Coyote Gulch Gear Checklist
Coyote Gulch is a stream-fed canyon with arches, a natural bridge and waterfalls, reached by long dirt-road trailheads off Hole-in-the-Rock Road. What people pack here is shaped by wet feet and by a long approach. Shoes that can stay wet, a waste-carry system the park requires, a water plan for the dry approach and a way to keep sleeping gear dry come up in almost every account. The park bans fires, pets and rock cairns, and the park asks everyone to know the flash flood forecast before they drop in.
What shapes your gear on Coyote Gulch
- Trailheads and mileage
- The park lists Red Well at 13 miles one way to the Escalante River and Hurricane Wash at 12.3 miles. Crack in the Wall and the Water Tank route drop into the gulch in 2.5 and 2 miles, which makes them the short ways in. One writer's out-and-back from Red Well to the river and back was about 26 miles over three days.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS) and Desk to Dirtbag
- Where the water starts
- The park says the stream starts about a mile from the Red Well trailhead and about 3.5 miles from the Hurricane Wash trailhead. A writer who started at Red Well reached water about 3 miles in. Another found the Hurricane Wash approach long and dry before the creek.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS), Desk to Dirtbag and Bearfoot Theory
- Wet feet are normal
- The park says most of the hike is stream crossings or walking in the water, and that your feet will get wet. Two writers describe water around ankle depth for most of it.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS), Bearfoot Theory and Backpacking Light forums
- Best seasons
- One guide calls March through June and September through October the best windows, with very hot late summers and cold winters. A group in late September had pre-dawn temperatures near 60 degrees. A March party met nights near freezing, daytime highs near 60, and snow squalls.
From Bearfoot Theory, Evans Outdoor Adventures and Backpacking Light forums
- Getting there
- Hurricane Wash is 33 miles down Hole-in-the-Rock Road by the park's count, and one writer calls the road rough and washboarded in places. Another says to check road conditions at the interagency office in Escalante, where the permit is also issued.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS), Evans Outdoor Adventures and Bearfoot Theory
- Flash floods
- The park warns that a storm miles away can send a flash flood through the canyon under a clear sky. A commenter on one guide saw the stream rise from ankle deep to as much as 4 feet in places and settle back to normal after a few hours.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS) and Bearfoot Theory
What the agency requires on Coyote Gulch
A backcountry permit for any overnight stay
Anyone camping overnight in the Escalante district of the recreation area needs a backcountry permit. Pick it up in Escalante at the interagency visitor center, or at one of the trailheads where you enter. A day hike needs none.
A waste carry-out system sized for your group
Solid human waste leaves the canyon with you, held in a portable toilet or in an engineered bag system that uses enzymes and polymers. A plain plastic or paper bag does not qualify. You bring your own, sized for the group and the number of days.
No fires, and no pets
No fires are allowed in Coyote Gulch. Pets are banned too, and that covers pack animals like horses, llamas and goats.
Groups of 12 or fewer
A larger party must break up and keep at least half a mile between groups while hiking and camping. The park says the limit is strictly enforced and permits will be denied.
No rock cairns
The park asks visitors not to build cairns, since they can mislead others who navigate by landmarks. Rely on a map and compass instead.
A way to climb the Water Tank route without a rope, or a rope you take back out
The Jacob Hamblin Water Tank route ends in about 600 feet of exposed friction climbing. Parties should be able to do it without a rope or have a member who can set and remove a safety line. Ropes left unattended are treated as abandoned and removed.
What hikers carry on Coyote Gulch
Shoes that can stay wet, plus camp shoes
One guide suggests old tennis shoes or non-waterproof hikers, because waterproof boots hold water in, and neoprene socks, with sandals for camp so feet dry at night. A group wore regular hiking boots, put up with wet feet, and kept a dry pair of camp shoes in the pack. A backpacker in trail runners wore plastic bags between socks and shoes in the evening.
Hikers disagree on boots versus trail runners. The park only says your feet will get wet.
