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Hiking and Backpacking Utah’s Coyote Gulch

Hiking and Backpacking Utah’s Coyote Gulch

From $ 2,675 AUD

Description

Take on one of the most popular hiking routes in Utah – the Coyote Gulch in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This trekking trip is a true digital detox, as you’ll walk through sandstone structures that give you a glimpse of the land’s past by day and camp under a blanket of stars by night. Walk through Navajo sandstone walls that lead to cottonwood groves, cross flowing creeks to intimate waterfalls and explore Native American ruins of ages past, left by the Fremont people – the original dwellers of this land. Feast every night on backcountry meals after full-day hikes that give you the opportunity to see what Glen Canyon was like before being flooded by Lake Powell. Traverse underneath amazing arches, over a natural bridge and end with a memorable ascent out of the canyon.  

Trip Name
Hiking and Backpacking Utah's Coyote Gulch
Last Updated
2024-04-30
Days
4
Capacity
6
Highlights
  • Hike the striking red, orange and yellow sandstone landscape that is Utah’s Coyote Gulch – this is the most popular hiking trip in the state.
  • Get back to basics and immerse yourself in nature, camping every night underneath a blanket of stars and experiencing a true digital detox.
  • Explore fascinating ancient ruins and pictographs of the Native American Fremont people that used to call this area their home in 1300 AD.
  • Camp in a dramatic landscape overlooking the spot where the Escalante River and Coyote meet, peering through the sandstone of Stevens Arch.
  • Trek past intimate cascades and waterfalls, deep overhangs and natural bridges and finish with an exciting ascent out of the canyon, across a stretch of signature Utah slickrock.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk. In order to travel on this trip, you: 1. Must be able to understand and recognize the risks and hazards inherent in the activities of the trip, must be able to decide to assume those risks and hazards and must actually and voluntarily assume those risks and hazards. 2. Must be able to withstand exposure to the outdoors including exposure to diverse climactic conditions during the trip, including temperatures ranging from below freezing to +100 degrees F, potentially rapidly changing precipitative conditions from dry conditions to precipitation including monsoons and flash floods, for the duration of the Program. 3. Must be able to monitor and evaluate changes in personal health condition including the onset of dehydration, hyponatremia, heat illness or stroke or hypothermia and must be able to communicate any changes in personal health condition or safety concerns to the guide(s). 4. Must be able to participate in all activities at the time scheduled for each activity; e.g. to beat the heat, guest pick-up and hike start times during summer months may range between 3-6 a.m. 5. Must be able to manage all personal care and mobility during extended periods of exertion of 10-plus hours per day, either independently or with the assistance of a companion or an approved assistive device. 6. Must be able to enter and exit a multi-passenger vehicle either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 7. Must be able to withstand up to eight hours as a passenger in a multi-passenger vehicle, transporting up to 14 passengers at a time, either independently or with the assistance of a companion or an approved assistive device. 8. Must be able to immediately comprehend and follow verbal instructions either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 9. Must be able to traverse wet and dry, sandy, rocky, uneven and/or unstable ground over a distance of 10-plus miles per day including elevation differential (gain and/or loss) of +3,000 feet per day, for a period of up to 10 hours per day, while carrying: a) BACKPACKING/BACKCOUNTRY TRIPS- a backpack weighing 25-50 pounds, b) FRONTCOUNTRY/LODGE, BASECAMP AND INN-BASED TRIPS - a fully loaded backpack weighing 10-15 pounds, either independently or with an assistance companion or an approved assistive device. 10. Must be able to self-manage and self-navigate unsupervised while in the designated camp area either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 11. Must be able to perform basic camping activities including sleeping on the ground, consuming water from back country sources, consuming food prepared in a backcountry setting and maintaining personal health and hygiene in accordance with guide directives either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. The use of an assistive device to meet any element of the essential eligibility criteria must be approved in advance by Intrepid Travel.

Day 1 - Coyote Gulch
Welcome to Utah, home to Coyote Gulch – one of the most popular hikes for avid walkers and trekkers in the area. This morning, you’ll take a transfer from your hotel in St. George to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Your backpacking trip begins at a remote trailhead at the headwaters of Coyote Gulch. From here, take a short hike to an open and dry wash, the upper section of Coyote Gulch. Continue downstream and gradually, the wash begins to resemble a canyon, as short walls of Navajo sandstone appear on either side, and you come to several pour-offs and short waterfalls. Just as the canyon begins to deepen, you’ll find yourself in a beautiful cottonwood grove. This is where you and the group will set up camp for the evening and enjoy your first backcountry dinner.
Day 2 - Coyote Gulch
Enjoy breakfast at the campsite with your group and then continue your hike downstream through stands of cottonwood and willow trees. Here, the gulch deepens and narrows and encloses you in a towering corridor of sandstone. As you cross flowing creeks and trek past deep red sandstone walls, the day’s changing light plays on the canyon in a brilliant show of red, yellow and brown. The imposing walls backdrop beautifully sculpted streambeds and intimate cascades and waterfalls. After a couple of hours, you’ll reach an especially sinuous and narrow part of the gulch by an amazing backcountry arch. Further downstream brings you to a natural bridge. Walk directly underneath this unbelievable natural structure and set up camp for the night. After dinner, explore the amazing Native American ruins nearby. Bands of Fremont people – a pre-Columbian culture that lived with the Anasazi through 1300 AD – used to call Coyote Gulch their home. They farmed plots of land and dwelled beneath the canyon’s walls. Your campsite features a pictograph panel at the base of the Navajo sandstone – an ancient dwelling and small ruin littered with artifacts.
Day 3 - Coyote Gulch
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before hiking downstream. Today’s trail will take you beneath another wonderful rock feature – a spectacular arch high above the canyon floor. The character of the canyon shifts as you go on, becoming wider with steep vegetated hillsides beneath canyon walls. Large pour-offs accompany more and more streams and sandstone terraces appear above deep overhangs. Later in the day, you’ll use these terraces for easier hiking and ascend above the stream to your dramatic campsite, which overlooks the Escalante River and Coyote Gulch, looking directly through Stevens Arch. Time permitting, you may have the opportunity for a day hike to Escalante River and a remote and spectacular side canyon. Tonight, relax in camp and enjoy the breathtaking views of the stunning Escalante Canyon.
Day 4 - Coyote Gulch
Following breakfast, break camp and begin your ascent up a long sandy slope. It is a strenuous hike in soft sand to the ‘crack in the wall’ – a narrow crevice you’ll use to escape the canyon’s upper-most cliff wall. From the top, take in a brilliant view of the Escalante River and the surrounding canyon system. After your trip leader hauls the group’s backpacks over the rim with a rope, you’ll hike across the desert to your ending trailhead. Celebrate a gorgeous trekking trip with some refreshing drinks with your group and then take a private transfer back to St. George. Your trip now comes to an end.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
23-05-202426-05-2024AUD $ 2,675-
28-05-202431-05-2024AUD $ 2,675-
03-06-202406-06-2024AUD $ 2,675-
13-09-202416-09-2024AUD $ 2,675-
23-09-202426-09-2024AUD $ 2,675-
01-10-202404-10-2024AUD $ 2,675-

Accommodation

Backcountry camping (3 nights)

Transport

Private vehicle

Map