Reflection Canyon
Location: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, UT
Duration: 2 days, 1 night
Dates Hiked: October 18-19, 2018
Mileage: 18 miles
Elevation: 560 ft elevation gain
Camp: Reflection Canyon
Permit: Yes
Trailhead: Reflection Canyon Trailhead (out-and-back)
I hiked. I camped. I was mesmerized. But I still cannot believe this place is real. You’ve probably heard all the praise and awe surrounding Reflection Canyon. That was one of the reasons why I risked my life to get here. (Not being overdramatic at all.) The other reason being, I wanted to push my limits both mentally and physically. As a novice backpacker, this trip was my first real challenge because
it was the most remote place I’ve ever ventured to
there is no water source along this route
the entire trail is unmarked
So, don’t approach this hike casually—especially in the summer months when the temperatures can reach triple digits. Preparation and precaution are key. Do your homework (hopefully this report will help). Now that I got my mom spiel out of the way, let’s dive into my favorite backpacking trip!
Reflection Canyon first appeared on my radar thanks to social media. Then, I purchased a 2017/2018 National Parks Pass, which featured this gorgeous vista. At the end of 2017, Reko and I (mainly me) began planning for a two-week road trip to Southern Utah the upcoming year. We initially fell in love with Utah in 2015, when we went on a two-week trip to visit UT’s five national parks: The Mighty Five. I added a detour to Escalante after reading some amazing articles about the national monument. This side trip to Escalante was a major sleeper hit and we vowed to return and explore more of the area.
Escalante was the first stop of our 2018 road trip. We stayed at Canyons Bed & Breakfast when we weren’t camping. This was a lovely launch pad. The owners are sweet and the breakfasts are delish. Before we embarked on our hike, we picked up our FREE overnight backcountry permit at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. Backcountry permits are required for all overnight stays in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Canyons Bed & Breakfast
The day before our hike, there was a rainstorm, which left me apprehensive. In retrospect, the storm was a blessing. The heavy rains deterred other adventurers from attempting to drive on the notorious Hole-in-the-Rock Road, the only road that leads to RC. This meant we had all of Reflection Canyon to ourselves. But this is in NO WAY an endorsement of going to RC after a rainstorm. We were extremely careful and Reko is a professional driver (lol, not kidding).
Some deets on Hole-in-the-Rock Road: The first 40ish miles of this unpaved, washboard road are passable for most two-wheel drive vehicles in dry weather. However, Reflection Canyon is 50 miles in, and after mile 45, four-wheel drive is required (preferably high clearance). The drive from Escalante to RC is about 2.5 hours in dry weather. Make sure you secure essentials like extra gasoline, water, food, etc., in case you get stuck on this road. Cell reception and service are nonexistent for the most part.
I was terrified the night before, worried that we would get stranded out there in—literally—the middle of nowhere. I heard local towing companies charge around $1,000 to rescue stranded motorists. Chump change, right? As I anxiously packed our backpacks, Reko researched and did his homework on how to drive in muddy conditions and not get us killed. He got a brand new Tacoma four months before our trip. The drive to RC was his first time engaging 4WD with his truck.
The next morning, we headed out at 6:30. The storm made the road extremely slick and created deep mud holes. Right off the bat, the drive was dicey. It was even raining at times. We slid. We got stuck. I prayed to the Hiking Gods. I never loosened my death grip on the grab handle. I nearly had a heart attack when we lost traction and our car spun. This happened several times. Miraculously, Reko remained calm and steered us to safety each time. He tactfully maneuvered his truck through muddy puddles (more like ponds) and slippery ruts. When we reached the last couple of miles, we drove past two abandoned vehicles on the side of the road. Ominous foreshadowing?
This was the nastiest stretch of the road, and where we encountered the most frightening moment of the entire drive. We were approaching a curve/turn. To avoid a huge muddy puddle, Reko had to drive on the side of the road. No biggie except we were on a freaking ledge of a cliff. I thought we were going to tip over. It was an agonizingly slow turn. We likely had a few inches to spare. The seconds felt like minutes, but we made it!
