Coyote Gulch Backpacking 

Depart St. George early for your scenic drive through Southern Utah. Upon arriving in the Escalante area, we will stop for lunch in Devil’s Garden, a land of impressive hoodoos and sandstone formations. After some exploration here, it’s off to the trailhead for final packing and the beginning of our hike into Coyote Gulch. A cross-country route brings to an easy descent to the canyon bottom. Our first night’s camp hints to the wonders that await further down canyon.

Drive Time: 4 hours

Distance & Elevation: 6 miles, 600 foot descent

Lunch, Dinner

After a tasty breakfast, we will breakdown camp and head on downstream. The lush canyon is a striking contrast to the dry, slickrock mesas above. Enjoy the new and exciting views that unfold around every corner. The towering sandstone walls twist and turn and we explore ever deeper, passing through giant alcoves and beneath massive natural arches. Camp tonight will be somewhere in the vicinity of Coyote Natural Bridge.

Distance & Elevation : 6 miles, minimal elevation change

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Onward down the canyon! Today’s adventure is with small day packs, as we leave camp behind and explore without the burden of backpacks. Visit some ancient archeological sites and pictographs and maybe take a dip in hidden, spring-fed pools along the way. Our goal is the confluence with the Escalante River where we’ll enjoy views of the impressive Steven’s Arch. After lunch along the banks of the Escalante, we’ll head back to camp, enjoying the numerous sights missed on the way down.

Distance & Elevation: 8-10 miles, minimal elevation change

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a tasty breakfast while your guide packs up camp before heading off on the final day’s hike. We will head back the way we came but utilize another exciting tributary canyon for our exit. Upon reaching the rim, we will enjoy the far-reaching views across the entire Escalante region as we find our way across open slickrock benches back to the trailhead. After a delicious lunch overlooking this amazing canyon country, we will head back to St. George.

Distance & Elevation: 6-7 miles, 600 foot ascent

Breakfast, Lunch

Drive Time: 4 hours

• A professional, licensed and medically trained guide
• All necessary gear: backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles
• All cooking/eating gear: bowls, cups, utensils (your guide will prepare all meals)
• All meals from a light breakfast on Day 1 through lunch on the last day + trail snacks
• Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in St. George, UT to trailhead
• Entrance fees and backcountry permits

• Transportation to/from St. George, UT
• Lodging the night before/after the trip
• Clothing, raingear, and footwear
• Personal toiletries, sunscreen
• Water bottles/hydration bladder
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Guide gratuity (suggested 10-20% of trip cost)

*Upon booking you will receive a detailed trip information packet

Most backpacking trips in Utah will accommodate 5 people plus one guide. On occasion, a group may be as large as 10 people plus 2 guides.

Children under the age of 13 are generally not permitted on backpacking trips. This restriction may be negotiable on private tours. Please contact us with any questions regarding this policy.

In order to confirm a reservation, we require an initial deposit of $250 per person, with the final balance due 90 days prior to the trip’s departure. If you book a trip within 90 days of the trip’s scheduled departure, then full payment is due at the time of booking.

Once we confirm availability, you will be provided with an online registration link. Your deposit is payable online by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or ACH transfer.

This trip will begin/end in St. George, UT and you will need to spend the night prior to your trip’s scheduled departure in St. George. You will want to fly into either Las Vegas (2 hour drive) or St. George.

We will hold a pre-trip orientation at 7:00pm the evening prior to your trip’s departure at the Best Western Abbey Inn in St. George. Departure times and logistics for the following morning will be discussed at the orientation. Most trips will depart between by 6:30am.

We will provide all transportation to/from trailheads for the duration of the trip. We will pick you up at your hotel in St. George and return you there at the trip’s conclusion. Guests staying at the Best Western Abbey Inn (recommended) can leave their cars at the hotel. The hotel will often store your luggage for you, as well, but please confirm this option in advance. If you are staying at a different hotel, you will need to check with them as to whether you can leave your car/luggage there.

Expect to be back in St. George by 5pm at the latest on the last day of the trip. Many trips will return earlier but we cannot make any guarantees. In general, it is recommended that you do not plan to fly home on the same day your trip finishes. Since each trip has slightly different logistics, feel free to contact us with specific questions related to the expected return time for your trip.