This Utah Home Has a 65-Foot Chimney, Bathtub, and Roosevelt’s Face Drilled Through Solid Red Rock

Hole N’ The Rock, Utah

Ever driven through southern Utah and spotted a giant house carved into a rock? That’s Hole N’ The Rock, one of the weirdest and coolest roadside stops you’ll find anywhere.

This place is exactly what the name suggests – a huge home somebody carved right into a massive rock. Located 12 miles south of Moab, you can’t miss the giant white letters painted on the sandstone face.

When you step inside, you’ll find 14 rooms built around stone pillars. The original furniture is still there, along with all kinds of quirky decorations. Here’s why it should be on your Utah bucket list.

A Couple Spent 20 Years Carving Their Dream Home

A guy named Albert Christensen started this whole project back in the 1940s. He and his wife Gladys spent over 20 years digging out about 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone using basic tools and some dynamite.

They finished their rock home in 1956, complete with a 65-foot chimney Albert carved through solid stone. After he died in 1957, Gladys kept running their roadside diner and giving tours until she passed away in 1974.

Furniture Made From Solid Rock

Albert got creative with what he had. He built furniture straight from the rock – beds, tables, and shelves that look like they grew right out of the walls. The kitchen still has its 1950s fridge, and the bathroom features a bathtub carved from solid rock.

One of the coolest things is how the house naturally stays comfortable year-round without any air conditioning. Albert also designed a clever lighting system to brighten up what would otherwise be a pretty dark cave home.

The Wife Painted Murals On Stone Walls

While Albert handled the heavy digging, Gladys turned their rocky home into an art gallery. She painted landscapes directly on the stone walls that still look bright and colorful today.

Her biggest piece is a copy of “The Last Supper” painted across 20 feet of dining room wall. Throughout the house, you’ll spot her smaller paintings and crafts. Together they started selling local crafts and Native American art outside, which eventually grew into today’s gift shop.

The Owners Are Buried Inside Their Rock Home

Before it was just a home, this place was actually a working restaurant with its own gas station. Albert first called it “The Cliff House” before coming up with the catchier name we know now.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not featured it in the 1950s, putting it on the map nationally. You can still see Albert’s taxidermy workshop with all his tools and projects. Maybe the strangest part? The Christensens built their own burial chamber inside the rock where they’re both buried today.

Antique Tools That Built A Rock Mansion

Beyond just touring the house, you can check out a museum filled with all kinds of stuff the Christensens collected. There are vintage toys, old mining equipment, Native American crafts, and Albert’s rock collection.

They display the actual tools used to carve out the home alongside photos showing how the whole project came together. You’ll also find Gladys’s doll collection and some of Albert’s taxidermy animals.

Camels and Desert Animals Live Here Now

Kids love the small zoo they’ve set up on the property. You can feed and pet goats, pot-bellied pigs, and some colorful birds. There’s a camel named Sandy that everyone wants to take pictures with.

New for 2025, they’ve added desert tortoises and some local reptiles to the mix. It costs about $4 per person (kids under 2 get in free), making it a nice break between touring the house and checking out the rest of the grounds.

Metal Art and Local Crafts Fill The Gardens

As you walk around outside, you’ll spot a sculpture garden full of metal artwork, repurposed materials, and stone carvings. Local artists made many pieces, while others came from Albert’s own workshop.

The standout is a life-sized metal covered wagon pulled by oxen. Inside the trading post, you can buy authentic Native American jewelry, locally made souvenirs, and regional treats. They’ve added a small outdoor café where you can grab something to eat while taking in the desert views.

Arches National Park Is Just 30 Minutes Away

This spot makes a great jumping-off point for exploring more of southern Utah. Just a few minutes away, Wilson Arch offers a 91-foot natural stone arch you can reach with a short walk.

Arches National Park is only 30 minutes north, and Canyonlands National Park is about 45 minutes away. Bears Ears National Monument has new hiking trails about an hour southwest. Even just driving along Highway 191 is worth it, with tall red cliffs, balanced rocks, and wide-open desert views.

Rent Electric Bikes To Explore Back Roads

If you’re looking for excitement, there’s plenty around here. Local outfitters in Moab can take you rock climbing, canyoneering, or whitewater rafting on the Colorado River.

Mountain bikers can hit the famous Slickrock Trail and tons of other great routes within a 20-minute drive. New this year, you can rent electric bikes right at Hole N’ The Rock to explore back roads on your own.

Stick around after dark to see amazing stars (this is an official Dark Sky area), or join a morning photography tour to catch the rock home in perfect light.

Visiting Hole N’ The Rock, Utah

The place is open daily from 9am to 5pm year-round, but it’s smart to call ahead in winter. Tours cost $6 for adults and $3.50 for kids 5-10 (younger kids get in free). Tours last about 12 minutes and run regularly throughout the day.

You’ll find it at Mile Marker 14 on Highway 191, with plenty of free parking. Most areas are wheelchair accessible, except for some narrow spots on the home tour.