Top 14 things to do and attractions in Escalante

Cannot speak highly enough of this place. The staff were all kind, helpful, welcoming, and personable. The facilities were clean and accepting of all travelers needs including fresh water, laundry services for cheap, and showers. Best of all is the food and restaurant staff. I've worked for James Beard award winning restaurants and specialty pizza for years, and this pizza is something I'll be writing to anyone who will listen to make their way to Escalante to try. A sourdough crust over 20 years in the making with flavor and texture to die for. Each topping had incredible attention to detail both in selection and execution. A Monday night stop turned into a lifetime memory. Thank you to the kitchen crew killing it and the service staff for creating a home, I hope you all have a wonderful off-season.

This review is for the restaurant: The food was delicious and made exactly how we ordered it. It was served pretty quickly and the staff was really friendly. We liked that they were one of the few places in town open on Sunday and that they had a bunch of decent beer and cider options available. The baked goods in the case up front are homemade and looked delicious (although we didn't have enough room in our bellies to have any dessert, today). The parking was easy - there's a parking lot and there's also street parking. There's wifi inside the restaurant.

Fantastic, inclusive, welcoming atmosphere with indie feel. The menu has something for everyone - including vegetarians. The pizza is amazing with quality ingredients and nicely toasted crust. The store is well-stocked with essential, yet also thoughtful gear and an excellent library offering helpful info to the area. Don't pass this place up!

Absolutely the yummiest pizza! Salads are custom made, most tasty, and large enough to easily share. And DO NOT skip the homemade cakes! Scrumptious!! Ate here multiple times and will be back to camp, hike and eat some more.

Great pizza, after a day of hiking. They have a decent set of taps with local breweries. And the attached adventure retail shop has decent selection if you need to replace any outdoor gear

We stopped here 8/17/25 for a late lunch after exploring the Capitol Reefs National Park & Pueblo ruins in Boulder, Utah. Rustic roadside cafe that was busy with visitors & locals. The cafe is open at 8am for coffee, open everyday from 8am-9pm. A hiking gear store on one side, dining area on the other. We sat on the covered porch because it was a hot day. Ordered at the counter & given a table number. We split a muffaletta hogback sandwich w/chips $15.50) & a couple of ice teas ($3) (free refills). This place sells a lot of pizzas! Lots of beverage choices. Tent spaces & cabins are available. Very good service here. Food is very good. Recommended by us. Thank you. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA

Maybe the best pizza we’ve ever had and amazing service to match. We got a large Moody Creek and small Day Hiker to split between the four of us and had plenty of food for leftovers, but it was so good that we just ate it all right then and there. I couldn’t give higher praise. The crust is clearly homemade and the toppings are plentiful. Delicious in all ways. If you’re in the area and they’re open, please give it a try. As a plus, they serve beer.

The official sign in one of the earlier photos is no longer there, however, the register book is there still. Keep in mind this is active cattle grounds so don't be startled if you see cows for the first few minutes of the hike. There is a gravel parking area off the gravel road. Drive past the cemetery, over the cattle strips and down the gravel road. Ignore the first right as this is a heritage center, instead take the first left and continue down that gravel road to get to the trail head. The trail itself is spectacular! I only went 5 miles up and then back and, while it is steep, the payoff of being secluded surrounded by sandstone is wonderful!

Beautiful area. Great backpacking and natural features. If you do visit, please keep an eye out for people defacing the petroglyphs! I have a strong suspicion that it is unruly children. Parents, do better.

There are no camping spots near this trailhead. It’s basically a pull off area on a dirt road.

Nice hike. Easy access.

Great jump off point for a Death Hollow loop. Left my car for three days while enjoying as close to heaven as I could get backpacking.

Linked the Boulder Mail - Death Hollow - Upper Escalante River Trails, a challenging and beautiful trip.

This was one of my favorite area trails. I left the parking area at 8:00, walked 6 miles downriver and then back. A stunning experience. Leave in the cool morning and take water!

