The Wide Hollow Campground and Devil’s Garden

This is the Wide Hollow Reservoir, and on the far side is the Wide Hollow Campground, where we are. The campground is part of Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, which as far as I can tell, includes the campground and the ridge behind it. There was a path out to the dam where I stood to take this picture, but I think where I was was not in the park.

We haven’t walked the trail to the pieces of petrified trees, but there are quite a few along a sidewalk at the entrance. That’s nice because I can take Matey in the stroller to see those (not that he’s interested).

They also have this 50 foot petrified tree that was found nearby on federal land and brought to the state park.

Matey and I found a bit of a path this morning.

With its nice setting, reasonable privacy and decent places to walk and stroll Matey, we’re pretty happy with this campground.

We did our first exploring in the area today. We stopped at the open Visitors Center for the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and picked up a brochure for day trips in the Escalante area of the National Monument. Following that guide we drove east of town to the Hole-in-the-Rock Road which we followed for 13 miles.

That brought us to Devil’s Garden, an area of wind and water eroded boulders and hoodoos.

We enjoyed walking around…

and on these sculpted rocks.

There were no canyons or other hoodoos around them.

But this area was filled with fantastic rocks.

Arches massive…

and almost delicate.

Holes…

and chutes.

Some figures stood firmly on their bases,

and some looked like they were ready to separate from their bases.

To me, some looked like partially melted chess pieces.

I thought these looked like molars.

It was fun to wander through them.

These rocks did not feel evil,

I would call this a garden of earthly delights!

We continue to enjoy this beautiful part of Utah.