Exit Trailhead (Highway 12 Bridge)
From Escalante, go east on highway 12 toward Boulder. About 14 miles out of Escalante, just after crossing the bridge over the Escalante River (MP 73.9), turn left (west) to a parking area and trailhead. This is just a couple of miles BEFORE the Calf Creek campground.

Trailhead (Escalante River Trailhead)
On the east side of the town of Escalante, turn north at the cemetery. Instead of going into the cemetery, go right on the road as it follows the perimeter of the cemetery, then heads east. Take the first left in about 0.4 miles and follow the slightly rougher road 0.6 miles to the trailhead and a parking area on the left.

Visiting the Panels (3.2 miles one way / 1.5 hours)
From the trailhead, follow the road down the hill to the gate, where it turns into a single track. The trail quickly descends to the Escalante River in a half mile. Once at the river, don't worry about getting your feet wet. It is bound to happen, so just get them wet early! Trails abound on both sides of the river, pick whichever looks best to you and follow it.

Not far down the river, a side drainage comes in, then the gaging station is reached. From the gaging station, the river makes a slight left bend, then a right bend, then a deeper left bend with towering walls. The first petroglyph panel is on the left here, and easy to spot. Stay on the main trail on the north side of the river and you should spot it. (1.6 miles from the trailhead)

The river bends again to the right, then on the next left bend is the second petroglyph panel. Again, easy to spot as long as you stay on the north side trail.

The third panel, a pictograph, skips the next left-hand bend and shows up in the one after. This one is very hard to miss. It is in the back of the grand alcove that could house scores of people. To the alcove is about 3.2 miles from the trailhead.

To Death Hollow (7.7miles from the trailhead)
Continuing down from the alcove, the canyon settles into a rhythm of bends and meanders, ever deepening. The next major landmark is Death Hollow that comes in on the left. This is easy to spot, with its generally clear stream coming in and several excellent campsites. If backpacking, this area is about 1/2 way with good camping and the water in Death Hollow is usually fairly clear to filter. If time allows, exploring up Death Hollow is an excellent afternoon hike or even layover day.

To The Arch (4.6 miles from Death Hollow)
Unfortunately below Death Hollow, the Tamarisk and Russian Olive are very thick. There is an ongoing effort to remove this invasive species from the Escalante, but this stretch is currently very overgrown (2016). Lower in the canyon you will likely see large cut piles where eradication efforts have been focused. In many spots, it is easier to wade in the river than try and fight through the brush along the side. Fortunately, after a mile or two, this lessens and the going gets easier. After 4.6 miles / 2 hours, an arch high on the right wall comes into view.

Just past the arch, look for old ruins above the river on the south side. The social trail visits them.

To The Bridge (2 miles)
From the ruins, the trail becomes better used. It is a short distance to the Escalante Natural Bridge, an impossible to miss natural bridge on the right (south side) of the canyon. A 5-minute side trip visits this from underneath and is highly recommended. Leaving the Escalante Natural Bridge, the trail is wide, well worn, and goes quickly. The highway 12 bridge is reached after a few more river crossings. If you go under a highway bridge, you've gone too far!