by The Flatlander for
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This article contains a Hole in the Rock trail description, directions, trail history, and a Fractured Axle Club October 6-7, 1995 trail report with 9 pictures.
This famous and historic trail is in southern Utah on the east side of lake Powell. The trail is about 30 miles in and the same back out for 60 miles of fantastic 4-wheeling. The trail is rated as a 4 (vehicle modifications and top driving skills needed) by the Red Rock 4- Wheelers. Most of the route is on sandstone, either the slick rock form or it's weathered and windblown sand grains. The trail is very remote and offers the chance for some quiet and solitude. The scenery is as superb as the 4-wheeling.
The trail head is about 75 miles west of Blanding on Hwy 276 or about 10 miles east of Hall's crossing on the same Hwy. The trail leaves the highway along a fence line on the west edge of a small air port and heads SW for about 30 miles toward Lake Powell. It ends about 2 miles from Lake Powell at a point opposite the "Hole in the Rock". Between the highway and Lake Canyon there are some forks in the trail. A good rule of thumb is to always stay right at these forks.
A gas stop at Hall's Crossing is recommended before starting the trail. A minimum of two days is recommended for doing the trail, one day in and one day to get back out. Start early if you want to hike down the last 2 miles of the trail to Lake Powell. If much hiking and exploring is planned three days would be better. Do not attempt to do this trail alone. A 30 mile walk out for help through this rugged desert terrain could ruin your whole day not to mention the possibility of your life.
The trail was constructed by Mormon pioneers during the winter of 1879- 80. In contrast to most new trails this one was built from west to east rather than from east to west. The trail was to be a "short cut" between Escalante and Bluff. At that time the only alternative routes between those points ran clear to the north through Green River or clear to the south through Arizona. The Mormon's wished to establish a colony in the four corners vicinity which had become a hide out for lawless Indians and whites. They expected their mission to take about 6 weeks which would have put them in Bluff before winter. Instead it took 6 months including a very vicious Utah winter. The biggest obstacle was getting down the west side of the Colorado River which was accomplished at the Hole in the Rock after months of blasting and road building hand work. The trail there dropped at approximately a 45 degree angle for a quarter of a mile or about a third of the distance down to the river and was barely wide enough for their wagons. The total drop was 1,800 feet in less than a mile. The pioneers did not ferry the Colorado and begin the section of the trail to the east until late January. The river froze over completely a few days after the last wagons were ferried across. The section of the trail on the east side of the Colorado now known as the Hole in the Rock 4WD trail was opened by the Mormon Pioneers in February of 1880.
The trail the Mormon Pioneers opened was very rugged and difficult even by their standards. It was only used for about a year when a better route to the north through Hall's crossing was discovered. The story of the Mormon Pioneer's struggles and determination makes for very interesting reading. The book "HOLE IN THE ROCK" by David E. Miller is highly recommended reading before doing this trail and makes a nice reference to have along on the trail.
We met at the ruins of an Old Spanish Fort overlooking Lake Canyon about 7 slow and rough 2WD miles south of Hwy 276. There is a very nice campsite in some cottonwoods just below the fort for anyone that would like to camp near the trailhead.
These are our trucks waiting as the drivers checked out one of the first
obstacles of the trail. First is CRACKER's 67 Bronco running on 33s with a Detroit in the
rear and a Lock-Right in front. CRACKER is from Pueblo, Colorado. Next is my Bronco II
running 33s with an ARB in the rear and a Trac-lock in front. I'm from Grand Island,
Nebraska. Last is Lizard's and Sudie's CJ-7 running 33s with an ARB in the rear and a
Lock-Right in the front. Lizard and Sudie are from near Salt Lake City, Utah. The weather
was perfect with lots of sunshine and moderate temperatures during the whole trip.
Sudie driving Lizard's CJ-7 down one of the early obstacles on the trail.
Just after this picture was taken she pushed in the clutch which resulted in the back end
coming down hard and loud. I believe she made a comment just as this happened. "Oh
Sh_t" I think is what I heard :-) Gene immediately and assertively recited the proper
use of the clutch in 4-wheeling for Sudie's edification.