We finally arrived at the trailhead after 3+ hours on the treacherous HITR Road. The Taco was covered in mud. It’s difficult to see since the mud blends in with the truck, but it was ridiculous. When I stepped out of the car, I wanted to kiss the ground because we survived the most harrowing car ride of my life. I felt so accomplished I told Reko we didn’t even need to hike to Reflection Canyon anymore. The drive was more wild than the hike.
There was one other jeep parked at the trailhead. It was about 10am. We stretched, checked our packs, and embarked on our adventure!
Since there is no official trail, we printed maps of the area and downloaded an offline map on Google Maps. You should be doing this for any backcountry trip. There is a massive ridge and cliff face that will serve as a guide for your hike. Make sure this cliff face is always on your RIGHT. We first hiked over the slickrock and then we entered sandy terrain dotted with sage brush. This makes up the bulk of the hike. You can spot faint trails here and there, but sometimes they die off so make sure the cliff face is constantly on your right. We also had to carefully squeeze through an old barbed wire fence. I don’t have a photo, but as you hike alongside the cliff face, you will reach a distinct rectangular/square one (around 5.5 miles). This is when you start heading east, where you will again hike over slickrock.
Eventually, you will catch the first glimpse of Reflection Canyon, and it’s a sweet treat! We were so fortunate to have this place all to ourselves. We didn’t have to battle for campsites. The only humans we saw were on a boat cruising around Lake Powell.
Reko and I marveled at the magnificent landscape: a sinewy S-curve filled with deep blue waters of Lake Powell, framed by towering orange sandstone cliffs. After numerous photos and absorbing in the view, we set up our tent and cooked dinner while enjoying the sunset. For our trip, I made my own dehydrated meals from scratch. That night we were having Thai curry chicken with brown rice. Though, I messed up the curry powder, and it was way too spicy. We were struggling to finish it and our noses were running like mad.
Since it was mid-October, last light was around 7pm. We arrived at RC at 3pm after 4.5 hours of hiking (not including a 30-min lunch). With setting up camp, cooking, and hygiene, it wasn’t sufficient time to truly take in the scenery. A week is probably not enough time because this spot is spectacular; but I wish we had just a few more hours.
Once settled into our sleeping bags, Reko dozed off. I, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep very well because of the wind. Since our tent was out in the open, there was zero coverage. Our rainfly was flapping madly in the strong winds. I estimate I got a few hours of solid sleep.
However, catching the sunrise was easy since I was awake already. And oh my. That sunrise.
When the morning light hit the canyon walls, it was magical. We snapped more photos and then gobbled up breakfast (tortilla banana burritos with almond butter). We also started hearing voices in the distance and we knew we were no longer alone. We packed our bags, double checked that we left nothing behind, and retraced our steps back to our car. The return trip was faster and took roughly 4 hours.
We were lucky that the weather held up on both days of our trek. The days were comfortable, a bit chilly but warm once you start moving. The night and morning were cold. Another thing I was super grateful for was the solitude. We didn’t encounter a single soul on our first day and night. It made the experience that much more special and rewarding.
The solitude was also welcomed because of the bathroom situation. This is desert country so imagine how difficult it is to do a #1 (especially a #2) if other campers were present and there is no vegetation or privacy. And remember, you have to pack out everything you pack in, including human waste. You will need WAG bags. Obey Leave No Trace Principles!
Although there wasn’t much elevation gain or loss, it was a strenuous hike due to the varying terrain and route finding. Water wasn’t an issue for us, we had plenty (3L each plus a 32-oz water bottle that was unused). But we didn’t try rationing it; we stayed hydrated and used it for cooking and hygiene. It’s a different story in the warmer months. I picked October to avoid both the scorching desert temperatures and summer crowds. Although we successfully managed to escape the heat and masses, we were strapped on time, as I previously lamented. The only thing I wish I could have changed about our trip was pushing it up to early October. Mid to late October meant less daylight and less time to explore.
Overall, this was an incredible backpacking trip, filled with thrills, views, and a wild ride. 10/10 would do it again in a heartbeat.