Death Hollow and Escalante River Traverse
Guided Backpacking Trips
4-5 Days, 3-4 Nights 15+MI / 24+KM
Trip Highlights
This wilderness route, which follows the famous Boulder Mail Trail, is a rewarding adventure across a sea of slickrock formations, high plateau Ponderosa Forests and deep shady canyons with spring-fed creeks. It is a trip not to be missed and will be one you’ll think back on again and again!
The Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument is one of the most beautiful regions in Utah with its unique, undulating terrain and brilliant sandstone features. The route takes us across a stunning plateau that was historically used to transport mail and supplies between the towns of Boulder and Escalante. It crosses three major canyon systems and many smaller tributaries that feed into Death Hollow and eventually into the Escalante River.
Each canyon along the Boulder Mail trail has a unique and interesting character. Sand Creek is a high elevation drainage that seems lost in time with the massive feature of Slickrock Saddle rising high above in the distance. Death Hollow is a deep, wet canyon full of water and a lush riparian environment. Mamie Creek is a large drainage of Navajo Sandstone featuring one of the most interesting Natural Bridges in the state of Utah as well as deep water pockets and excellent swimming holes!
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Breathtaking Canyons
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Cascades & Desert Oases
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Iconic Views
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Desert Solitude
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Natural Bridges & Slickrock
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Escalante River
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
4-5 Days, 3-4 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
4-7 mi -
Group Size
1-10 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
The 4-day version of this trip is Level 3, and the 5-day version is Level 4. On both itineraries, much of our route is “off-trail” following cairns along sandstone slick rock with steep climbs up and down hill, or wading in a river among slippery rocks. There is a short, but significant height exposure on the way down to the Death Hollow River. Depending on the season, you may need to carry 4 liters of water on some of the hiking days. The 5-day version has longer days of hiking, on equally rugged terrain, which is what makes it Level 4 Difficulty.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
Drive from St. George: 3.5 hours
Hiking Mileage: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 600 feet
Elevation Loss: 800 feet
On this guided Utah backpacking adventure will depart Saint George, Utah early this morning for the remote town of Escalante which is truly the heart of Utah’s Canyon Country. After reaching Escalante we will drive up to the Boulder-Mail Trailhead and have lunch while preparing for our cross country hike. The overland route from Boulder to Escalante features a sea of endless slick rock sandstone, deep twisting side canyons, spring-fed creeks, and towering Ponderosa Pines typical of Utah’s high canyons. Our hike today leads us to a primitive camp overlooking Death Hollow – easily one of the most impressive canyons in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The camp features a beautiful sandstone amphitheater and large natural water pockets teeming with Utah’s unique aquatic life forms such as Fairy Shrimp. Huge panoramic views, a hearty dinner, and endless desert star gazing are the order of the evening!
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 3.5 miles (+ optional side hikes)
Elevation Gain: 800 feet
Elevation Loss: 1,250 feet
Today we will wake up with the rising sun, pack our gear and prepare for the descent into Death Hollow. Death Hollow is large, deep and full of water – it gets its name from mules falling into the canyon as they attempted the mail route from Boulder to Escalante. As we descend deeper into Death Hollow we’ll be trekking through ankle-deep water. This canyon is filled with huge Ponderosa Pines and natural springs pouring out of the ancient Navajo Sandstone walls. Our destination this evening is Mamie Creek – a large tributary of Death Hollow which we will reach later in the evening to setup camp against a massive rock wall overlooking the canyon.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 3-5 miles
Elevation Gain: 900 feet
Elevation Loss: 350 feet
This morning we’ll leave our camp setup while we explore downstream to see one of the most unique and interesting features in the region – the Mamie Creek Natural Bridge. The bridge is situated above a massive valley where Mamie Creek pours into Death Hollow. Today is all about exploration – and because we’ll be hiking most of our miles today with light day packs, today is also all about fun! After exploring the bridge we’ll head back upstream to our campsite, where we’ll pack up and continue on just a couple of miles down trail to Antone Flat.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 300 feet
Elevation Loss: 1150 feet
Drive to St. George: 3 hours
Today we will pack up early for the trek across Antone Flats – which features a kaleidoscope of intricate Navajo slickrock formations, canyons and high altitude Ponderosa forests. The hike ends with a massive view into the Escalante River Valley and a steep descent off of the high plateau we’ve been traversing – the old mail route from Boulder to Escalante that bypasses the nearly impassable Escalante River Canyon! We rendezvous with our vehicle around lunchtime and then depart for St. George, which we should reach around 5pm in the evening!
5-Day Variation
The 5-day variation of this trip is 27.5 total miles and adds a 12-mile traverse of the Escalante River (not all in one day!), which runs through a breathtaking, signature Utah canyon. We push further on Day 2, so we can spend two full days along the Escalante River.
D1: 4.5 mi. Camp before descent into Death Hollow (same as 4-day itinerary).
D2: 7 mi. Camp at Antone Flats.
D3: 6.5 mi. Camp in upper Escalante River Canyon.
D4: 7.0 mi. Camp in lower Escalante River Canyon.
D4: 2.5 mi. Camp in lower Escalante River Canyon.
Important: this trip is operated as either a 4-day or 5-day itinerary, and is confirmed as such in advance. Variation of trip length does not mean guests can choose to leave a trip or early or extend it a day.
Trip Dates
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Use of trekking poles
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in St. George, Utah to the trailhead and back
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National park entrance fees
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite communication device
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
You will rendezvous with the guide and group in St. George, Utah for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. Your guide will be in contact approximately 2 weeks before your trip starts to specify the orientation location. The guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Utah Tours your guide can meet you at your hotel in St. George or Cedar City, Utah at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to St. George, Utah
This Utah trip originates in St. George, Utah where you’ll meet your guide and group. St. George has a small airport served by Delta Connection and United Express. From the St. George Airport one can take a taxi into town or some hotels offer a complimentary airport shuttle. The more popular method of travel though is to fly into Las Vegas, NV and take a shuttle (www.stgshuttle.com or https://saltlakeexpress.com/destination/las-vegas-airport-nv/) to St. George. This is often your cheapest option. It is a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas to St. George on good roads.
Pre and Post-trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in St. George, Utah as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will try our best to drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 5 PM.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 10 and older to join private tours, with final approval on a case by case basis
- specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Reviews
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Michael S
5 months agoWonderful Trip
The entire process from signing up to hiking through some of the most beautiful landscape imaginable was nothing short of awesome. This was a wonderful trip and I look forward to another one with Wildland Trekking.
Jay H
6 months agoSuperb
This is my third backpack trip with Wildland and the experience is the same professionalism from the signup to the actual hike... superb. Our guide, Liz, was terrific. The food was great... did not lose any weight! LOL
Friederike K
7 months agoPhenomenal Trip
This was a phenomenal trip and Liz was a highly competent, caring guide. She made sure everyone in the group was taken care of, and she taught us that yes, you can hike through water without worrying about your boots/socks/feet. And her cooking skills were amazing. The beauty of the landscape was unparalelled. I will be back.
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