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UT – Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Hikes and Views along Highway 12 (04/24)

“This 1.9 million acre National Monument was established with a special mission to preserve the frontier character and your opportunity for personal discovery. Here you will encounter unmarked routes and a minimum of development because you are free to wander wherever your unconstrained spirit leads you. Endless challenges and rewards await the prepared traveler.“

Choose Your Own Adventure

Look at maps, look for a canyon, learn about roads that are appropriate for your vehicle, talk to the locals, especially at gear stores, visitor centers, and ranger stations, and consider public tracks available on digital mapping. However, often named and mapped “trails” are nothing more than wash or slickrock walking; most don’t match what we’ve come to expect outside the desert. Be prepared for trial and error. Don’t be afraid to follow trodden paths, they often lead somewhere cool. Often I’ve had to turn around when I find an obstacle too challenging or a destination too far, mileage is meaningless in this environment. But there are so many other places to go there’s no worry if you have to turn around. That’s part of exploring after all!

What rocks your boat? Is it slot canyons? Or ancient writings and ruins, or historic relics? Colorful rocks or sandstone features? Canyoneering or rock scrambling? Plants or animals? Slickrock or washes? Peaks, mesas, plateaus, or ridges? Waterfalls, arches, or other POIs?

Hike #1

A staff member at the local gear shop recommended this hike. He drew me a map and surprisingly the “trail” was on Gaia. There was a parking area for about 3 vehicles along this random dirt road off of Highway 12. The road was decent for my car, skills, and risk aversion. There was one vehicle at the “trailhead” when I arrived. The start of the hike was exciting, right? At least there was a path and lots of healthy biological soil, just waiting for some flowers to take root.

As I dropped into the canyon, I was feeling happy. THIS is what I was hoping for and expected.

About 20 minutes into my hike I was confronted with a 30-foot dryfall (or pourover).

Somehow I made my way down safely but wasn’t looking forward to getting back up. I should have said NO and turned around. There was too much risk and exposure for this gal. It was a good reminder to listen to that angel who sits on my shoulder.

Sand is so good for building muscles, but far from my favorite. I much prefer walking on slickrock.

Dino said, “thanks for bringing me home.”

My next blockage was about an hour into the hike. The wash had narrowed and there was no way I wanted to drop into the tiny slot. Thankfully I found a trail that stayed along the edge.

I found a few places where others had dropped down into the wash but the risk was too high for me, especially since I was hiking solo. Those walls are 20-30 feet high.

This marked the end for me as the rim trail disappeared.

I enjoyed the colors and textures of the sandstone features.

I even found some blooms. I believe this is Narrowleaf Puccon.

Paintbrush.

Hike #2

This was another recommendation by staff at the gear shop.

I hiked a road, then found a trail, then found this viewpoint. Look at those canyons!

Hoodoo City!

Paintbrush.

This is WHY you DON’T BUST the CRUST!

On-the-Beaten Path

Sometimes you just want to join the herd or spend less time navigating and more time enjoying.

Hike #1 – Escalante River Trailhead

There are several trailheads where you can access the river off of Highway 12. I chose the option near Kiva Koffeehouse, to the north of the town of Escalante. I hiked west to experience a couple of noted POI’s.

Even though this is a developed trail, it’s not a marked or cairned trail. There are multiple social trails.

Many backpack along the river all the way to Lake Powell. I’ve learned it’s not really my happy spot. This sign caused a little confusion after the fact as my map showed the Escalante Natural Bridge and Cliff House Arch, not Escalante Arch.

I crossed the river many times, although never up to my knee. I wore my trail runners while others wore or switched to water shoes.

First view of the Escalante Natural Arch.

Nearer view of the Escalante Natural Arch.

Within a half mile or so, I found a social trail that led me to this “Cliff House.” I THOUGHT this was the next POI but later I learned there was another Arch called Cliff House Arch. Oh well, I missed it and got this prize instead. I later learned if I had gone just a short distance further I would have been able to see it on this wall.

Notice the roof beams and pictograph.

Look at their excellent location, above the river.

Nearby were ancient and historic writings, and sadly some graffiti as well. I believe these are Fremont style, from about 2,000 years ago.

