Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante & the Glen Canyon Region: A Guide to 59 of the Best Hiking Adventures in Southern Utah

363 Pages·2011·26.268 MB·English

by  Ron Adkison

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Lace up your boots and sample fifty-nine of Features
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the stunning 1.2-million-acre Glen Canyon
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ia National Recreation Area. With thorough de- r
novices and families, moder- a
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a and it includes several backpack trips and a hikes, and backpacking trips d
r for all levels
f wide variety of day hikes. Whether traveling S
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down remote desert roads or up serene can-
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e yons, you will be rewarded with vivid memo- descriptions with mile-by- a
v ries and a yearning to return. mile directional cues i
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ry • Difficulty ratings, average &c
a For more than thirty years, FalconGuides® hiking times, best hiking ta
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d have set the standard for outdoor guidebooks. seasons, and canine compat- s
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v Written by top experts, each guide invites you ibility for every featured hike Ge
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n to experience the adventure and beauty of the • Information on fees and le–
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O Front cover photo by Emily Ressler; back cover photo © Shutterstock FALCON yoa
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tfi Ron Adkison shared his love of the outdoors in more than twelve FalconGuides GUIDES® Ra
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Hiking Grand Staircase—Escalante
& the Glen Canyon Region
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HELP US KEEP THIS GUIDE UP TO DATE
Every effort has been made by the authors and editors to make this guide as accurate and
useful as possible. However, many things can change after a guide is published—trails are
rerouted, regulations change, techniques evolve, facilities come under new management,
and so on.
We would appreciate hearing from you concerning your experiences with this guide
and how you feel it could be improved and kept up to date. While we may not be able to
respond to all comments and suggestions, we’ll take them to heart, and we’ll also make
certain to share them with the authors. Please send your comments and suggestions to
the following address:
GPP
Reader Response/Editorial Department
P.O. Box 480
Guilford, CT 06437
Or you may e-mail us at: editorial@GlobePequot .com
Thanks for your input, and happy trails!
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RReeggiioonn
A Guide to 59 of the Best Hiking Adventures
in Southern Utah
Second Edition
Ron Adkison
Updated by JD Tanner and Emily Ressler
Introduction    iii
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FFAALLCCOONNGGUUIIDDEESS®®
Copyright © 2011 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC
A previous edition was published in 1998 by Falcon Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should
be addressed to Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P. O. Box 480, Guilford CT
06437.
FalconGuides is an imprint of Globe Pequot Press.
Falcon, FalconGuides, and Outfit Your Mind are registered trademarks of Morris Book Publishing, LLC.
Maps by Design Maps Inc. © Morris Book Publishing LLC
Project editor: Julie Marsh
Layout artist: Kevin Mak
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN 978-0-7627-6061-9
Printed in China/the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The authors and Globe Pequot Press assume no liability for accidents happening to,
or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.
Hiking_Grand_Staircase_i-x,1-350.indd 4 8/31/10 2:30 PM
Contents
Acknowledgments .........................................................................................viii
Introduction .....................................................................................................1
How to Use This Guide ............................................................................2
Hiking in the Glen Canyon Region ..........................................................5
Backcountry Essentials ............................................................................10
Maps .......................................................................................................11
Driving to Trailheads ...............................................................................13
Leave No Trace .......................................................................................14
Be Prepared—Backcountry Safety and Hazards .......................................21
Trail Finder .....................................................................................................33
Map Legend ...................................................................................................36
The Hikes
Cedar Mesa, Dark Canyon, and Hite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
1 Mule Canyon ..........................................................................................45
2 North Fork Mule Canyon .......................................................................48
3 Owl Creek to Nevills Arch .....................................................................50
4 Owl Creek–Fish Creek Loop ..................................................................54
5 Road Canyon .........................................................................................58
6 Slickhorn Canyon, Access 1 .....................................................................63
7 Slickhorn Canyon, Access 4 .....................................................................68
8 Slickhorn Canyon, Access 6, Trail Canyon................................................72
9 Slickhorn Canyon, Access 6 to the San Juan River ...................................76
10 Government Trail to Grand Gulch ..........................................................81
11 Todie Canyon to Grand Gulch ................................................................85
12 Bullet Canyon to Grand Gulch ...............................................................89
13 Kane Gulch Ranger Station to the Junction ............................................94
14 Kane Gulch Ranger Station to Bullet Canyon Trailhead ..........................98
15 Bullet Canyon Trailhead to Collins Spring Trailhead ..............................104
16 Natural Bridges National Monument—Sipapu
Bridge to Kachina Bridge .....................................................................112
17 Natural Bridges National Monument—Owachomo
Bridge to Kachina Bridge .....................................................................118
18 Collins Spring Trailhead to The Narrows ...............................................122
19 North Wash to Marinus Canyon ............................................................126
20 Hog Springs Rest Area to Hog Canyon .................................................129
21 North Wash to Stair Canyon .................................................................132
22 North Wash to Butler Canyon ...............................................................136
23 Woodenshoe Trailhead to Dark Canyon ................................................139
24 Woodenshoe-Peavine Loop ...................................................................145
25 Big Notch to Scorup Cabin ..................................................................151
