The Mormon experience at Hole-in-the-Rock defies imagination. Eighty-three wagons, 230 people, and over 1,000 head of stock descended a narrow defile from the rim to the river that dropped over 1,000 feet (305 meters) and had an average grade of 25%! Dynamite was used to widen the top of the crack and the wagons were lowered by hand with their rear wheels locked.
Today, the Hole-in-the-Rock crest is about an hourΓÇÖs hike from the lake, but try to imagine the remainder of the route below the water and what it was like to be here with wagons in the winter of 1879-80. Later, the route was improved by various mining operations.
The upper Hole-in-the-Rock trail is accessible via dirt road from Escalante, Utah.
