Coyote Gulch to Red Well — Grand Staircase-Escalante South Desert Basin via Twentyfive Mile Wash
Kaiparowits sandstone with zero hand-holding.
Twentyfive Mile Wash doesn’t get the traffic of the Burr Trail or even Cottonwood Canyon Road, and that’s exactly the point. This route drops south from Escalante off Highway 12, threads down the wash corridor through stratified Entrada and Navajo sandstone walls, and pushes out toward the Smoky Mountain Road and Red Well tank — a lonely stock pond that marks the edge of Kaiparowits Plateau country. Sand traps hide in every shaded bend of the wash. Soft spots after any rain will swallow a rig that’s moving too confidently. There are no markers telling you when the floor drops out.
High clearance and four-wheel drive are non-negotiable here — aired-down tires are not optional, they’re mandatory once you hit the wash bottom. No services exist between Escalante and the Hole-in-the-Rock Road junction, roughly 40-plus miles of nothing. Carry two spare tires, extra fuel, and at minimum three gallons of water per person per day. Summer is genuinely dangerous; May and October are the sweet spots. A BLM permit is not currently required but conditions change — check with the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center before you roll. What you get: canyon silence, zero crowds, and sandstone geology that makes Utah State Route 12 look like the kiddie ride.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Rock, Sand |
| Features | Camping, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 44 mi / 70.8 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 5800 ft |
| Best season | May, October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD, aired-down tires |
| Nearest town | Escalante, UT |
| Land manager | BLM Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | BLM GSENM Monument Page Escalante Interagency Visitor Center |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or does it need a lift?
A stock high-clearance 4WD can manage it, but you'll want aired-down tires (18-20 psi) for the sand and rock sections. A 2-3 inch lift gives you meaningful margin on the rougher canyon benches — without it, you're scraping on a few ledge transitions. Lockers are a bonus, not a requirement.
When is this trail actually drivable — what months should I avoid?
May and October are the sweet spots. Summer (June–August) brings brutal heat and flash flood risk through Twentyfive Mile Wash — don't chance it. Winter closes access entirely; desert sand and clay turns to impassable mud after any precipitation, and it doesn't dry fast out here.
Do I need a permit to drive or camp in this section of Grand Staircase-Escalante?
No permit is required for vehicle travel or dispersed camping on this corridor. There's no fee to enter GSENM. Stop at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center before you go — they have current road conditions and can flag any temporary closures from recent weather.
What's the hardest section, and what exactly makes it technical?
The canyon bench transitions in the southern half toward Red Well are where this trail earns 'difficult' — loose sand that swallows momentum, embedded sandstone ledges with awkward approach angles, and zero recovery room on the edges. There's no one gnarly obstacle; it's sustained low-speed technical driving where a wrong line means you're digging out alone with no cell service and no one coming.
How far is the nearest gas, and is there any water on the trail?
Escalante is your last fuel stop — roughly 20-30 miles from the trailhead depending on your approach, so top off completely. There is no reliable water on this route; carry a minimum of 2 gallons per person per day. Any water you find in the wash is cattle-country surface water and needs aggressive filtration.
Trail track
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