Escalante

Take a trip to the Escalante District of Glen Canyon with an America Outdoors outfitter, who offer hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, survival training and backpacking.

Located in Glen Canyon is the Escalante Subdistrict. The Escalante Subdistrict has no marina or launch ramp to access to Lake Powell. It does, however, provide for some of the best backcountry hiking and camping experiences within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The lower section of the Escalante River, approximately 12 miles, can be reached by boat from the main channel of Lake Powell. All of the canyons in the Escalante drainage feature excellent hiking opportunities.  Escalante is a small town, typical of rural southern Utah, however most major tourist services are available, including: motels, a Bed & Breakfast,RV Parks, gas stations (including towing service and auto mechanic), restaurants, grocery stores, a farm supply center, art galleries and gift shops.

History:

The Escalante River was named in 1872 by A.H. Thompson, a member of the Powell Survey who passed through the upper basin area on a mapping expedition. He was travelling through the area again in 1875 when a group of Mormon pioneers were planning a settlement in the area. Thompson suggested they name their new town Escalante. The name comes from the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition of 1776. Two Spanish priests, frs. Dominguez and Escalante, traversed much of the southwest in a grueling expedition in an attempt to reach California from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The party did not reach the Escalante drainage, but Thompson, who knew the history of the area, thought it would be a good way in which to honor one of the first known explorers of the Southwest.

Ranching was one of the primary occupations of the new village and the cowboys soon began to push their way into the many canyons of the Escalante seeking good grass and lost cattle. They were among the first non-Indians to see the arches, bridges, alcoves, and other wonders which draw visitors today.

Just prior to World War II, a proposal was put forth in Congress to create Escalante National Park. This proposed park included not only the canyons of the Escalante, but most of southeastern Utah. World War II intervened however and the proposal was all but forgotten in the crush of legislation related to fighting the war. Afterwards, some felt that national priorities had changed and Congress was, perhaps, more reluctant to restrict extractive activities such as mining on so large a chunk of land. Eventually, several national parks and monuments were created in this area, though even their combined size did not approach that of the original Escalante National Park - the park that almost was.