From Bearfoot Theory, Evans Outdoor Adventures, Backpacking Light forums and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS)
The waste carry-out kit the park requires
The guide writer explains the standard design, a polymer bag sealed inside a second zip bag, and one of the trip writers thanked the visitor center for the rule after seeing toilet paper near the arch campsites.
From Bearfoot Theory, Evans Outdoor Adventures and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS)
Water for the dry approach, then a filter
One guide suggests starting with at least 3 liters and refilling at the seep springs, with the most reliable at Jacob Hamblin Arch around mile 7 from Hurricane Wash. A September trip filtered from a side pool after a flood left the main stream silty.
From Bearfoot Theory, Evans Outdoor Adventures and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS)
A headlamp, even for a day plan
One hiker nearly walked back through the river in the dark after losing time in the canyon and recommends a headlamp on every trip.
From Desk to Dirtbag
A short rope if you enter through Crack in the Wall
The crack is about 18 inches wide, so backpacks do not fit through. The guide writer takes a 10 foot rope to hoist bags up and over.
From Bearfoot Theory
Sun cover instead of sunscreen
A veteran Escalante backpacker likes a broad-brimmed hat, long sleeves and long pants. A guide also recommends skin-covering clothes and a sun hat.
From Backpacking Light forums and Bearfoot Theory
Warm layers and a pad for near-freezing nights
A March group had nights near freezing and says a 30 degree bag, a light down jacket, a wool hat and a decent pad could easily cover many nights in the canyons. That is early-season advice. September nights were near 60.
A closed-cell sit pad
One backpacker calls a square of foam from a hardware store absolutely nonessential and yet wonderful as a seat on slickrock, a clean place for gear and extra ground padding.
Going as a group? Split this list between you so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Coyote Gulch
A 40 pound kit with heavy photo gear
A November hiker carried about 40 pounds on a two-night trip, nine pounds of it photography equipment, in a heavy tent and pack, and has since bought lighter gear.
Waterproof boots
A guide says waterproof boots hold water in and make the hike harder, and a veteran says to bring something that drains.
From Bearfoot Theory and Backpacking Light forums
Underestimating the dry stretch before the creek
A hiker met a family who came down from Spooky Gulch, and their one warning was how long the route runs without water. By the park's account, the Hurricane Wash creek starts roughly 3.5 miles in.
From Desk to Dirtbag and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS)
A wet sleeping bag at the end of the day
The veteran backpacker says to plan so that whatever slips happen, a dry sleeping bag is waiting at the end of the day.
Gear questions for Coyote Gulch
Do you need a permit to backpack Coyote Gulch?
Yes for overnight stays. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area issues backcountry permits at the interagency visitor center in Escalante or at an entry trailhead. Day use does not need one, but the park asks you to sign the trail register.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS) and Bearfoot Theory
Do you have to pack out human waste in Coyote Gulch?
Yes. The park requires all solid human waste to be carried out in a portable toilet or an engineered bag system with polymers. You bring your own, sized for the group and number of days, and plain plastic bags do not count.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS) and Bearfoot Theory
Will your feet get wet in Coyote Gulch?
Yes. The park says most of the hike is stream crossings or walking in the water. Writers describe ankle-deep water for most of the canyon and recommend shoes that drain, with a dry pair for camp.
From Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS), Bearfoot Theory and Backpacking Light forums
Are campfires allowed in Coyote Gulch?
No. The park does not allow fires in Coyote Gulch, so plan on a stove. Pets are also banned.
Sources
- Coyote Gulch · Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS) · Agency
- Coyote Gulch Backpacking Guide · Bearfoot Theory · Blog
- Backpacking Coyote Gulch · Desk to Dirtbag, Ryan · Blog
- Desert Oasis: Backpacking Utah's Coyote Gulch, day 3 · Evans Outdoor Adventures, Lusha · Trip report
- Early-season Escalante trip report · Backpacking Light forums · Forum thread
- 2 nights backpacking trip to the beautiful Coyote Gulch in the GCNRA · Reddit r/CampingandHiking (u/The_Light_Explorer), u/The_Light_Explorer · Reddit thread