Really interesting history. Nice bathroom. Great views. So I didn't get a picture of the Hole in the Rock history murals, definitely stop by and see them

The Hole in the Rock Heritage Center is a simple, honest little stop that feels like a traveler’s journal brought to life. Exhibits explain how Almon H. Thompson’s 1872 surveys helped name the Escalante River and Basin and include gritty pioneer voices like Elizabeth M. Decker’s line about “rocks and holes, hills and hollows.” It’s unpretentious and straightforward — maps, quotes, and photos laid out so explorers of all ages can follow the story. There are clean restrooms and a small exhibit of old agricultural equipment. The nearby Hole in the Rock trail reinforces that history. It’s a technical bit of trail that rewards careful hikers with dramatic views and a real sense of the hardships earlier travelers faced. Escalante, Utah is a place where history, wilderness, and resilience converge. So anyone curious about southern Utah’s frontier past, this small, well-curated spot is worth the short stop.

Interesting stop. Displays are outdoors and well done. Several were first hand accounts from those who were on this expedition.

Neat place with some interesting history to read. Nice bathrooms as well. We went in the evening but it looked like there might be a place you could go in during the day as well.

Best museum stop on visit to Utah’s Mighty Five! Murals and info signage outside is great but don’t miss the video inside! Fascinating story of persistence and strength of settlers in 1880!

This place looks like it was beautiful about 15 years ago, or shortly after they built it, and then no one maintained the ground so there are weeds in the asphalt in the parking lot. But someone is still caring for the public restrooms. Also very informative

Very interesting outdoor exhibit giving the back story about the settlers and hole in the wall story. Good for a quick stop. Free.

Rangers are super helpful and want to ensure everybody has a good time enjoying nature. They are willing to answer any questions and even help plan your adventure with their insight. Great group ov individuals. Highly recommend stopping in before going out into the desert.

I was glad to see a G-S Escalante Center opened! So far, the first two were temporarily closed (Big Water & Cannonville). It is a nice facility with lots of information and interesting film. You have to request it to be started and the ranger gladly did so. The exhibits are informative and a few are kid friendly. The restrooms were spotless (at the end of the day).

This was a great place to get information about how to experience the National Monument. There is a film about the Monument, displays with information, and the staff are helpful at describing what is in the area and what is accessible based on vehicle and weather.

Highly educational kid friendly. ADA compliant. Picnic tables. Very helpful staff. Clean bathrooms. Spectacular views. Too maps for sale. Small gift shop.

The facility has info specific to the amount of time you have or your travel style. You can ask the front desk for print outs of certain things like slot canyon hikes. They have tons of books and maps that you can take photos of or purchase. There's an exhibit of insects, rocks, and other interesting things you can find in the area. The parking lot also has a water fill up for RVs. WiFi was fast too.

Unfortunately this center seems to have undergone a serious downsizing with respect to previous years: the gift shop has disappeared. The information we were given about the status of a few remote trailheads was not very precise: not what you would hope from the main ranger station of a vast area of wilderness.

Interesting stop while traveling the Highway 12 Scenic Byway on our Grand Circle tour of National and State Parks. We had some really beautiful views as we traversed our way across Utah's magnificent parks. The staff in this Visitor Center were really nice and helpful and made our trip more enjoyable. Take the time to stop, talk and learn it is interesting.

We had a wonderful day of slot canyoning with Rick. He was super friendly and informative and knows all the tricks of squeezing through the narrow spaces with ease. The highlight of my trip to Utah. Highly recommend this very well-organized and friendly company

What an absolute blast it was!!! This is a small business that truly cares about the community and the people. Amie & Rick make an amazing team and ensure that everyone walking through their doors feel welcomed and taken care of. We've done many tours both nationally and internationally, and Rick is the best guide by far! The 25+ years of experience in this adventurous sport shows through Rick's passion and mastery of teaching. We were hooked right away and already started planning our comeback before even leaving Escalante 😁 A huge thank you to Rick and Amie and highly recommend to anyone seeking to explore the almost untouched beauty of Southern Utah ❣️

