Hole in the Rock

Yes, I’ve even seen Big rigs here … and yes, big rigs are fine on hwy. 12. Numerous camping sites, especially down the first turn off on the right ( blm 201 ). Good cell service. Dump / water at local RV park. Water alone possibly available at local city park or service station. The wind can Blow, but there are trees to tuck in behind so your not quite as exposed. No stay limit posted. Grocery and fuel in Escalante. 5500’ elevation so can get hot in the summer but spring and fall are Wonderful !! Outstanding gravel access road until dispersed area then take it slower and find your spot.

We dropped our camper here on our way to the Zebra slot canyon and Devils Garden. Lots room between spaces. Some spots were in the trees, others were more open. Take your pick. Seems to be an area for OHV riders as well. We had 4G coverage 4 bars. We would have stayed but plans changed and we decided to push on over to Bryce when we finished our hikes. We would stay here again if we needed a spot in the area.

Scenic Byway 12 is a beautiful drive and can be done by big rigs. We approached from Panguitch and, after a long travel day, we got spooked by the signed for the tunnels warning for vehicles over 13’6”, (we are 13’5” and try not to take risks with our rig). Then we saw a warning sign for vehicles over 21’……..which later we decided was specific to one parking area, but at the time we didn’t know what we were getting into. So, we found a campground for the night, researched, talked to locals, then went for it the next day. We were assured that the 13’6” was at the sides of the tunnels and that semis drive through them all the time. The route is spectacular!

During our stay, without our rig, we drove from Escalante to just past Boulder. This can be done with a big rig, too, but I’d say it has more inclines and descents and would stress your vehicle more than the route in from Panguitch. The entire drive is beautiful!

So much to do in the area. One hidden gem was Devil’s Garden, down Hole in the Rock Road. Also, check out Georgie’s Outdoor Mexican Cafe in Escalante……great meal!

There is not a lot in Escalante for groceries, so maybe stock up ahead of time. There is only one place in town for wine and alcohol, at Outfitters. We found water, propane and laundromats scattered through town.

Great spot for Boondocking.

We were actually here the 2nd week of November. There is so much to see in this area, and this spot kept us in the middle of it all.
Lots of spaces with fire pits, and dumpsters at the road for trash.
There were just a handful of people here, which made the area so perfect. I am sure during peak season this place gets packed.
Hole in the Rock Rd will also lead you to Zebra and Tunnel Slots...a must for any hiker, and other amazing spots!
You aren't too far from Burr Trail which is a gorgeous scenic drive with a Slot right off the road...do research, this area is amazing.

We had good cell, and in the town of Escalante there is a laundromat and a food truck called Georgies (yummmm).

We have a 36’ Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and parked and dropped just past the start of Hole in the Rock Road, then went to scout for a site that would accommodate us. We found a nice site on the ridge about 0.7 of a mile in or so and stayed for 4 days (early/mid June). We would have stayed longer, but the temperatures went into the mid/upper 90’s, so we left and headed further North to escape some of the heat. Some of the sites we passed on the way to ours are clustered a little more closely together, but would make nice group sites. There are more sites further in along Hole in the Rock Road, but the road can get pretty rough in places. There is quite a bit of traffic on Hole in the Rock Road and the vehicles and ATVs do kick up bit of dust. The further off of the road you can get the better, and with the winds predominantly out of the “West”, that side of the road is generally less dusty. Although it is usually windy in this area, so that alone can kick up a fair bit of dust too, and with the windows open, it tends to get everywhere. There are a number of trails/forest roads in the immediate area to hike and/or bike. Due to the decades long drought, there is usually a fire ban in the area. AT&T coverage was good, with 2-3 Bars of LTE service and speeds up to about 8 MB/s. There are no tall trees, so we were able to get DISH coverage on all three western satellites at our site. There were also 37 OTA channels to be had with our fixed omni antenna.

If winds are predicted, expect dirt to get in to everything! We had 15-25 mph winds with gusts of 40 mph. Dirt came in through our slides and closed windows to leave little piles and our trailer is less than 1 year old. There was no wind break. Here was our location: 37.713775, -111.527275

Lots of spots to park for large rigs. We turned off the washboard Hole In the Rock Road at the first right as we saw other RV's in that direction. A little further down and at a split in the road we took the right most one. We ended up parking just about at the end of that road. At the end is a locked gate with an area to turn around but I would no go that far with a large rig.

If the weather is good, it's a beautiful location. Definitely hike to Lower Calf Falls. You'll want to get to the parking lot early and bring $5 for parking.

The Visitor Center in town was closed on Tues & Wed but had info outside to read and brochures to take.

Maybe this place would rate more stars but the fine grit gets into everything including your mouth. Maybe it was windy season. Also on the weekends there was lots of noise and partying till late.
Good location and cell service.
We did some great hikes and a short backpack trip through Escalante canyon, which is spectacular. If you do the lower calf falls hike go early like 8 AM. There were 5 cars in the lot when we got there and 30 when we left.
The grocery store in Escalante had some fresh produce and it was the largest around. Prices were reasonable also.
The water (free) at the Interagency visitor center was great but you can only fill jugs which we always carry.
We did laundry at the RV park, clean but expensive.