Death Hollow
Over 20 miles of canyon taken as a three to five day backpack, with swimming and downclimbs through the upper section and poison ivy for most of its length.
This is a fitness and experience trip more than a technical one: no rappels, though a 50 foot rope earns its weight, and the obstacles read as straightforward to anyone with canyoneering miles. The poison ivy is not a footnote. Long pants and sleeves are mandatory kit, staying in the watercourse dodges some of it, and the side trails run straight through patches. Flash flood exposure is moderate overall and high in the upper section, where the walls are closest and the escapes are fewest. The standard exit involves exposed fourth class scrambling that some parties call low fifth; if that does not suit, exit toward Escalante or the Highway 12 bridge instead and add six to seven miles, a full day for most groups, and a different shuttle car. Overnights need the free self issue Escalante Ranger District permit, available at the trailhead or the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center.
Logistics
| Manager | USDA Forest Service, Dixie National Forest, Escalante Ranger District (Box-Death Hollow Wilderness) |
|---|---|
| Permit | Free backcountry permit required for overnight camping on the Escalante Ranger District, self-issue at the trailhead or the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center / Escalante Ranger Station. No fee for day hiking, biking, or riding. |
| Time | 72 hr-120 hr |
| Technical | 0 rappels, longest 0 ft |
| Season | Spring; Summer; Fall |
| Coordinates | 37.9719, -111.6176 |
Sources
- permit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=25034&actid=50
- manager: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/dixie/recreation/box-death-hollow-wilderness
- nearest town: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/dixie/recreation/death-hollow
- permitType: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/dixie/recreation/death-hollow
- desc: http://roadtripryan.com/go/t/utah/escalante/death-hollow
- notes: http://roadtripryan.com/go/t/utah/escalante/death-hollow
- heroPhoto: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Death_Hollow_located_on_Grand_Staircase-Escalante_National_Monument_on_May_11,_2017_Photo_credit-_BLM_Utah_(52566481350).jpg