I’ve been meaning to write a review and Rick and Amie’s handwritten card sent to our address in nyc reminded me to. We consider ourselves adventurous and well traveled, we are hesitant to do group guided tours, but knew it’s one of those things you gotta go in Utah if you want to go into a deep slot canyon. I cannot express how exciting, full of adventure and fun our experience was. This Canyoneering tour is a must, we debated between here and Zion. We definitely made the right choice. Aimie and Rick are a small business, they run the show. From the moment you call to make a reservation you feel at ease and the morning of, you’re greeted with smiles, friendly dogs and a cuddly cat and some coffee! Rick ensures he makes everyone in the group feel at ease, gets to know them, their physical and mental capabilities, and decides what the adventure of the day will be. Throughout the whole canyon, we worked as a team and some overcome their fears of heights or claustrophobic thoughts. Rick was calming and ensured everyone felt included while also alway practicing safety first. Lunch was delicious, thanks Amie, for your homemade sandwiches. We loved our experience so much we extended our stay in Escalante. It’s an amazing place to get away from the crowds and our favorite memories from our road trip are from here. We cannot wait to go back. You learn so much about the area on this tour. Thank you Rick and Aimie and guide assist for our amazing experience. Side note- Please don’t wear sneakers or clothes you care about, you will be drenched in mud and how often do we adults get to play in mud? So fun!

Rick and Aimee are simply the best! From the minute we walked in the door they took our mixed group of couples and smoothly organized an adventure that was fun and challenging for all but never too much. An amazing talent that is. We will be back for sure!!!!

We stopped during our "mighty 5" roadtrip because my adrenaline living husband wanted to go rappelling. It was definitely the highlight of our trip! I'm terrified of heights but Rick and Alex were amazing coaches and by the end I was ready to again! If we ever find ourselves back in southern utah we'll definitely come by again to hang out with these amazing people!

I'm late writing this review. . . Our family came out last summer and had a beyond amazing time in the canyons with Rick. He was very safety oriented and helped some of our uneasy feeling group members feel more comfortable and have a great time at their own pace. My parents can still not stop talking about the trip with Rick and how great of a family day it was! Would love to get the opportunity to get back out their with Excursions of Escalante! If you are in the area, take the time to schedule a day with Rick and his team, it will be the highlight of your trip.

We had an amazing time with Rick out in the canyons!!! We highly recommend Excursions of Escalante – everything was great. My wife originally was apprehensive about going into the canyons – Rick and Davis made everyone on the trip feel safe and confident. We loved the day so much we are planning on going out again!!! Thanks Rick & Amie!!

Perfect junction to rest for the night under the big dark sky of magnificent Southern Utah! The check-in was simple, flawless. The space perfectly built and easy to hook up to. The bathroom and laundry room modern, super clean and luminous. I felt safe and able to rest well. The owner was adorable and efficient at check in even though I just showed up. Very grateful I found them and highly recommend the site.

We were met as we drove in and everyone was very pleasant and helpful. The site was nice and level. The bathrooms, laundry, and showers were especially nice. The park is right next to the highway which was a bit loud during the day but no problem at night. If you text the concierge they will bring ice or a picnic table to the space. Overall a very nice experience.

10/10 Recommend! My hubby & I stayed here for a week and we loved it! We were able to work with no issues- good cell signal & free WiFi. Great hosts, clean spacious laundry room with multiple machines & clean showers! They have a dog run for fur babies that was always clean with added motion lights & doggie bags. Very peaceful, laid back town that is walkable to restaurants, shops & grocery, etc.

We had an awesome time here. We used Canyons of Escalante as home base as we explored the amazing Escalante wilderness! Very clean and nearby bathrooms, showers and laundry. We brought an RV and hookups were up to snuff. We did not get an opportunity to stay at their on site cabins but they looked quaint and comfortable. The onsite managers were very kind and willing to help with any issues (there were none) and additional needs. We will always use this location for all of our Escalante adventures! 5-Stars! Also one of the few RV resorts with WiFi that was worth a darn.

