Hiking: Escalante is a dream destination for hikers. On the hiking trails surrounding the Red Rock Ranch you will enjoy miles of unspoiled wilderness. The following are some of popular hikes near our Cabin:

Lower Calf Creek Falls: If you only have time for one hike while you are staying with us, this would be a great one. The Lower Calf Creek Falls hike is a wonderful walk along a self-guided trail. The trail follows a meandering creek at the bottom of a magnificent canyon and then culminates at the base of a 126 foot waterfall. The pool at the bottom of the falls makes a great swimming hole on sunny days. At the trailhead you can pick up a brochure that will point out interesting features such as vegetation, rock art, and historical points of interest along the trail. The trail is five and a half miles round trip and gains 250 feet in elevation. The trail head is located just off Hwy. 12 at the Lower Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area. From Escalante, take Hwy. 12 east 16 miles, the trail head and parking area will be on your left or north.

Escalante River Gorge: There is enough to explore on the Escalante River trail that you can spend anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days enjoying the scenery. You can enter the canyon from the east or west end and hike in as far as you like and then double back, or if you are an avid hiker you can spend the whole day hiking the 15 miles from one end to the other.

The west end of the canyon features a deep meandering sandstone gorge with breath taking canyon walls and an open floor. Pine Creek feeds in less than a quarter mile after you enter the canyon and provides a small water flow. Most of the year you can simply hop across the river in the west end. Death Hollow drains in from the north after 6 miles and is a good turn around point for a 12 mile day hike. Death Hollow supplies a substantial flow and stream side vegetation becomes much thicker downstream. This entrance to the canyon is accessed from the Cemetery Trail head. From Escalante, drive east on Hwy 12 about 1 mile to the town and turn in. You will see a cattle guard to the right of the cemetery. Follow the road through the cattle guard for about a quarter mile and take the first road to the left (there is a sign indicating the trail head) you will follow this road a quarter mile to the trail head. From the parking area the trail continues along the road to a cow maze in the fence and beyond a well marked trail into the canyon.

The east side of the canyon beginning at the Hwy 12 Bridge Trail Head contains much more vegetation and water. Death Hollow, 7 miles in, and Sand Creek, 3 miles in, contribute quite a bit of water into the Escalante River . Numerous crossings of ankle to knee deep water are required. Just over 2 miles in is the Escalante Natural Bridge and 2.5 miles in is a nice arch, both on the south side of the canyon. The Hwy 12 Bridge Trail Head is located on Hwy 12 approximately 15 miles east of Escalante. Of course at the Red Rock Ranch your hiking opportunities are not limited to the Escalante area. Our cabin is located within close proximity to two national parks and a national monument all of which offer extensive hiking opportunities.
 

Click on these links to view guided hiking adventures:   Escalante Outback Adventures, Escape Goats Guide Service, or Excursions of Escalante

Horseback Riding: There’s nothing quite like exploring the beauty of the Escalante Utah area from the back of a horse.

The town of Escalante, Utah is deeply rooted in their pioneer heritage. While staying at the Red Rock Ranch you have the opportunity to be a part of the true American western experience on a guided horseback ride through some of the most remote areas in the country.  

Mountain Biking: Its incredible slickrock, unparalleled scenery and technical trails make the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument a mountain biker’s haven. From the high alpine terrain of the Aquarius Plateau to the deep canyons of the Escalante River , during your stay at the Red Rock Ranch you will discover a fantastic array of mountain biking trails. The primitive trails surrounding our property reveal hidden lakes, secret canyons, and spectacular mountain vistas. Along the trail you are likely to encounter large herds of elk and other rarely seen wildlife. While staying here you can choose to venture out on your own or team up with a local outfitter for a guided mountain biking tour through the Escalante backcountry.

Native American Relics: The Mormon pioneers who arrived in Escalante in 1876 to establish a settlement along the Escalante River were not the first group of people to inhabit the area. Although little is known about the early history of the Escalante area, the area was inhabited prior to AD 1 by groups including Desert Archaic and Basketmaker cultures. For several hundred years, around 1100 AD, both Kayenta and Fremont agricultural peoples occupied the area. Archeologists have also discovered a large, abandoned Kayenta Anasazi village near the town of Boulder.  Researchers estimate that the village was abandoned in approximately 1275. Hopi peoples then visited and hunted in the region for the next 200 to 300 years and in the 1500's, Southern Paiutes began call the area home.

Archaeological sites around Red Rock Ranch include habitation areas, campsites, storage cysts, petroglyphs, and pictographs. Of course, you are welcome to visit the sites to take pictures but remember that all archaeological sites on public lands are protected by Federal law and visitors are asked to be careful not to harm or destroy a site by sitting on walls, using ruins for shelter, etc. While staying at the Red Rock Ranch, you can drive to the nearby town of Boulder to visit the Anasazi Indian Village State Historical Site. This museum is operated by the State of Utah and provides visitors a unique opportunity to view remnants and unexcavated village.