We pulled the cushions from the bench in our van, folded the seats down in the Jeep and stuffed two of our cushions in the back, just barely, to make a decent bed for ourselves (and Tonkins). After a hefty healthy dinner, we arrived at Escalante Yurts around 6pm where we signed the paperwork and got everything moving. The day leading up to the hike was spent preparing our packs, filling up on water and getting everything else we needed together to transfer into the Jeep for the trip. After some discussion, we decided to pull the trigger and book the Jeep! In order to make the most out of the day without completely exhausting ourselves, we decided that we would pick up the jeep in the evening, pack it up with everything we needed for the hike and car camp for the night at the trailhead. Not only were they super nice and helpful guides, but their Jeeps were marketed as being built specifically for Red Rock Country. On a whim we decided to look into renting an off-road vehicle to handle the long, rough road out to the trailhead and found Epic Jeep Rentals in Escalante offered by Jan and Scott at Escalante Yurts. By educating ourselves and others on these principals, we can help to preserve these areas for future generations!Īfter reading multiple trip reports, blogs, and AllTrails reviews on this 15+ mile out-and-back trek to Reflection Canyon, we realized that it would not be possible for us to access the trailhead via Hole-In-The-Rock Rd with our van due to the condition of the road. Reflection Canyon is a moderately trafficked hike that sees hundreds of visitors each year. Once compacted by hikers, pets or vehicle tires, these biocrusts can take up to several decades to recover. Do your best to avoid stepping on or walking close to it. Cryptobiotic soil is the dark, bumpy, raised soil you might see on your way to Reflection Canyon. The area around Glen Canyon is home to delicate cryptobiotic soil crusts which play a large role in protecting the area from erosion. Everything including human and pet waste will need to be packed out. When traveling in the backcountry, remember to please respect the land by following Leave No Trace principles and sticking to established trails as much as possible.
Learning and acknowledging the history of this flooded canyon has given us a deeper respect for the land and the people who cherish it. This only adds insult to injury leaving many to believe that this irreplaceable damage has been all for nothing. This destructive infrastructure project has not only displaced an entire population of Navajo people from this once thriving cultural haven, and submerged many sacred ancestral and spiritual sites, but now due to the mega drought that has plagued the Southwest since the early 2000’s, the water levels have plummeted threatening the harvesting of hydropower from the reservoir. In 1963 the Bureau of Reclamation built the Glen Canyon Damn. The area around Glen Canyon was once home to Navajo & Ancestral Puebloeans. While incredibly beautiful, Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir with a dark past. We discovered this road while researching Reflection Canyon, a picturesque bend on the edge of Lake Powell. The 60+ mile BLM road in Utah dubbed Hole-In-The-Rock Rd is located on the eastern-most edge of Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument just outside the small town of Escalante.
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