
Bluff, Utah
Bluff is a census-designated place in San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 320 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bluff is located at , in the scenic and very sparsely populated southeastern Utah canyonlands of the Colorado Plateau.According to the United States Census Bureau, the...
and is named for the place where the San Juan Mission
San Juan Expedition
right|Route of the San Juan Expedition through UtahThe San Juan Expedition was a group of Mormon settlers intent on establishing a colony in what is now southeastern Utah, in the western United States...
of Mormon
Mormons
The Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
Pioneers constructed a descent to the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
. The natural crevice on the 1000 feet (304.8 m) cliff above the Colorado was enlarged by the party to lower the wagons down to river level, where it could be forded. The portion of the trail below the Hole-In-The-Rock is now flooded by Lake Powell
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full...
. After the river crossing the trail continued past the Register Rocks, where the settlers recorded their names, now covered by the lake. The road rises through the Chute and across slickrock to Grey Mesa. Another difficult descent was required from Grey Mesa, requiring the party to cut a road from one ledge to another on the face of the mesa, taking a week. Another week was spent in constructing a road down Clay Hill Pass. Further on, blocked by Comb Ridge
Comb Ridge
Comb Ridge is a linear north to south-trending monocline nearly 120 miles long in southeast Utah and Arizona. Composed of Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone, it displays massive eolian cross-bedding....
, the trail follows Comb Wash to San Juan Hill, where yet another road was built up the hill. The trail ends in Bluff.
The portion of the trail to the west of Lake Powell is followed or paralleled by a modern unpaved road.
External links
- Photographs of the Hole Iin the Rock Trail at the National Park Service's NRHP database