The cottonwood trees were bright green showcasing their new leaves.

There were some interesting rocks and canyon walls along the way.

I quite enjoyed this 5-mile hike on a hot spring day. Parking is limited so you might be lucky to get a spot. You can park along the highway if the small lot is full. I stopped at the overlook for this view, as well as treated myself to lunch at the Kiva Koffeehouse.

Dispersed Campsite Views

This view reminded me of places I’ve hiked previously like the Henry and Ajo Mountains and Capitol Reef National Park.

I wish more visitors would respect the no-campfire rule. In some dispersed camping areas, I found multiple fire rings within a very small area, often right near signage.

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UT – Escalante Petrified Forest State Park (04/24)

After a friend shared her experience from a visit in January 2020, I knew I had to add this park to my list. Finally, the time had come and after visiting Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona (blog link), I had high hopes but low expectations especially as this is a much smaller park.

With unsettled weather including snow and frigid temperatures, it was time for me to drop some elevation so I continued my travels east. It was snowing lightly when I stopped for this photo at Powell Point.

It was solar eclipse day and I was prepared but had low expectations especially when I awoke to this cloud curtain.

But the clouds opened just in time to watch the entire show. It looked to be about 70% totality but it was predicted to be about 57%, so I’m sure it was perspective. I was glad I’d brought my eclipse glasses. It wasn’t anything compared to my WOW experience in 2017 (blog link).

When the clouds returned as the moon was exiting, and the sun was no longer visible with my glasses, I could see this much of the sun with my naked eye and felt comfortable taking a photo.

Let’s go find some fossils.

I also recommend hiking poles. There were a lot of slippery slopes.

The making of petrified trees only takes a few million years.

I often mention WOW per mile, well this one was a winner with me taking two hours to hike a little over 2 miles due to frequent stops to gawk and take photos. It was like walking through a natural museum, a place where you are allowed to touch and ponder how trees can become rocks and how brown can turn into a Crayola box of colors. I think it would be amazing to see these colors brighten up after a light rain.

I was enamored with all the colors and took so many photos.

It was such an awesome touch-and-feel experience.

I wish I had something to show the size perspective, but look at those textures.

I found a couple of pieces with lavender in the middle.

This was the only yellow I saw, it looked like a big splat.

I liked finding pieces that were still partially buried.

Many pieces still looked like logs on the outside, with a bark appearance and cylinder shape.

Look at the details!

This looked like a deteriorating log.

More deteriorating logs, that are really rocks.

On some logs, you can see the tree rings. I had a hard time deciphering but wondered if these might be some.

There were a few museum-type displays which made it easy to feel the weight of each piece.

Toward the end, I finally thought to use my hiking poles to show size perspective.

Can you imagine dinosaurs roaming here once upon a time when this area?

This is the trail you want to hike to find most of the magic. I recommend hiking poles!

This was a surprising sight. They’ve designated this a bike trail I guess because bikes weren’t permitted on the main trails.

Along the trail, I saw this lizard who matched the rocks.

I only saw this one plant blooming, a Yellow-Eye Cryptanth (Cryptantha flavoculata).

Why yes, I earned this pizza at Escalante Outfitters.

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UT – Kodachrome Basin State Park, WOWtastic! (04/24)

After seeing photos of this park years ago it went on my list. Finally, I was at the right place at the right time to make a visit. Mother Nature wasn’t playing nice, and in her typical spring temper tantrum mode, she sent me eastward as she blew forth gusty winds and even a little snow. These conditions are not optimal with all the loose sandstone filling the air with grit. One of my windows sounds like it needs to be oiled when you roll it up or down. Thankfully this was a day for chores and this park was the perfect place for them. It had wonderful showers and an awesome laundry room. By the time I was done things were settling down outside and I was able to take my first short walk.

This park is known for its 67 monolithic stone spires, called sedimentary pipes, which accentuate multi-hued sandstone layers that reveal 180 million years of geologic time. They range from 6 to 150 feet in height. This one looked like a seahorse to me.

The color and beauty found here prompted a National Geographic Society expedition to name the area Kodachrome, after the popular color film, in 1948.

