Devil's Garden

Escalante

year round

Where else can you drive down a low-clearance-accessible road to a place where you can wander aimlessly through crazy rock formations without getting lost?  There are arches, spires, hoodoos, boulders, tri-colored rocks…  0.1+ miles RT in whatever loop, out-and-back, or zigzag fashion you wish.

Devil’s Garden is a fascinating geological formation consisting of whimsical sandstone hoodoos and awe-inspiring arches, located along the historic Hole-in-the-Rock Road. While there is no single trail through Devil’s Garden, the network of easy paths can be combined to form a hike of up to a mile long, making it an excellent choice for hikers of all skill levels. With plenty of room to climb and play amongst the hoodoos, children will particularly enjoy this hike.

Trailhead

The Devil’s Garden Trailhead is located on Hole-in-the-Rock Road about 18 miles southeast of Escalante, Utah. To reach the trailhead:

From Escalante, Utah, drive east on Highway 12 for approximately 5.0 miles to the signed junction on the right for Hole-in-the-Rock Road.
Turn right and continue south on Hole-in-the-Rock Road for approximately 12.2 miles to the signed junction for Devil’s Garden on the right.
Drive 0.3 miles down the Devil’s Garden Road to the parking area at Devil’s Garden.
Picnic tables, BBQ grills, and a vault toilet are available at the trailhead. No overnight camping is allowed.

The Hike

From the parking area, follow the prominent trail to the left of the large formation directly ahead. From here the trail winds in and out of the hoodoos. Choose whatever path intrigues you and explore.

One of the most interesting features in Devil’s Garden is Metate Arch – a slender ribbon of sandstone connecting a tall hoodoo to a larger rock formation. As you enter Devil’s Garden, head for the south end of the first open area to find Metate Arch. It may not be immediately visible until you are very close but is easy to locate with a little exploring. The GPS coordinates for Metate Arch are 37.584614,-111.413793.

Beyond Metate Arch, make your way around hoodoos and through narrow passage ways as the trail leads to other unique features such as Mano Arch (37.584452,-111.413473) and the Four Wise Men (37.583736,-111.413939), a series of large hoodoos near the south end of Devil’s Garden. Don’t worry if you don’t have a GPS, with a little exploring it’s easy to see everything this area has to offer.

The total hiking distance in Devil’s Garden is up to you but will typically range from 0.5 to 1.0 mile, round trip.

Rules and Regulations

No littering.
Pack out trash.
Do not make marks or carvings on rocks.
Keep pets under control at all times.
Clean up after pets.
No overnight use.
Special Considerations

Hole-in-the-Rock Road to Devil’s Garden is a well-maintained dirt road that is typically passable to most passenger cars in dry conditions. Check with the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center at 755 W Main St in Escalante, or call (435) 826-5499 for current road conditions.