Scenic Highway 12: The Drive From Escalante to Boulder

Photograph of the road - taken from the car.

Highway 12 in southern Utah is designated as a Scenic Byway with good reason.  I had driven another Scenic Byway in Utah during August, and it was beautiful, but this drive from Escalante to Boulder was astounding.

View area.  You can see the highway on the upper right section of the photo.

The highway climbs to this spectacular viewing area where colorful rock stretches as far as you can see.  We could see the highway descending through this amazing country below us, and were excited to be able to drive through this beautiful and stark area.  The pink and coral colors contrasted nicely with the blue sky and green of the sparse vegetation.

Scenery between Escalante and Boulder, Utah

Another view of the road winding below.

Don't plan on driving this section in a big hurry. There are enough twists and turns, steep downhills and climbs, to keep a driver on the alert.  Also, who would want to speed through this spectacular view?  Pull-outs are stationed along the road a strategic points so you can stop to take in the view or to take pictures.

Scenic Highway 12 extends from Bryce Canyon to Torrey, Utah, the gateway to Capitol Reef National Park.  It is a beautiful drive, and with three state parks along the route, there is plenty to see and do.  We drove this section in one day, and stopped at Grosvenor Arch, Kodachrome Basin, Escalante State Park, and Anasazi State Park.

Geologic Formation along Scenic Highway 12

If you don't want to stop to take photos, try your hand at taking pictures out the window, as I did with the above photo.  Caution:  only take pictures out the window if you are the passenger or if you are stopped safely off the road! Happy driving, and enjoy the scenery!

Visiting Escalante State Park

Resevoir at the State Park

It was hot when we arrived at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (it was September). As we talked to the park staff, we learned the best way to see the petrified wood was to climb to the top of the mesa.  So, we refilled water bottles, re-applied sunscreen, got our hats, and began the climb.

Geology of the Park

On this hike, you pass through the Morrison formation.  This geologic layer is noted for the number of dinosaur fossils found in it.  The Morrison formation is exposed in several areas of Utah, making Utah a great destination for paleontologists.

Petrified Wood

Once we reached the top of the mesa, we followed the loop and numbered points on the trail guide to view different petrified wood specimens.  I have read that there are better areas to see large quantities of petrified wood in southern Utah, but if you are not up for a back country adventure, this park is a great place to view the wood.

Large chunks of petrified wood

Smaller pieces scattered around the mesa.

This was not a particularly difficult hike, despite the heat.  It was interesting to see the variety of colors in the petrified wood.  One large piece was obviously a tree trunk and the tree rings were preserved and visible.

Counting tree rings.

The water at the reservoir looked cool and inviting, but we had miles to go on this day, so we piled back into the car and headed to our next destination.  

If you go:

Take Scenic Highway 12 (east if you are traveling from Tropic).  Turn onto Reservoir Road and follow it (less than a mile) to the State Park and reservoir area.  There is a small visitor's center with a few items for sale, and restrooms.  The park employees will collect your fees and give you a trail guide. Plan a couple of hours to hike and see the petrified wood.