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Escalante, Utah

17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1886 and the latest in 2002. It stands in the Escalante census division. It lies in ZIP code area 84726. It stands on Pine Creek. The Survey maps it on the Escalante quadrangle. 786 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 5,820 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Escalante within Garfield County

On record in Escalante

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Escalante fell from 797 to 786 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
2010797
2020786-11 (-1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

6 surveys from 17 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

8 of 16 photographs shown, 1936

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Power station. This power station services the town from dark until 11:00 p.m. only. One day a week during daylight hours it is served for special purposes. Escalante, Utah
Power station. This power station services the town from dark until 11:00 p.m. only. One day a week during daylight hours it is served for special purposes. Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
Main street of town. Shows irrigation ditch. Escalante, Utah
Main street of town. Shows irrigation ditch. Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
Came to Utah from Denmark as a Mormon convert when a boy. Now ninety-five years old. Escalante, Utah
Came to Utah from Denmark as a Mormon convert when a boy. Now ninety-five years old. Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
Mormon farm village. Escalante, Utah
Mormon farm village. Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
First schoolteacher of Escalante, Utah. Eighty-five years old
First schoolteacher of Escalante, Utah. Eighty-five years old
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
Main street and town center. Escalante, Utah
Main street and town center. Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
Village dwelling. Escalante, Utah
Village dwelling. Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress
Water supply in Escalante, Utah
Water supply in Escalante, Utah
Lange, Dorothea, photographer, 1936. Library of Congress

Every photograph of Garfield County

Fires near this place

40 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 40 fires within 5 miles of Escalante between 1994 and 2020, burning about 7 acres in total. 35 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Natural35
Debris and open burning3
Missing data/not specified/undetermined1
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
29 September 2000Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeBIG FLAT 4
26 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreUtah Division Forestry Fire State LandsWIDE HOLLOW
17 September 1995Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeHOLEINROCK
9 August 2012Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeSAWMILL
8 August 1999Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeDECIEVE
31 August 2012Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeSALT BRUSH
31 August 2012Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeGRIZZ
30 August 2012Naturalunder an acreCedar City Field OfficeTAG

Every fire recorded in Garfield County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 14 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 14 workings within 5 miles of Escalante: 9 past producers, 5 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Gypsum-Anhydrite, Manganese. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Van HametManganeseOccurrencePsilomelane, Pyrolusite
Van HametManganesePast Producer
EscalanteGypsum-AnhydriteOccurrenceAnhydrite, Gypsum
EscalanteGypsum-AnhydriteOccurrence
Escalante-Alvey-GypsumGypsum-AnhydriteOccurrenceAnhydrite, Gypsum
Escalante-Alvey-GypsumGypsum-AnhydritePast Producer
Utah Dept Highways Pit No 09044Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Utah Dept Highways Pit No 09045Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Utah Dept Highways Pit No 09046Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Utah Dept Highways Pit No 09047Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Garfield County

