Utah · Hiking

Escalante River Trail

Escalante River TrailPhoto: Tony Webster — CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.4 mi
round trip
10 ft
climb
5,206 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
best months

The Escalante River Trail is a short, easy walk on Bureau of Land Management National Public Lands in southern Utah. The trailhead sits at the Escalante River Trailhead, and the round trip is about 0.8 miles with a total elevation gain of about 14 feet, so it's a quick outing that pairs easily with other hikes in the area. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Escalante put May highs around 76°F and October highs around 68°F, while July averages near 92°F and winter lows drop to about 19°F. Phipps Arch Trail is less than a mile away, and Bowington Arch Trail and Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail are both within 4 miles. The Escalante River offers canoeing about 5 miles out.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–May, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Escalante River Trail

    Best months: April–May and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      43° / 19°

      4 wet

    2. Feb

      48° / 23°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      58° / 29°

      4 wet

    4. Apr

      66° / 35°

      4 wet

    5. May

      76° / 42°

      4 wet

    6. Jun

      87° / 50°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      92° / 57°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      89° / 56°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      81° / 47°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      68° / 37°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      54° / 26°

      3 wet

    12. Dec

      43° / 19°

      4 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Escalante, UT, 9.8 mi away at 5,810 ft. The station sits about 600 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Phipps Arch TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Phipps Arch Trail

~1 min drive

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Escalante River TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Escalante River Trail

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Boulder Mail TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Escalante River TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Little Death Hollow TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Escalante River TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Escalante River Trail

~2 min drive

3.26-mile out-and-back hike along the Escalante River in Utah.

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Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail

~6 min drive

5.74-mile out-and-back hike in Utah with 2,643 ft elevation gain and loss.

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Harris Wash Trail

~20 min drive

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors