Hole in the Rock Wayside

The Hole in the Rock Wayside marks the northern end of the Hole-in-the-Rock Road in Escalante, right along Scenic Byway 12. It commemorates one of the more ambitious — and physically punishing — episodes of 19th-century American settlement: the 1879–80 San Juan Expedition, in which roughly 250 Mormon pioneers blasted and hand-chiseled a passage through a 1,000-foot cliff above the Colorado River to lower 83 wagons down to the river crossing below.

The Historical Event

The expedition set out from Escalante in October 1879 intending to reach Bluff, Utah, a journey they estimated would take six weeks. It took six months. The group ultimately covered about 180 miles through terrain that had no established routes, and the descent through the narrow crevice at the Colorado — blasted wide enough for a wagon, with the rock chiseled into a makeshift ramp — remains a striking piece of frontier engineering. The crevice is now submerged under Lake Powell, but the heritage site here tells the full story.

What's Here

The wayside consists of an outdoor heritage plaza with interpretive kiosks that walk through the expedition's route, the logistics of the crossing, and the founding of the communities that resulted. It sits at the junction of Scenic Byway 12 and the start of Hole-in-the-Rock Road, a 62-mile unpaved road that follows the historic route south toward the lake. The road is passable by most high-clearance vehicles in dry conditions; the last 6 miles require 4WD.

Planning Notes

The wayside is free to visit and works well as a 15–20 minute stop while passing through Escalante. Escalante is about 45 miles east of Bryce Canyon's entrance, making this a natural stop on a Grand Staircase day trip. The BLM Escalante Interagency Visitor Center is a short distance away and a useful first stop for road conditions if you plan to drive the full road.