Not many RV parks have such a high rating, and we feel its well deserved. So trust the high reviews. I want to emphasize that the wifi worked extremely well while we were there. My husband took a hiking break one day while I went out, and he was able to do some work on his laptop. And we were able to stream football at night. Great cell phone coverage with both AT&T and Verizon at full bars 5G. You can easily walk to local restaurants with the nearest being a 4 minute walk. Nice family grocery also within walking distance if you're cooking and need supplies. We really enjoyed out stay and would stay again in the future! Thanks!!

We stayed here in the cabins after finishing the Aquarius Trail Hut System on our bikes. Coming back to an air conditioned room with hot showers after 6 days riding through the high desert was a treat! Check in was easy and the host was friendly. We were too exhausted to use the fire pit but loved the little outdoor space that was available. Thanks!

I can't say enough positive about Canyons of Escalante! These folks have become like family to.me over the years. Ben and Lacy are the most attentive and fastidious caretakers of any RV park I've stayed in during the past 3+ years of nomadic in the Southwest, and Escalante has become like a new home for me. They are superb hosts, and their pride is evident in the immaculate appearance of their facility. Escalante is a perfect tiny town in many ways, as evidenced by the folksy friendliness of so many of the townfolk. And with so much exciting terrain to explore so nearby, it's a wonder more people aren't staying here. Come and experience this magical place before it is truly discovered!!

Really well maintained park - too bad the bathrooms were locked on such a nice day. The dogs had fun running around, and the picnic area was clean.

We went to the park several times. It has lots of shade, picnic tables, a playground, and a splash pad. It is much nicer than we expected. There are no garbage cans.

I used the area to cook on the grill.

Excellent town park with shade, bathrooms, pavilion, splash pad, and playground. It’s a nice place for a picnic.

Beautiful and sad

Nice park with picnic tables in a quiet little town. Nice!

Very nice park, very cool monument.

We are visiting Boulder and we just ate the peppers and lettuce from this farm. We bought this at the local gas station. Their produce tasted amazing! We wished we lived here because this is such an amazing farm!! We can’t wait to come back and buy more from them! The prices are extremely affordable!

Such a lovely idea and atmosphere, better than any supermarket you will find for miles and fresh cut straight from the ground into your hand! Thanks for all the delicious herbs and veggies :)

Straight down at 1st so watch behind you so you know where you came down. Trail was hard to follow, was cold with a breeze in January yet love it. Very little parking. I Got a bit missed placed on hike but glad I had looked behind me so I knew where I needed to finish.

Great hike to see a refreshing waterfall and take a swim if your up for it! Climb up to the top and see two small pools that you can also swim in!

Worth the hike and to cool off beautiful place

Very strenuous. Please take water. It's a 0.8 mile hike one way but has steep climb and HOT! Limited amount of shade.

This is a lovely hike and fairly flat all the way to the falls. It gets hot in the canyon—the ambient heat of the walls raises the temperature. So hydrate, bring plenty of water and salty snacks, and remember that if you pack it in, also pack it out.

Good hike, but why are you considering Upper Calf Creek instead of Lower Calf Creek, which is much better.

Great hike. The beginning (and going back out) are the steepest.

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is absolutely breathtaking. The sheer cliffs, dramatic drop-offs, and wide-open views are unforgettable. I even saw free-range cows roaming, which made the experience feel so unique and wild. Sunsets here are incredible, and while it’s definitely more off the beaten path, it’s 100% worth the trip.

Visited on 9.22.2025 and experienced the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument on Utah Highway 12 from Bryce Canyon National Park to Capitol Reef National Park. The changes in the landscapes are amazing and offer spectacular views!! Highly recommend to anyone visiting Utah.

This was such a fun easy hike. So beautiful! It's a magical place. Take water, good shoes that can get wet. It's 3 mi down and 3 miles back. But you can go as far you want.

