Overview

Escalante State Park UT packs a great deal into its 1,350 acres. It is at an elevation of 5,800 feet. At the entrance, the Visitor Center gives information and examples of petrified wood and dinosaur bones. The park has some interpretive and hiking trails around the sights.

Highlights

• Petrified wood up to 5 feet wide
• Mineralized dinosaur bones
• Native Indian relics
• Petroglyphs

Photographs are allowed but do not remove anything - it is illegal to do so.

Location and Information

The Escalante State Park is located 1½ miles from Escalante off scenic SR12 in southern Utah.

Contact: 435-826-4466 or Visit their website

Hours

• Open year-round, weather permitting
• Summer 7am to 10pm
• Winter 8am to 10pm
• Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day

Fees

• $6 Day use including watercraft launches
• $75 annual passes

Facilities

• Visitor Center
• Picnic Area
• Restrooms and Water
• Boat Ramp
• Interpretive Trails

Hiking

Guided hikes with the park ranger take visitors to see dinosaur remains from the Jurassic Age, petroglyphs and Indian relics. More details from the on-site Visitor Center.

Petrified Forest Trail

• Trail goes around the ridge past samples of the petrified wood
• 1 mile loop
• Moderate to strenuous
• Climbs 200 feet
• Trailhead: Starts behind the Visitor Center. Can be extended by joining the Rainbow Loop Trail.

Rainbow Loop Trail/Trail of Sleeping Rainbows

• More concentrated samples of colorful petrified wood.
• ¾ mile roundtrip
• Very strenuous- use extreme caution
• Reached from the Petrified Forest Trail

Camping

Wide Hollow Campground

• 22 units
• Modern restrooms with showers
• Sanitary disposal station
• Interpretive trail
• Camping fee $20-$28 per night

Lake View RV Campground

• 21 RV trailer sites up to 50 feet in length
• Modern restrooms with showers
• Sanitary disposal station
• $20-$28 per night
• Water and electric hookups available

Fishing

The 130-acre Wide Hollow Resevoir is popular for catching rainbow trout and bluegill

Canoeing/Kayaking

Canoes can be rented from the shore of the reservoir.

Fun Facts

Petrified wood looks like the original tree but is hard as rock and full of color. Fallen trees are buried and gradually the sap in the cells is replaced by silicon dioxide giving the wood a stone-like texture. Natural minerals color the petrified wood red, magenta, green, yellow and purple.