I drove up to Eagle’s View Trailhead and started wandering when I realized I best have my hiking poles for this trail. Good thing I didn’t invest much more time as I learned the trail was closed due to severe erosion. I asked a ranger at the visitor center upon arrival about any closures, and he said none. Well, I guess he forgot about this one. There was a sign that said “road closed” which implied you could hike on the closed road, given the well-worn path around the blockade.

The trail provided a nice overview of this part of the park.

I’m glad I explored a bit as this was the only place in the park where I found these yellow astragalus blooms.

Since it was still early season, I was able to get a walk-up campsite reservation. Best yet it came with a view and my very own phallic display.

My evening walk however proved perfect for capturing some of the magic.

Overnight it dropped to 29F in my car but the winds had finally calmed and I awoke to a blue bird day and these views.

I spent a few hours hiking the Panorama Trail, taking detours to Secret Passage, Cool Cave and Panorama Point, a nearly 7-mile 500′ gain/loss jaunt.

Fred Flintstone earned his very own sandstone sculpture.

These fingerprints are at a location labeled “Indian Cave.” I asked the Rangers about them and they said they were most likely made by ranchers or sheepherders but that visitors continue to add to and deepen the impressions.

I took the detour to Secret Passage. Signage was good along the way, and it was mostly easy to stay on track although some social trails might cause some confusion.

I found purple astragalus/milkvetch, and sadly some graffiti.

I thought this looked like a heart valve.

These sandstone sculptures looked like chess pieces to me.

Other scenes along the way.

Will Cool Cave be cool? There are two backcountry campsites along the non-technical side of Sheppard Loop. If the weather was a bit more welcoming I would have considered that option. There are many things to do in this park including rappelling into Cool Cave.

The mouth of the cave begins with a wash walk.

Views from inside the cave.

This looks to be a pipe in the making. Geologists still aren’t sure of the exact origin of the pipes although they have several theories.

Some pipes are fat and some skinny. This one is known as Mammoth Spire.

Compare Mammoth to Ballerina Spire.

I liked how the trail provided so many different views.

Panorama Point provided WOW 360 views!

My second night was colder than the first. It was 29F in my car the first and 24F the second. There was no doubt Mother Nature was still showing us who was in charge of spring weather.

On my second day, I hiked Grand Parade and Angel’s Palace Trails, about 4 miles and 250′ elevation gain/loss. Since I’d waited for temperatures to increase, lighting for photos was far less than optimal.

I took the side trails to the Box Canyons.

I didn’t expect it see an elephant in the desert.

The buffaloberry was just beginning to bloom.

I connected to the Angel’s Palace Trail, the place I should have been at sunset or sunrise. It offers amazingly WOW viewpoints.

I found evidence of the frigid night in a tiny streambed.

A sample of the views from high points along the trail.

I planned on hiking to Shakespeare Arch until I learned it collapsed in 2019.

The Rangers at the Visitor Center were friendly and helpful. This park is unlike most others I’ve visited. They have an 18-hole disc golf course, a 3D archery course, a penny press geocache challenge, bikes for rent, and guided horseback riding. They even sell ice cream at the Visitor Center and have Wi-Fi available. Plus I give the showers and laundry facilities an A+.

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UT – Dixie National Forest, Red Canyon (04/24)

This was my third visit to this area but the first time hiking trails from Highway 12. It was a joyful day hunting hoodoos and enjoying views with snow adding definition to the red rocks.

Step 1 – Park along the highway at one of many pullovers or at the Visitor Center. I started from the first one as I entered the area. The trails are well-signed, although there are a few social trails that might get you off track. I hiked a loop starting with the Photo Trail, and after finishing at the Visitor Center I walked the bike trail on the opposite side of the highway to return to my car.

Step 2 – Get out your camera! My head was on bobble looking around and taking way too many photos. Sadly, like my other visits, my camera wasn’t able to capture the details of the red formations so in the end I played the delete, delete, delete game. Here are a few worthy of sharing in the order I hiked (west to east). Lighting impacts the visual color of the formations.

I decided these balanced rocks were me and Bino Bob.

