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Walking & Trekking

Hiking and Backpacking Utah's Boulder Mail Trail

5 Days | Hike through valleys and streams across Utah’s canyon country

5 days

Start

St George, United States

Finish

St George, United States

Trip Code

SKXT

Min Age

Trip Size

1 - 10

Physical Rating

Meals

5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Backcountry camping (4 nights)

From £1,480(5 days)

Trip Informations

Trek the historic Mail Trail connecting Escalante and Boulder through some of Utah’s most incredible landscapes. Over five days, make your way through the valleys of the Grand Staircase — Escalante National Monument, following rivers, walking through high-altitude forests and camping under rock faces and by natural springs. Explore the rock formations carved into the stone over centuries and marvel in the kaleidoscopic colours of the sandstone that makes this area so spectacular.

Why you’ll love this trip

Make your way through one of Utah’s finest bits of canyon country, trekking across high plateaus, through deep canyons and past incredible sandstone formations.

Explore the Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument – following the route historically taken by the fearless workers tasked with taking mail and supplies between Boulder and Escalante.

Cross three major canyon systems, Sand Creek, Slickrock and Death Hollow, getting into the rivers and streams that have flowed through this area for centuries.

Descend into Death Hollow, following the river through the canyon, past ponderosa pines and natural springs feeding into the Escalante River.

Look out over the expanses of this desert landscape, explore natural sandstone bridges and take a dip into natural swimming holes (if the weather is fine!).

Is this trip right for you?

This is a hiking trip, so a good fitness level will help you enjoy all included hikes and activities.

This trip involves daily hiking ranging in distance from 2.5-7 miles (4-11 km) per day over rugged terrain with a total trip distance of up to 28 miles (45 km). The maximum daily elevation gain/loss is 1400 feet (427 m). Please check the trip itinerary for more details.

On this trip, you’ll be required to carry a backpack weighing approximately 16 to 20 kg (35 to 45 lb).

Itinerary

DAY 1
St. George to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Welcome to Utah! Say good morning from Saint George bright and early as you’ll be heading off for the remote town of Escalante and into the heart of Utah’s canyon country. Keep an eye out for the twisting canyons, trickling streams and enormous ponderosa pines as you make your way. When you arrive, drive up to the Boulder-Mail Trailhead for lunch and prep for your cross-country hike. Your first hike of the trip takes you to a primitive camp overlooking Death Hollow. Here, you’ll find a sandstone amphitheatre, large natural water pockets and panoramic views. Settle in for the night, enjoying dinner and endless stargazing with your new travel buddies.
Accommodation
Backcountry Camping (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Escalante - Boulder Mail Trail to Death Hollow Canyon Hike
Guided Backpacking Experience - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Shuttle from St. George to Trailhead
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours. Your trekking distance will be approximately 7 km (4.5 mi) with an elevation gain of 152 m (500 ft) and an elevation loss of 244 m (800 ft). 
You will rendezvous with the guide and group in St. George, Utah, for an orientation meeting at 5 pm the evening before the trip begins. Alternatively, you may choose to skip the pre-trip meeting and meet us in the town of Escalante, Utah, on the first morning of our trip. This can be more convenient if you are travelling overland from points north or east, but not recommended if you are a novice backpacker.
Your guide will be in contact approximately two weeks before your trip starts to specify the orientation location. The guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead.
DAY 2
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
As the sun rises, so do you. It’s time to pack up and get ready to descend into Death Hollow. Despite its name, Death Hollow is home to some of the most beautiful and varied landscapes in the area. Large, deep and full of water, you’ll walk through alpine forests, along narrow sandstone passages and wade through the water of the Mamie Creek. Today, visit one of the most interesting features of the region – the Mamie Creek Natural Bridge. Created by millions of years of erosion, the seasonal Mamie Creek flows through the keyhole opening and pours into Death Hollow, creating a sandstone bridge above. Tonight, set up camp above Death Hollow on the Antone Flats.
Accommodation
Backcountry Camping (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Mamie Creek Natural Bridge visit - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Antone Flats via Mamie Creek Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Special information
Your trekking distance today will be approximately 11 km (7 mi) with an elevation gain of 503 m (1651 ft) and an elevation loss of 490 m (1607 ft). 
DAY 3
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Today, you’ll head downstream, following the valley along the Upper Escalante River Canyon. Stop for a moment to take in the view down into the Escalante River Valley, before the steep descent from the plateau along the Boulder to Escalante old mail route. This is your first of two full days spent exploring the banks of the Escalante River. Take in all this ancient land has to offer as natural rock formations carved out over centuries add to the otherworldliness of the region.
Accommodation
Backcountry Camping (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Upper Escalante River Canyon Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Special information
Your trekking distance today will be approximately 10 km (6.5 mi) with an elevation gain of 76 m (249 ft) and an elevation loss of 443 m (1452 ft).
DAY 4
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Today, continue your trek along the Escalante River. Notice the springs that trickle down the sandstone, feeding the river as you explore this unique area. As you head through the canyon, surrounded by the towering walls of sandstone, watch the changing colours of the rockfaces. Today’s hike is all about exploration.
Accommodation
Backcountry Camping (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Lower Escalante River Canyon Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Special information
Your trekking distance today will be approximately 10 km (7 mi) with an elevation gain of 10 m (30 ft) and an elevation loss of 60 m (198 ft).
DAY 5
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to St. George
Pack up camp and head off on the final leg of your trek across the Boulder Mail Trail. You'll arrive back at the vehicle in the late morning and have a celebratory lunch in the nearby town of Escalante. Following lunch, head back to St. George, reaching the town in the early evening where you’ll say your goodbyes.
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Lower Escalante River Canyon Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Shuttle to St. George
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. Your trekking distance will be approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) with an elevation gain of 19 m (61 ft) and an elevation loss of 41 m (136 ft).

Inclusions

Meals

5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Backcountry camping (4 nights)

Activities

Escalante - Boulder Mail Trail to Death Hollow Canyon Hike

Guided Backpacking Experience - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Shuttle from St. George to Trailhead

Mamie Creek Natural Bridge visit - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Antone Flats via Mamie Creek Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Upper Escalante River Canyon Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Lower Escalante River Canyon Hike - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Shuttle to St. George

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Important notes

1. A completed registration form is required to join these trips. You will not be confirmed for the trip until your form has been received and reviewed. We may ask for a medical release signed by your physician for medical conditions or circumstances which could possibly compromise your safety or the safety of others on this trip – please speak to your agent for further details.

2. A signed disclaimer (Acknowledgement of Risks Form) is required at the time of booking for this trip – please speak to your agent for further details.

3. To help ensure this trip is right for you, this trip is subject to additional ‘Essential Eligibility Requirements’ – see the ‘Itinerary Disclaimer’ section of the Essential Trip Information for further details.

4.This trip is operated and run by Wildland Trekking, an Tuuur company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Wildland Trekking customers and Tuuur customers.

5. A pre-trip orientation meeting will take place at 5:00 PM on the day before trip starts in St. George, Utah. Your guide will be in contact approximately 2 weeks before your trip starts to specify the orientation location. Early on the morning of day 1 your guide will pick you up at your hotel for transport to the trailhead. This trip concludes at approximately 7:00 PM on the last day.

6. A single tent is provided to all solo travellers at no extra cost.

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