Loved Escalante! If you are going to Southern Utah, this needs to be on your bucket list! We did lower calf creek falls early and we only saw maybe 5-10 people as we were headed back to the car! Saw really cool wildlife like ducks, song birds, trout, and even an otter! We also did peekaboo and spooky slot canyons! Definitely save the offline map on your phone (it’s easy to get lost) and have a ton of water! The high was only 70*F the day we went and I felt like I was dying! I do not recommend people do peekaboo and spooky if they are bring pets or small children and if you are not physically fit! It was difficult for sure!

On our west coast road trip through Utah, most of the national parks didn’t have dog-friendly trails, so once we got off the beaten path and away from the paved parking lots, we found ourselves exploring Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It quickly became the highlight of our time in the state. If we go back, we’ll probably skip the national parks altogether and spend more time on national monument and BLM land instead. There are way fewer people, almost no feral kids to dodge, and zero parking headaches - pure peace and quiet. One important heads-up: with all the slot canyon hikes, checking the weather is crucial. Flash floods can happen in seconds, and unlike the parks, there aren’t rangers or staff to warn you when it’s unsafe. So plan ahead, stay safe, and get ready for some seriously incredible, uncrowded desert adventure.

Burr trail is a must ...the drive was awesome. The red Rock, the trail cut by the cattlemen, the creek at the bottom, the trees by the creek ...the sheer canyon walls of red Rock.....all spectacular

If you're ever driving from Bryce Canyon north toward Salt Lake City, UT-12 is an incredibly scenic detour that runs through the northern part of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The area is perfect for both driving and hiking.

The easier trail is OK you’ll see a few petrified logs. If you really want to see the good stuff you have to take the sleeping rainbows trail. Warning it’s a good workout on the way out!

Beautiful place. The hike definitely had steep parts, but wasn't too bad. The rainbow loop is definitely worth it to see a lot more prettified wood than the main trail. Restrooms at the campground are the best I've seen.

Not sure how we found this little place just outside Escalante. It is well worth the $10 entry fee. Nice well marked and maintained trail through the Petrified Forest. It's a fairly short loop, maybe a little over a mile? There is an extension you can do called the Rainbow Loop. While it is a little steep going down and then back up, it's well worth it because this is where you'll see the best and most abundant sample of petrified wood. They have a visitor Center and gift shop. A nice park area with playground and places for people to camp.

Best campsites I've ever seen. We stopped here on a long RV trip from Illinois and we caught so many fish. They hit everything and were huge. I would keep it a secret but I live too far away to come back! Water level is low so we fished off the dam.

Beautiful play to hike around. Unfortunately we got here close to sunset so we didn't get a chance to explore much. I will definitely be back when I have more time

Pretty extensive grouping of petrified trees. The hike is moderate and a couple miles round trip. There are 14 placards along the trail explaining certain features. At the top, there are views of the old Mormon township and the mountains beyond. $10 per vehicle.

Well worth a visit. Another beautiful Utah State Park. Went early morning on Memorial Day and had the place to ourselves. Great short hike and awesome scenery. Lots of petrified trees, logs and stumps.

Cool and beautiful slot canyon. A bit of a hike to get there and back, but we'll worth it. Some parts are very narrow, and we had to leave our backpacks behind. Can be combined with the tunnel cayon nearby.

Hiked to Zebra Slot Canyon. Take plenty of water and check the forecast for rain. The actual slot canyon was a relatively short part of the hike but quite picturesque. The road is a bit rough getting there, but I made it with 2-wheel drive.

We did the tunnel first then looped over to zebra. Tunnel had water up to our mid calves (lots of mosquitoes chased us after we went through the tunnel), and the zebra we didn't make it to the end. The beginning of the entrance had water up to my chin (I'm 5'3"), and up to right over his armpit (5'8"). We walked all the way as far in as we can and we were will in water waist deep and it was too narrow to continue. It did make us memories and lots of laughs in the family as we stripped near naked to walk into the water. We changed into our water shoes/sandals first and I held two pairs of boots in one of my hand high above my head, while my younger son held onto my husband's back to get into the water. We saw tad poles and water bugs along the way, but we didn't make it in to see the zebra pattern. There were lots of geo in the back trail between zebra and tunnel though. The views are beautiful regardless.

very nice trail leading to the two canyons. the rock formation is very special, red rocks with lots of holes. worthy the time.