I moved my car to the Red Canyon Trailhead and hiked Cassidy, Rich and Ledge Point Trails. On previous visits, I’d hiked the Arches Trail (blog link) and the Losee Canyon Trail (blog link). I loved this trail and would happily hike it again in various seasons!

Once again I was there at the wrong time of day to capture photos worthy of sharing but these provide a tiny glimpse.

The color of the rocks making them difficult to photograph without a filter. They are so much more than red!

I knew I was a bit early for blooms, but found a couple and would love to see these flowers highlighting the rocks.

Bino Bob was happy to find posing opportunities.

I believe this is a Townsend Daisy.

I was treated to this view from my dispersed campsite.

With another weather event, it was time to continue my travels. Lighting was much better for photography the next morning.

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UT – Zion National Park, Zion-Mount Carmel Highway Choose-Your-Own-Adventure (04/24)

There are only two official trails along the highway on the east side of the park, the Canyon Overlook and East Rim Trails. Off-trail wandering is encouraged with the multiple pullovers and parking areas. Knowing that 95% of visitors to National Parks stay within 1/4 mile of the road, it was an easy decision to set off for a wander. I had flagged a couple of areas on my map that looked interesting so the first priority was arriving early to obtain parking. Note: you’ll need good navigation skills and plan to hike in washes and on rocks avoiding biological soil.

Checkboard Mesa and Crazy Quilt Mesa

I remember the first time I drove into the park nearly a decade ago, I was excited by this mesa and wanted to explore. This was going to be the day!

Early morning light.

Late morning light of Crazy Quilt Mesa.

Finding water in these potholes made for engaging views.

Progeny Peak Area

At the parking area, you’ll find many social trails on both sides of the road. I say, “pick your poison or your delight.”

I found my first paintbrush bloom but I couldn’t get quite close enough for the best photo.

There are so many choices. Do you want to scale slickrock or walk in sandy washes? Or maybe do a bit of both, which was my choice on this day.

I was delighted to follow these pools. My timing couldn’t have been better to find them filled with water after the recent rains and snowmelt.

Some of the potholes would have made for a good swim, but they are to be saved for the critters.

Reflective goodness added to the experience.

I loved seeing the water flowing between the pools.

There’s no doubt the pools won’t last much longer.

This marked the end of this section of pools.

Isn’t geology incredible? These holes are desperately needed in this dry environment.

I was blocked in for about 30 minutes when I returned from my hike.

More Views

Sunset from my dispersed campsite.

Sunrise views.

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UT – Zion National Park, East Rim Trail (04/24)

Early bird gets the worm or more like parking in Zion. Silly me overslept then spent time in the coffee shop before starting the drive. Google quickly told me about the traffic delays but I pushed on, testing my patience and fortitude. I had several places marked for possible exploration but the joke was on me as there was no parking anywhere. Did I mention it was Monday morning? This is exactly why I prefer to visit National Parks in the off-season.

East Rim Trail

Just before exiting the Park, I was thrilled to find an open parking spot at the East Rim Trailhead. Better yet with limited parking, of maybe 10-15 vehicles, it meant a crowd-free experience.

Trail closures to the most desired destinations helped keep the crowds away. I met one family backpacking, which I could have done had I been motivated to deal with the Visitor Center logistics.

What I saw along the 3-mile section I hiked.

Jolley Gulch was my turnaround.

The view when I turned around. It was nice to look down at the sandy trail from where I’d come.

The view as I exited the park for the night.

Views from my dispersed campsite.

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UT – Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, Confluence Park, La Verkin Creek and Virgin River Trails (03/24)

I spent a day waiting out storms; afterward needing to find trails and roads that wouldn’t be too muddy. I was camped near La Verkin and found a wonderful coffee shop where I could enjoy good eats and drinks. Although the area is in the process of growth it felt much more welcoming than those nearer Zion National Park.

This is the view down to the trail from the coffee shop. Recent snowfall is shown in the background. It’s great seeing areas being redeveloped. There are many trailheads and interconnecting trails in Confluence Park.

The trails are signed and easy to follow.

When in red rock country, when it rains the waterways run chocolate. The brown water was quite a contrast to the spring green of new leaves on the trees.