Storms near this place

39 since 1997

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Escalante in 39 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 33 flash flood, 4 hail, 1 flood, 1 heavy rain. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
September 1997HailEscalante$7,000no account filed
June 2025Flash FloodEscalante-The USGS Escalante River gauge (ESCU1) spiked to 2491 cfs as the flood wave moved through.
August 2023Flash FloodEscalante-The Escalante River at Escalante gauge was at 583 cfs.
October 2022Flash FloodEscalante-The Escalante at Escalante river gauge peaked at 518 cfs with a flood wave around 7 p.m.
July 2022Flash FloodEscalante-A thunderstorm moved along Birch Creek near state Route 12, east of the town of Escalante. Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor rainfall 1-hour estimates were around 1 to 1.5 inches in the vicinity of Birch Creek, near the confluence with the Escalante River. A video from social media showed that this resulted in flash flooding on Birch Creek into the Escalante River.
September 2022Flash FloodEscalante-Nearby thunderstorms with moderate rainfall resulted in 3-hour Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor accumulation estimates of around 0.25 to 0.75 inches. The Pine Creek near Escalante stream gauge spiked to a peak flow of 228 CFS at 7:15 pm MST.
September 2022Flash FloodEscalante-A thunderstorm moved through portions of the Escalante River drainage basin, producing moderate rainfall, with widespread 3-hour Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor rainfall estimates of 0.50 to 1.00 inches in upstream tributary areas. This generated a flood wave that propagated downstream, resulting in the Escalante near Escalante river gauge spiking to 804 CFS at 9:50 pm MST.
August 2022Flash FloodEscalante-A video from social media showed significant flows on Alvey Wash, with at least several inches of water and debris flowing across Cedar Wash Road. Location is approximate.
July 2021Flash FloodEscalante-A video showed flash flooding at the confluence of Birch and North Creeks into the Escalante River.
July 2021Flash FloodEscalante-Several reports of flash flooding in and around Escalante, including Birch Creek. Storm spotters reported logs and trees floating in the Escalante River just north of Escalante. Time of event coincident with time of first report.
August 2021Flash FloodEscalante-The Escalante River near Escalante gauge indicated an increase in flow of 1440 CFS, corresponding to a rise of over 5 feet.
September 2021Flash FloodEscalante-The Escalante River gauge near Escalante rose from 375 CFS to a peak of 1840 CFS.
July 2020Flash FloodEscalante-The Escalante River at Escalante gauge reported an increase in flow from about 10 cubic feet per second to 548 cubic feet per second in less than 30 minutes.
June 2020HailEscalante-Quarter-sized hail was reported in Garfield County.
August 2019Heavy RainEscalante-The Buck Flats RAWS recorded a rainfall total of 1.34 inches in less than an hour, leading to flash flooding around Escalante.
August 2019Flash FloodEscalante-Pine Creek Road was washed out in several places from flash flooding.
August 2019Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding occurred in and near Escalante, and along the Escalante River. The Escalante River went from 1 to 2273 CFS with the peak flood wave.
September 2017Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding was reported across many tributaries of the Escalante River.
July 2017Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding occurred along the headwaters of the Escalante River, including along Birch Creek and Upper Valley Creek.
September 2016Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding was reported along the Escalante River, with readings at the river gauge increasing from under 50 cfs to over 1500 cfs in a short period of time.
July 2014Flash FloodEscalante-Pine Creek, a tributary of the Escalante River, experienced a flash flood due to heavy rainfall. Flows on Pine Creek reached 1000 cfs before the creek flowed into the larger Escalante River.
July 2013Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding occurred along the Escalante River and its tributaries, with the Escalante River gauge rising from near zero to 746 cfs in a short period of time.
July 2013Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding was reported along the Alvey Wash and other smaller tributaries of the Escalante River.
September 2013Flash FloodEscalante-The Escalante River gauge near Escalante rose from near zero cfs to 2200 cfs in one hour.
August 2012Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding was reported along the Escalante River, where it runs adjacent to State Route 12. Some water crossed over the road west of the city of Escalante.
August 2011Flash FloodEscalante-Heavy rain caused flash flooding along Alvey Wash.
August 2011HailEscalante-Hail with a diameter of 0.75 inches was reported in Escalante.
August 2011Flash FloodEscalante-Personnel from the Grand Staircase Escalante-National Monument reported flash flooding along Alvey Wash.
August 2011Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding occurred on the northern tributaries of the Escalante River, especially on North Creek and the North Fork of Birch Creek. This flooding eventually made its way down the Escalante, with a gauge along the Escalante quickly increasing to 1700 cfs. Note that flash flooding also occurred further downstream in Kane County.
October 2010FloodEscalante-Flooding occurred across many drainages in Garfield County, including Calf Creek and the Escalante River. The Escalante River, which typically flows below 10 cfs, reached a peak of 1300 cfs on October 5th. In addition, the Dirty Devil River, which normally flows at 10 to 20 cfs, reached a peak of 6300 cfs on October 6th.
July 2010Flash FloodEscalante-Flash flooding was reported along Calf Creek and in surrounding drainages at the headwaters of the Escalante River.
August 2010Flash FloodEscalante-Heavy rain caused flash flooding in Alvey Wash, North Creek, and many other washes in the area.
August 2008Flash FloodEscalante-Heavy rain caused flash flooding along the Escalante tributaries of Pine Creek and Wide Hollow drainages, north of Escalante. The Escalante River gauge rose to 1088 cfs.
July 2008Flash FloodEscalante-A flash flood occurred at Alvey Wash near Escalante due to heavy rain.
September 2006Flash FloodEscalante-Large flash flood along the Escalante River and headwaters entering Lake Powell. Hydro gauges show Deer Creek and Boulder Creek gauges increasing from near 0 cfs to 2000-3000 cfs within minutes.
July 2003Flash FloodEscalante-Heavy downpours brought another flash flood to the Gulch area east of Capitol Reef National Park.
August 2001HailEscalante-A severe thunderstorm dropped 1 inch to 1.5 inch hail on Escalante...along with brief heavy rain.
June 2004Flash FloodEscalante-no account filed
July 2003Flash FloodEscalante-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Garfield County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Boulder Town13.5 miles19
Widtsoe21.3 miles16
Widtsoe Junction21.6 miles14
Henrieville25.2 miles15
Osiris25.8 miles17
Tropic27.3 miles15
Cannonville27.7 miles16
Bryce Canyon City30.1 miles15

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on EscalanteAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q483705The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1440956. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.