Lizard is guiding CRACKER down an obstacle that can get you tippy if you
don't get a good line. The next day on the way back out CRACKER got VERY tippy here.
Lizard is inching down one of the steeper and more rugged rock cuts
blasted into the trail. This obstacle is shown in most professional videos of the trail.
CRACKER had his camcorder running at all of these obstacles.
CRACKER is shown here coming up Grey Mesa. The Mormon Pioneers had a very
hard time finding a way off Grey Mesa when they built the trail over a hundred years ago.
They eventually saw some mountain goats and followed them down. They still had to blast
and build dugways to get their wagons down. There is a sign on the trail showing where the
Mormon's originally built the trail down off the Mesa. Our group walked up where the
Mormon's originally came down. The 4WD trail up Grey Mesa was blasted out of the rock
farther south by prospectors in the 1950s. Once on top we found several miles of 2 track,
2WD, high range trail which was a welcome break from the rugged terrain we had just
crossed.
CRACKER is shown here coming up a ledge on the other side of the Chute.
You can see the legendary Chute above and slightly to the left of CRACKER's classic
Bronco. It is marked with twin black tracks from the tire rubber left on the rocks as
4-wheelers inched there way up and down it. It is steep, but not nearly as steep as it
looks here. It is probably the most famous of the obstacles on this trail. Imagine hooking
up a team of horses and taking your wagon up that! The Mormon Pioneers did. And they
considered it easier than many other spots on this trail. Lizard is shown shooting video
of CRACKER as he negotiates this section. CRACKER's video shows all of us going down the
Chute and then back up the next day.
Not too far past the Chute we heard a loud snap as CRACKER negotiated a steep downhill
slope on a sandstone fin. It was the U-joint in his left front axle. CRACKER was keeping
up the Fractured Axle Club tradition.
The Light was fading as we got to the end of the 4WD trail and set up our tents at Cheese Camp. The Mormon Pioneers gave the camp this name because of all the excitement stirred by the auctioning off of 40 pounds a cheese that was delivered to them here. One can continue on foot down the original trail to lake Powell and see some of the more rugged areas they blasted and then winched their wagons up. Scars in the sandstone from the ropes they winched with can still be seen. One can see the actual Hole in the Rock from Cheese camp. The view would be much better from the end of the hiking trail.
CRACKER can be seen here pulling the rotor of his Bronco. After pulling
the spindle and axle he repaired the axle with a spare U-joint he had with him. Lizard can
be seen lending a helping hand at the right edge of this picture. Notice the tool in his
left hand :-)
This is a shot going down off Grey Mesa the next day. Lizard's CJ-7 is in
the foreground and CRACKER's Bronco is shown way on down the trail. This blasted rock
trail is very rough, with holes nearly big enough to swallow a Bronco, as CRACKER
discovered on the way down. Lizard got it on video.
Here is my Bronco II going up the rugged rock cut that Lizard was shown
coming down earlier. Didn't get many still pictures of my Bronco II on this trail, but
there is plenty of footage of it on CRACKER's video.
We got back to the highway in plenty of time to drive to Hall's Crossing, fill up on gas, air up our tires, and use their facilities which were very welcome after being on the trail for two days. Then we headed for Arch Canyon and Hotel Rock which was a little over an hour's highway drive to the east.
CRACKER has a full 2 hour home video covering all of this trail and also some of the Hotel Rock trail. He went to a lot of trouble to get some really good shots. He videotaped all of us doing the most difficult obstacles and also captured the area's rugged beauty and scenery. It's raw footage with minimal narration and the sounds that were recorded when the video was taken. But if you like home 4WD trail videos, you'll certainly enjoy this one of the Hole in the Rock 4WD trail. E-mail him at JMHT17A@Prodigy.com if you would like to arrange for a copy.
Best Hole in The Rock Trail Guide
4-WHEEL DRIVE ROADS TO HOLE IN THE ROCK
(Escalante to Bluff, Utah) By Larry Heck
Utah Trail Guidebooks, Trail Maps, and Trail Videos
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