Want to swing? I saw several swings on my hike so it’s obvious this area gets a lot of swimming use in the summer.

Chocolate Falls! This would make for an interesting float.

These sword-like cacti were a contrast with the volcanic (?) rocks.

One of many historic finds along the trail. This one is an old granary.

There were interesting views all around even though surrounded by an urban jungle.

As a result of the unsettled weather, I enjoyed the best sunrise of my trip thus far.

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UT – Zion National Park, Kolob Canyons, another J&J Adventure (03/24)

Zion Canyon is spectacular, there’s no doubt. Zion National Park is the third most visited park behind only Great Smoky Mountains and Grand Canyon. As visitation has grown so has the infrastructure of nearby communities that support such a grand national park. To me, it feels more like Disneyland than the areas I prefer to visit.

Joan and I decided to spend her spring break near St George. After spending a couple of days at Snow Canyon State Park and Red Mountain (blog link), we decided to explore options for the Kolob Canyons side of Zion National Park. Joan was surprised to find an available campsite where we could backpack. We reserved it and then learned that we couldn’t pick up the permit at the Kolob Visitor Center, so we spent a day dealing with the logistics (and crowds). Neither of us would have done it solo but together we made it fun. Lots of lucky things happened to make it a whole lot less painful.

There are a lot of reasons to say no to the Zion backpacking experience. For me, those tend to be permits and crowds. For others, it might be the rules which include no dogs, no campfires, and the required use of wag bags.

Zion Wilderness

It was surprising to learn that it wasn’t until 2009 that Congress designated 84% of Zion wilderness.

Lee Pass Trailhead

From the Lee Pass Trailhead, you reach the wilderness boundary almost immediately. Parking limits the number of trail users, as do limited overnight camping permits. We saw around 20-25 people each of our two days. With well-spaced developed campsites, it felt like a wilderness experience.

It was great to experience a part of Zion away from the busy Zion Canyon. Kolob Canyons were beautiful and the river corridor was much better than expected with plentiful trees and various vegetation.

There was remaining snow on the higher peaks.

Wait are we in Arches National Park? I was certain this was an arch until the resident expert Joan educated me otherwise, showing me this was deception.

This IS an arch, it’s Kolob Arch and is the second longest in the country at 287′, behind only Landscape Arch in Arches National Park.

Zion Draba (Draba zionensis)

Milkvetch or Astragalus.

It rained during the night but the next morning we awoke to blue skies and alpenglow.

On the way out, there were more beautiful views.

This was a 15-mile 1,200′ elevation gain/loss out-and-back trip.

I stopped at the Kolob Canyons overlook after our hike.

The Rangers at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center were helpful even if they couldn’t issue Backcountry permits.

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UT – Snow Canyon State Park and Red Mountain Wilderness, another J&J Adventure (03/24)

Joan and I are usually able to share some time during her spring break vacation. Last year we hiked some miles on the Arizona Trail and we’d hoped to complete another section in 2024. However, Mother Nature had other ideas gifting Arizona a March Miracle, in the form of snow. From a logistics and weather perspective, we decided to explore the St George area especially since Joan hadn’t been previously.

We lucked out and got a walk-up campsite reservation at the park which made for a convenient location for starting our hikes.

I’d been to Snow Canyon State Canyon a couple times previously, but I didn’t mind returning. It’s a beautiful place with all the colorful rocks. Since I usually hike in front of Joan she got some photos of me showing perspective. This was on the Hidden Pinyon Trail.

It rained intermittently during the night but we awoke to a bluebird day with alpenlight color.

With two vehicles we were able to do a one-way hike, starting at Whiterocks Trailhead and ending at the campground. We took the detour to the Whiterocks Amphitheater and unlike my previous visit, there was plentiful water.

There are so many rock colors in this park.

We visited the lava tubes.

There were a few blooms including this mustard.

Red Mountain Wilderness

We backpacked to the rim of Snow Canyon for an overnight with views.

We hiked further along the rim the next morning.

Discovering Anderson’s Buttercup was a highlight.

We also found many Western Wallflowers.

Being near urban and touristy areas means limited dispersed camping opportunities especially when it’s wet and the roads become treacherous. This was a lucky find.

