#Devils backbone utah full

A 1,500-foot drop is on either side!Īs though to emphasize the vast range of climates in this park, it started snowing as I reached the top! Halfway along the road is Hell’s Backbone Bridge, which is 109 feet long, and only 14 feet wide. This route was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and connects the towns of Boulder and Escalante, Utah.

#Devils backbone utah full

I spent a full day driving around the park area, along the incredibly scenic Highway 12 and then on a 38-mile dirt road to Hell’s Backbone. The hike down through Hurricane Wash and on into Coyote Gulch was my favorite of the trip! I spent three days in this area, wandering along a welcoming cool and clear creek through massive canyons and arches. When rain waterĬombines with carbon dioxide, carbonic acid is produced, which further erodes the limestone.Īt night, the stargazing was some of the best I’ve ever seen!Īnd during the day, the roads can be quite challenging! These structures are formed over centuries as grains of sediment is whisked away by water and wind. This is an easy area to wander around in, and there many hoodoos, arches and cool formations. It’s about 7.5 miles hike each way, but extremely difficult because of the desert exposure, unmarked trails and the final two miles of dangerous slickrock.ĭevil’s Garden is a dramatic area to wander around in.

The trailhead starts at the end of a very long and bumpy road deep within the park. The first destination was Reflection Canyon. The park is located in the south eastern part of Utah, just above Page, Arizona and the beautiful area of Horseshoe Bend. This is an amazing place of solitude, and a paradise for backpackers and wilderness enthusiasts. Fossil excavations have yielded more information about ecosystem change at the end of the dinosaur era than any other place in the world. The Anasazi and Fremont cultures lived here from 950-1100, leaving behind rock art panels, occupation sites, campsites and granaries. There are five life-zones here ranging from a low-lying desert to coniferous forest. The area is a geologic treasure of slot canyons, natural bridges, and arches. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument contains three distinct units, Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits, and Escalante Canyon.