26 Horse Pasture Trail to Scorup Cabin ......................................................156
27 Trail Canyon to Dark Canyon ...............................................................160     v
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28 Dark Canyon Plateau to Fable Valley .....................................................166
29 Sundance Trail to Dark Canyon .............................................................171
The Escalante Canyons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
30 The Gulch to Lamanite Arch ................................................................182
31 Silver Falls Creek ..................................................................................187
32 Boulder Mail Trail to Death Hollow ......................................................193
33 Upper Calf Creek Falls .........................................................................198
34 Lower Calf Creek Falls ..........................................................................201
35 Escalante River Trailhead to Maverick Bridge and Phipps Arch .............205
36 Escalante Natural Bridge .......................................................................210
37 Harris Wash ..........................................................................................213
38 Devils Garden .......................................................................................218
39 Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch .........................................................221
40 Fortymile Ridge to Sunset Arch ............................................................229
41 Fortymile Ridge to Coyote Gulch via Crack in the Wall .......................232
42 Willow Gulch Trailhead to Broken Bow Arch .......................................236
43 Fiftymile Creek .....................................................................................241
44 Davis Gulch ..........................................................................................246
45 Upper Escalante River ..........................................................................250
46 The Box ...............................................................................................256
Grand Staircase/Paria Canyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261
47 Kodachrome Basin State Park—Panorama Trail .....................................267
48 Cottonwood Canyon Narrows ..............................................................273
49 Yellow Rock/The Box of the Paria River .............................................277
50 Willis Creek Narrows ...........................................................................284
51 Lick Wash .............................................................................................287
52 Lick Wash to No Mans Mesa .................................................................291
53 Mollies Nipple ......................................................................................296
54 Paria Movie Set to Starlight Arch ..........................................................301
55 Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch ................................................................306
56 Wire Pass Trailhead to White House Trailhead via Buckskin Gulch
and the Paria River ...............................................................................310
57 Middle Route Trailhead to Cobra Arch .................................................317
58 Middle Route to Buckskin Gulch .........................................................321
59 Paria Canyon—White House Trailhead to Lees Ferry ............................325
Appendix A: For More Information ..............................................................337
Appendix B: Further Reading .......................................................................339
Appendix C: Hiker’s Checklist ......................................................................341
Appendix D: Glossary of Terms .....................................................................345
Hike Index ...................................................................................................347
About the Authors ........................................................................................349
IntrCoodnutcetniotns      vviiii
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Acknowledgments
Writing a guidebook to the canyon country of the Glen Canyon region was an
enormous but unforgettable task. Although I hardly scratched the surface of hiking
opportunities in this vast region, I learned much more than I had known previously
about this fascinating landscape, one that I began exploring many years ago.
A number of extraordinary people not only helped me to complete this book,
but they also offered generous support and guidance, helping to make the book more
informative and useful.
Foremost among them was Neil Stufflebeam, the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) ranger at Kane Gulch Ranger Station. Few people know more about the
backcountry and cultural history of Cedar Mesa than Neil, and over the course of
many visits, Neil and I became good friends. He taught me more about the region
than I would have thought possible.
Phil Gezon of the BLM office in Monticello, who is unquestionably one of the
authorities on the Cedar Mesa area, was most gracious in answering an endless bar-
rage of questions. Phil shared many documents and helped fill in the gaps in my
knowledge of Cedar Mesa.
While in the Escalante region, I met ranger Jeff Lauersdorf, who generously
offered time out of his busy schedule to answer questions and share insights and
documents. If Jeff couldn’t provide the answer to a question, he introduced me to
someone who could. Without Jeff’s help, many aspects of the Escalante region would
have remained a mystery to me.
Mike Salamacha, whose knowledge of Paria Canyon and the Grand Staircase is
equaled by few, was also very generous with his time and knowledge, answering ques-
tions and sharing documents.
Once again I must offer my thanks and gratitude to Phil Gezon and Mike Sal-
amacha, and to Jim Bowman of the National Park Service and Jeanie Linn at the
Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, for reviewing the manuscript and passing it
along for further review by other experts in their offices. Without their comments,
suggestions, and corrections, this book would be incomplete at best.
While in Grand Gulch I met Tom Klein, and together we explored that beautiful
canyon, taking a most memorable journey. It’s hard to find a better hiking partner
than Tom.
Countless others, both in BLM offices and in the backcountry, shared their
knowledge and offered valuable insights, and they, perhaps unknowingly, contributed
enormously to this book.
Finally, I could not have begun this project, let alone have completed it, without
the love, support, and understanding of my wife, Lynette, and children, Ben and
viii
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Abbey. It’s not easy running a ranch and shouldering all the other responsibilities of
work and family on your own, but Lynette did it well, and she deserves great credit.
—Ron Adkison
February 1998
Additional thanks for help in revisions for the second edition to Steve Henry, back-
country park ranger with Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and all the other
land managers, guides, and local outdoor enthusiasts who provided guidance and
expertise in updating this guide.
—Emily Ressler and JD Tanner
January 2010
Prickly Pear Cactus. Ron Adkison
Acknowledgments    ix
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