This area wasn’t ideal but it was convenient to our next trailhead.

We enjoyed this whirly cloud at sunset.

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NV – Cathedral Gorge State Park (03/24)

It was spring jaunting season and with a date in southwest Utah, I needed to first cross California and Nevada. I was dancing with a storm, trying to stay one step ahead.

Pyramid Lake

When I reached Susanville I noticed a route on my Google map bypassing the business of the Reno/Sparks area. Since I avoid urban traffic whenever possible, I said YES to this option even though Google indicated it would take an extra 30-45 minutes. What Google failed to indicate was once I reached the Nevada border the road would become unpaved. I immediately stopped and checked my maps to see if I should turn around but made the decision to explore a bit further.

According to Wikipedia, “Pyramid Lake is the geographic sink of the basin of the Truckee River, 40 mi northeast of Reno, Nevada, United States. Pyramid Lake is the biggest remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan, the inland sea that once covered much of western Nevada. Pyramid Lake is fed by the Truckee River, which is mostly the outflow from Lake Tahoe. The Truckee River enters Pyramid Lake at its southern end. Pyramid Lake is an endorheic lake. It has no outlet, with water left only by evaporation, or sub-surface seepage. The lake has about 10% of the area of the Great Salt Lake, but it has about 25% more volume. The salinity is approximately 1/6 that of sea water. Although clear Lake Tahoe forms the headwaters that drain to Pyramid Lake, the Truckee River delivers more turbid waters to Pyramid Lake after traversing the steep Sierra terrain and collecting moderately high silt-loaded surface runoff. The lake is owned/managed by Paiute Tribe with permits required for recreation and visitation.“

Walker Lake State Recreation Area

My destination for the night was Walker Lake, a BLM-managed area with dispersed camping. I’d stayed here previously and knew it would provide safe roads after rain.

It was a relief to make it east of the big snow event.

I was gifted soft suede pastel colors in the evening light.

Although a couple days before the moon would be truly full, I hoped to watch it rise above the lake. Clouds obscured that opportunity but a bit later I enjoyed this view and was happy to capture this decent image with my Samsung S22 phone, using my car window as the tripod.

Strong winds arrived during the night and I was certain my car would be blown into the lake. With all the rockin’ and rollin’ I wasn’t getting any sleep so finally at 3am I relocated to a slightly more protected area. The next morning the storm caught up with me and I waited out about an hour of sleet.

Extraterrestrial Highway

I continued my drive east, finding myself dodging tumbleweeds racing across the highway in the wind gusts.

Although there were lots of references to aliens and Area 51 along the Extraterrestrial Highway, a large swath of Joshua trees caught my interest.

Cathedral Gorge State Park

This was a location on my future Jaunt map and perfectly aligned for an overnight stop on my way to Utah. Given the stormy conditions, it was smart to be on good roads versus typical dispersed camping roads. At this time there were three car camping spots available for first come first serve reservations.

It was a great place for storm-watching and rainbow-making.

And to observe storm-clearing light.

According to the park’s website, “Cathedral Gorge State Park is located in a long, narrow valley in southeastern Nevada, where erosion has carved dramatic and unique patterns in the soft bentonite clay. The park’s beauty began with explosive volcanic activity that, with each eruption, deposited layers of ash hundreds of feet thick. Great walking trails abound for exploring the cave-like formations and cathedral-like spires that are the result of geologic processes from tens of millions of years ago. A photographer’s dream, the park offers stunning views of the scenic canyon and visitors can enjoy hiking, picnicking, camping and nature study.“

This is one of those places where it’s hard to capture the colors and textures unless the light is right. I lucked out with the storm clouds. There are some well-defined trails, opening into areas inviting further exploration. During a break in the storm, I got out for a wander.

Millers Point is a viewpoint accessible by vehicle, but I chose to hike up to it as I needed to stretch my legs after driving for two days.

Details of the mud in the formations.

The next morning I planned to hike the Juniper Draw Loop, but when I saw this junction I couldn’t help but choose the Hawk’s Ridge Trail instead. Interestingly this trail is not on the park maps, nor was it on my Gaia digital maps until I added the Trailforks MTB layer.

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