Devils Garden near Escalante is a compact area of sandstone hoodoos and arches, reached by an unpaved drive along Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Allow about 45–90 minutes to wander, take photographs and look for Metate Arch. The walk can be short; the road is the part that needs the most planning.
This is Devils Garden in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah, not the Devils Garden trail in Arches National Park near Moab. Save the correct location before booking accommodation or downloading directions.
Devils Garden near Escalante at a glance
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Location | Off Hole-in-the-Rock Road, southeast of Escalante, Utah |
| Highlights | Sandstone hoodoos, natural arches and photography |
| Walking | Informal paths across sand and uneven sandstone, rather than a single signed loop |
| Time on site | About 30 minutes for a brief look, or 45–90 minutes for a slower exploration |
| Drive from Escalante | Roughly 18–19 miles each way; allow about 45–60 minutes in dry, passable conditions |
| Fee | BLM currently lists no day-use fee |
| Facilities | Picnic facilities and a toilet; bring your own drinking water |
| Camping | The recreation site is day use only |
The driving and longer walking allowances are suggested budgets, not fixed journey times. The BLM day-use listing recommends at least 30 minutes of walking and confirms the fee and day-use status.
How to get to Devils Garden from Escalante
- Drive east from Escalante on Utah State Route 12 for about 5 miles.
- Turn right onto Hole-in-the-Rock Road.
- Continue roughly 12–13 miles to the signed Devils Garden turn-off.
- Turn right onto the short access spur and follow it to the parking area.
BLM’s two visitor listings give slightly different rounded road distances. Use the signed turn-off and saved location rather than expecting your odometer to match an exact mileage. The day-use listing gives the final spur as about half a mile.
Download your directions before leaving town. Road conditions and washboard can make the drive slower than the mileage suggests, so keep the day flexible.
Do you need four-wheel drive?
Do not choose a vehicle based only on the label “4WD required” or “any car.” Hole-in-the-Rock Road is unpaved, and the condition of its ruts, washboard and access spur determines whether your particular vehicle is suitable.
Ask about the first 12–13 miles and the Devils Garden spur specifically. Conditions farther along the road may be different. Tell staff your vehicle type and travel date rather than asking whether the entire backway is “open.”
Use the current BLM road-report page. Check the report date: BLM warns that updates may be less frequent than usual. The Escalante Interagency Visitor Center contact is 435-826-5499.
- Rental car: confirm that your agreement permits this unpaved-road journey and understand its recovery cover.
- Low-clearance vehicle: ask about current ruts and washouts before committing to the drive.
- Campervan or trailer: confirm the spur, parking and turning space.
- Wet weather: postpone if conditions make the road unsuitable. Four-wheel drive does not make floodwater safe to cross.
What to see at Devils Garden
The appeal is the concentration of unusual rock shapes in a small area. Rounded caps sit on narrower pillars, arches frame patches of sky, and the sandstone changes colour as the light moves. It is somewhere to slow down and look around rather than collect a long hiking distance.
Metate Arch is a useful focus for the walk, but Devils Garden is not a single maintained circuit with one official mileage. Informal paths weave between the formations, and how far you walk depends on the route you choose.
A short visit: about 30 minutes
Stay near the main group of formations, choose a few views and retrace familiar ground to the parking area. This suits a brief stop or a group that wants limited walking.
The distance may be modest, but loose sand and uneven rock still require care. Keep children close around drops and discourage climbing on fragile features.
A slower visit: 45–90 minutes
Allow longer if you want to find Metate Arch, explore several established paths and take photographs from different angles. Keep track of the direction of the car park and return before heat or fatigue makes the walk harder.
Use established paths and durable bare rock. Avoid trampling vegetation and the dark, fragile biological soil crust between formations. Keep off the arches; photographing them from the ground protects the rock and avoids a fall.
Is Devils Garden accessible?
BLM lists ADA access to the restroom, but not to the hoodoos. The sandy and uneven walking surface can be difficult for wheelchairs, walking aids and pushchairs. If a firm, step-free route through the formations is essential, choose another stop rather than assuming the short distance makes this suitable.
Facilities, food and drinking water
Use the picnic facilities if you want a relaxed break, and bring your own food and drinking water. Fill bottles in Escalante and keep additional water in the vehicle. This is a remote day-use stop, so the supplies in your car matter as well as those in your day bag.
- Water: enough for the drive and walk, with a spare supply.
- Sun protection: a hat, sunscreen and suitable clothing.
- Footwear: shoes with grip for sand and uneven sandstone.
- Navigation: downloaded directions and a backup map.
- Food: snacks or a picnic that does not need a shop nearby.
- Basics: first-aid supplies, toilet paper, hand sanitiser and a rubbish bag.
For a wider camping trip, our guide to packing a compact camp kitchen helps keep the equipment manageable. For this stop, a packed lunch is enough.
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Is Devils Garden worth a separate trip?
Yes, if you enjoy sandstone scenery and the road conditions are suitable. For a dedicated outing from Escalante, allow roughly 2–3 hours for the return drive and a short visit, or 3–4 hours if you want a longer wander and picnic.
It fits efficiently into a day already using this section of Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Other trailheads farther along the backway need their own road, weather and hiking plans. Devils Garden’s short walk does not tell you whether a slot canyon or another spur is suitable.
If you have only an hour between bookings, choose somewhere on a paved route. The unpaved drive leaves little room for a fixed deadline.
For the wider region, our ten-day American Southwest hiking itinerary covers Zion, Bryce, Page, the Grand Canyon and Sedona. Treat Escalante as an additional stop with its own nights and travel time.
Best conditions for a visit
Choose a dry day with temperatures you can comfortably walk in. Cooler parts of the day are more pleasant in hot weather, and low-angle light can make the rock shapes easier to photograph.
Before leaving, check the National Weather Service forecast and alerts for the Escalante area alongside BLM road advice. A dry car park does not establish that the whole route is passable or that the return drive will stay dry.
The BLM safety guidance warns against driving flooded roads and explains how wet dirt roads can be damaged by vehicles. Postpone for unsafe access, threatening storms, excessive heat or icy footing.
If you change plans, stay on paved roads and choose another established attraction along State Route 12 after checking its access. That leaves more of the day available to enjoy than an avoidable vehicle recovery.
Devils Garden Escalante FAQs
Is this the Devils Garden in Arches National Park?
No. This recreation area is near Escalante, off Hole-in-the-Rock Road in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The Arches National Park trail is near Moab and needs a separate itinerary.
Is Devils Garden a slot canyon?
No. The main visit explores sandstone hoodoos and arches in open terrain. You do not need a slot-canyon route to see these formations.
Can you camp at Devils Garden?
The BLM listing designates the recreation site as day use only. Look for a permitted campsite elsewhere and follow the rules for that location.
