Needless to say, I’m walking like an old man today and of course everyone I've seen today has laughed at me. My only regret from the hike was that I did the whole thing wearing flip flops! I even carried a pair of good shoes with me, but forgot to put them on the entire time. Overnight camping in the gulch requires a backcountry permit. I was able to do it without one but good traction on your shoes is a must.Ī permit is not required for day hikers. 37.414389, -111.020611 Night 3: Above the confluence of Coyote Gulch and the Escalante River. This entrance into the gulch requires friction climbing that some hikers will prefer use of a rope. The only significant elevation gain/loss is one climb/descent out of/into the gulch near Jacob Hamblin Arch. Once in Coyote Gulch, shade and water is easily found to help keep cool. Coyote Gulch is a small slice of paradise, reminiscent of the old Glen Canyon before it was ruined by the rising waters of Lake Powell fifty-three years ago. Hiking from the trailhead to the gulch is exposed to the sun but fairly flat. It was awesome to have the experience to see the lush vegetation that flourishes in the harsh desert landscape offering hikers and wildlife refuge from the heat of the day. I later found out that we had somehow missed a canyon feature shortly downstream from Coyote Arch called Black Lagoon. We went up stream a little to see Jacob Hamblin Arch before we snaking our way down stream under Coyote Natural Bridge and down to a waterfall near Cliff Arch. Finally we came to the 30+ degree slope of sandstone that would drop us in near Jacob Hamblin Arch. We could see rolling petrified hills that we found out rose above Coyote Gulch as we got closer. Lose your cairn trail and you’re in some serious trouble. Sparse wildflowers added beauty to the desolate landscape. There were occasional hills to go over or around. Saturday morning we followed cairns across the landscape into the seemingly nothingness of the desert landscape.
We took the Hole in the Rock Road from Highway 12 down to near the Fortymile Ridge Water Tank trailhead where we camped for the night. We met one of my friends dad as he had flown his personal plane into the Escalante Airport. We drove down from Northern Utah via Scipio, Sigurd, Torrey, and Boulder with the section of road between Torrey and Escalante being by far the most scenic as we drove on the east slope of Boulder Mountain and over the Hogsback on the Scenic Byway of State Route 12 into Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
It was my first time in this part of Utah. This junction, 7.5 miles west of the confluence with the Escalante River, is where the real scenery begins and also where the best camping is to be found. I had the opportunity this weekend to hike Coyote Gulch with friends this weekend. The confluence of Coyote Gulch is reached after 7 miles from the Red Well Trailhead (only 5.5 miles from Hurricane Wash).
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