So, the trail is not marked well. Take gps or something with you. It's a long hike. Make sure you have water and sunscreen or a cover-up. The canyon itself was very cool. Turns out I am a little claustrophobic, I was not aware of that until we got into this canyon. Just be aware it gets very narrow.

This hike was great! We were able to make a round trip of sorts for these two slots. With a bit more gear we could have fully gotten out of zebra canyon but it was a bit too much of a climb with our kids and not having my climbing gear. It was a couple of nice climbs up about 12, 20 and then almost 30 feet to exit the slot. Maybe next time with climbing shoes and gear. With a loop starting with tunnel and coming in from the top of zebra that would be a great loop trail we will have to try next time.

It was so cold and my shoes were a bit thin, however I decided to push myself and make the trip to the canyon slot. There was no obvious sign so most people were confused about what direction to walk. The trailhead is to the left of the parking lot. There were many animal footprints on the snow. It's already a beautiful sight itself. We started hiking around 2PM, and came back when the full moon was rising.

Devils Garden is pretty amazing. You wouldn't believe there are hoodoos located here! A must stop if you're in the area!

Really beautifulll, take gps to not get lost and carefull with the rocky road going down with the car, we got a flat tire on that road! Enjoyyyy

This was a fun drive with tons of worthy things to stop and do. You could easily spend a full day exploring down this road.

Absolutely breathtaking! A Must see!

Bring a truck or SUV with high clearance. This road is notoriously awful, especially if you want to get to Hole in the Rock, Peek-a-Boo slot canyon, or the Egypt canyons.

Drove along route 12 in our dually truck (we pull a 5th wheel around the US) and decided the 50+ mile road was to long and bumpy in our high suspension vehicle. However, everything else along route 12 is amazing. We will be returning to explore the Hole in the Rock Road with a jeep next time we are in southern Utah.

Hole in the Rock Road is an unique part of the Utah 4x4 roads. You can find there lot of amazing track routes and really spectacular canyons like: Peek a Boo, Spooky, Coyote Gulch, Zebra Slot and so on. You can spend on the Hole in the Rock Road a full day or more. If do not have a lot of time and you want to spend there half a day, have a look at the Devil's Garden and clime down too the Spooky and Peek a Boo Canyons.

Fantastic selection of art,soaps,stones and local collectibles. But the masterpiece here is the owner and local artist, Harriet. Let here regale you with her history and the history of Escalante. You will be entranced. Though off Main Street, this is a must-stop place as you drive through on highway 12.

What a wonderful person. Harriet spent almost 30 minutes with us showing us art from friends and family and talking about this history of homes in Escalate. She actually the helped create a map of the city with historical information. Be sure to ask for a copy. We are so happy we stopped. Meeting people like her is what we remember most when traveling. Sgesalso a wonderful artist.

If you find yourself in Escalante city, I highly recommend a visit to this antique shop, not only for its unique treasures but also for the chance to meet the kind-hearted owner. What made this experience even more special was gifting me a jar of homemade peach jam. It's a delightful stop that I won't soon forget.

Definitely stop in and meet Harriet. Not only is her shop awesome, so is she. Ask for a house tour as well. She's one of a kind.

Loved visiting this small gallery. The owner was a delight to talk with. She has done many paintings of the local area. Besides her art there are also rocks, fossils, jewelry, books, soap and other items. Bought several books and a painting from her.

The owner (Harriet) is a delightful woman and talented artist. My wife Jo and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time learning about her, her art and the Escalante area. Looking forward to her next book! Definitely give her shop a visit.

What a wonderful treasure! Harriet is so sweet and talented! This is a must visit...wonderful gifts and trinkets...jewelry, petrified wood, hand painted gift cards, wildflower seeds, soaps...