It’s not hard to know when you’ve arrived in Monticello, a small town in Southeastern Utah located 54 miles south of Moab. As you travel along U.S. Highway 191, you’ll find yourself surrounded by gorgeous red rock formations. Continue on this journey long enough, and you’ll also see an incredible 5,000 square foot home carved directly into a rock.
In the 1940s, Albert Christensen started construction on this one-of-a-kind home. It took almost 12 years of hard work with lots of digging and carving (as well as some heavy-duty blasting), but Christensen was finally able to move his family into the house during the early 1950s.
The house features 14 beautiful rooms, all of which are arranged around large pillars. Shelving is carved into the walls, and the property also features a built-in bathtub and a fireplace with a 65-foot chimney that was drilled straight through the sandstone.
In addition to building a stunning home, Christensen opened a business alongside the house. The diner, known as Hole N” The Rock, catered to the travelers who were passing through Monticello.
Albert Christensen died in 1957, not long after completing the house and opening the diner. His wife, Gladys, continued to run it on her own (while living in the rock house) for many years until her passing in 1974. Today, tours of the Christensen home are available to those who want to take a look.
Hole N” The Rock is uninhabited by humans at this time. It’s definitely not empty, though. Harry, the taxidermied donkey who was once a beloved pet of Albert Christensen, still resides here.
In addition to saying “hello” to Harry, visitors to the house can also meet several live animals at the attached petting zoo after they take their tour. A whole host of furry friends live there, including Cramer the Bacterian Camel, Harry the Mini-Donkey, and Zandra the Zebra.
Hole n” the Rock is open seven days per week. To learn more about the tours or to find the address, visit the attraction’s official website.