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Reflection Canyon: a still from my film

Glen Canyon, Utah · November 2020

Reflection Canyon

27.5 KM · 2 DAYS · 450 M

Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the rim above Lake Powell in 2 days.

Watch the film 14:37 · 248K views

At a glance

Where
Glen Canyon, Utah
Distance
27.5 km (17.1 miles)
Days
2: an afternoon out, a morning back
Climbing
About 1,480 ft (450 m) up and 1,320 ft (400 m) down in all, by my GPS. It's mostly flat, with gullies to cross
Difficulty
Not steep, but long, hot and off trail: much of it is cairned slickrock with no path. GPS needed
Start and end
An unsigned pullout on Hole-in-the-Rock Road
When I went
November 2020
Relief map of the Reflection Canyon route: 2 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Hole-in-the-Rock Road and Reflection Canyon.
Day 1Day 2Highest 4,480 ft (1,365 m)

Elevation, start to finish: highest 4,480 ft (1,365 m), lowest 3,860 ft (1,178 m).

My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.

Everything I made about it

The film

Photos

  • The first view of Reflection Canyon from the rim, Day 1 at 4:40 p.m.
    The first view of Reflection Canyon from the rim, Day 1 at 4:40 p.m.
  • Sunrise over Reflection Canyon, Day 2.
    Sunrise over Reflection Canyon, Day 2.
Reflection Canyon from the rim, Day 1 at mile 8.3.
Reflection Canyon from the rim, Day 1 at mile 8.3.

The guide · PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition

Do it yourself

Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the rim above Lake Powell in 2 days.

  • Where things stand
  • Both days
  • My GPX files
  • The permit and camping
  • Getting there

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Look inside the guide

Free sample

Try Day 1 free

The whole Day 1, The trailhead to Reflection Canyon page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

What I'd take now

My current kit

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Short answers

How long is the hike to Reflection Canyon?
About 17 miles round trip by my GPS: 8.4 miles out and 8.7 back, from an unsigned pullout at about mile 50 of Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Other sources give 15.6 to 18 miles, depending on the line you take across the slickrock.
Do you need a permit for Reflection Canyon?
To camp, yes: a free backcountry permit for any overnight stay in Glen Canyon's Escalante District, from the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. There's no quota, and a day hike needs none. Glen Canyon's entrance fee ($30 a vehicle in 2026) applies too.
Do you need 4WD for Hole-in-the-Rock Road?
High clearance at least. In September 2026 the BLM rated the road high-clearance 2WD, with 4WD recommended for the last 7 miles; it's impassable when wet. We rented a 4WD Jeep in Escalante, and our small car would never have made it.
Is there water on the way to Reflection Canyon?
No. There's no water on the route and no way down to the lake from the rim. The Park Service says at least a gallon a person a day; hikers commonly carry 6 to 8 liters each for the overnight in spring and fall.
When is the best time to hike to Reflection Canyon?
Spring (late March to April) and fall (October to early November). Summer is very hot with no shade, and monsoon storms from mid-July to September can flood the road.
Can you fly a drone at Reflection Canyon?
No. Drones are banned in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which includes the rim.

I make my guides with AI, from my own films and GPS recordings. How.