Hole in the Rock parking?

[OREGON85]

I know the this trail has been much discussed, but I have one more question...

My wife's family does a Lake Powell house boat trip every summer and we're going this year. I have always wanted to do the Hole in the Rock trail and now that I live over 1000 miles from the trail it seems logical to combine the trips. What I'm wondering is if anyone has a feel for what it might be like if I left my '96 FJ80 at the END (by the lake) of the trail for a few days unattended. I'm a guaranteed slashed tires and broken windows, or is it likely to get left alone? I know it only takes on malicious person and bad things can happen anywhere, but does anyone have a feel for the kind of people and the number of people that would be around at the end of the trail?

 

[Spork]

I think it will be fine, when I did it years ago we only came across 2 groups the whole trip.

 

[Jinx]

Umm, are you talking about leaving it at Halls Crossing or actually on the trail?

Because the end of the trail is a ways from the water.

 

[Gravy]

You can walk down to the lake at the end of cheese camp.

 

[Caleb]

Just to clarify, are you talking HITR Trail or Road (I know you said trail, but I've seen more than once people say trail and road or vice versa)? The end of the road is much closer to the lake, the trail (as pictured) is a ways off (you could certainly hike it if you wanted to).

 

[OREGON85]

I didn’t know there is a Hole in the Rock road. I meant the trail. I thought that the end of the trail to the lake was a steep 1/2 mile hike. Is that correct?

 

[kmboren]

So what you are referring to is the road section North side of Lake Powell coming out of Escalante. There is a off road trail that meets up with south side of the lake and follows most of the route the pioneers took. I cannot say if your car will be safe or not. I would hope so but there is always a risk. Lots more people visit the road section. You are referring to vs the trail section.

 

[Caleb]

That’s the hike at the end of the HITR road, which is across the lake from the end of the HITR trail. The end of the trail is what’s pictured above. I’m sure someone knows the distances, I’d guess it’s a couple mile hike.

 

[OREGON85]

I didn’t realize there was a road and a trail. I was getting the details of the two mixed up. It makes sense that there would be a road/trail on both sides since they didn’t just go down to the river and stop. I’m not really interested in the road, but if the trail doesn’t make it to the lake that won’t work either. Now I get why some of the details seemed to contradict.

 

[kmboren]

You could leave you vehicle at either one but one is a lot less of a hike then the other. It would be a solid day on the trail (south side of Lake just to get to the end and hike down to the lake like said probably a couple mile hike. About half a day in the car to get to the shorter (Northside of the lake) shorter although very steep hike.

 

[mesha]

When you hit the end of the Hole in the rock road the hike down to Lake Powell is 0.6 miles.

 

[iceaxe]

From the HITR Trails end is more adventurous. After a steep start it involved more than a little bushwhacking, and mileage varies much more greatly depending on the lake surface elevation. Initially steep but not near as steep as the Hole In The Rock proper, ending in steep sand hill before it levels out once down in the drainage but then quickly becomes overgrown. Plan a couple hours down and a few hours back up if your an average decent shape hiker. leaving a vehicle in the middle of nowhere, mostly at the mercy of other middle of nowhere adventurers, probably nobody would bother it but nobody would likely be around to discourage any bothering of it either. Do it in summer and probably see nobody else out there the whole time you are there, the 4x4 trail was a bit harder to follow...no tracks in the sand or fresh rubber on the slickrock. Definitely worth it adventure wise. Too much? You could park it at Halls Crossing boat ramp parking after doing some 4x4ing.

From August 2009

Looking down Cottonwood Canyon from Aladdin Lamp Pass (end of HITR Trail) the evening before the hike.
The Hole In The Rock proper hidden in the shadows opposite the lake.

Looking back up Cottonwood Canyon from the first water hole, (not quite to lake water yet)

at the lake

trying a bench route back to avoid some of the bushwhacking which had a couple side canyon problems to navigate. Eventually had to drop back down and cross over to start the sand hill back out, just out of sight up around the corner to the right.