Canyonlands/Zion

“On Qctober 21st we leave for a hiking trip to Canyonlands, Zion and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. In Canyonlands, we're hoping to hike the Syncline Loop, Murphy Point Trail and Neck Springs Trail. In Zion, we're planning on Angels Landing and Northgate Peaks.

Anyone have any other favorite, or must see spots???????”

“In Zion I was on the West Rim trail and passed right by Angel's Landing. It looked cool, but I was on a mission!

If I might say DO NOT MISS Bryce Canyon. Even if you only day hike there it was my favorite of the parks I did there.

And there is a short side trip before Canyonlands if you are going through Moab. It is a mountain drive through the Manti La Sal mountains. It was beautiful.

GL and I am sure we are all looking forward to the trip report!”

“Sorry, but I can't help you on this one yet (from experience). I've heard/seen good things about Angel's Landing. Grizzly Gulch is suppose to be pretty cool. There's a place called the "Black Hole" somewhere near Lake Powell that's suppose to be pretty cool also.”

“1. Angel's Landing is cool. Check my photographs on Phil's page for a good look at the rock... and how narrow it is.

2. Taylor Creek Trail in the Kolob Canyons part of Zion is nice. You go along a stream, slowly gaining elevation. You are between the walls of huge red-walled canyons. There's a few pioneer cabins. You end up at a double arch (I never got that far; snow squalls sent me running back.) It's an out-and-back.

3. Might wanna visit Grafton, on a road from Rockville. cool lil' old ghost town. Bicycle scene from "Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid" was filmed there.

4. On "Scenic Highway 12," stop at Escalante River and do a hike either up or downstream from highway

5. Just past that (north??), watch for entrance to Calf Creek BLM area. Nice out-and-back hike of around 5 total miles to a Lower Calf Creek Falls, which drop 126 feet. Very pretty... Calf Creek is a tree-lined trout stream. There are some ruins, also

6. I really like Capitol Reef N'tl Park. Lots less crowds. A cool old Mormon town. Anasazi etchings. (Come up and see my Anasazi etchings, baby....... lol) Try Hickman Bridge (like an arch) hike. Or Cohab Canyon... you climb up like 400 feet to this one. You're in a high canyon. Lots of pseudo slots come into it. Fun!

In the village of Fruita at Capitol Reef

8. At Canyonlands, didn't do much hiking. DID climb Elephant Hill, just to see what all the ruckus is about this 4 WD road. It's pretty cool. Never did see a 4WD go up it.

9. Back to Zion, Hidden Canyon is pretty cool, also.

There.... questions?? LOL”

“DANG I screwed up a link!!

In the village of Fruita at Capitol Reef”

“lousy hike. It was a killer on my knees on the downside. nothing but brakes all the way...If you have a fear of heights of ANY kind...Angels landing will be hard. Crossing the knife edge is a dizzying look down the right and left sides 1000 foot drop off...don't slip!...its a LOOOOOOOOOOOOng way down. Ill be in zion on sat day hiking,,,escalante "coyote gulch" 2.5 day backpack..then bryce day hike and cedar breaks...day trip...have fun...take lots of photos. enjoy!!!”

“Lizs, I just checked out your photos on Phil's page. Please, please tell me the knife edge in your photo is NOT the knife edge Stikman is referring to and that I'm going to have to negotiate it. Lots of things unnerve me, but heights is my biggest fear. Absolutely my biggest.”

“Buckskin Gulch west of Page would add quite a dimension to that trip, slot canyon. Be careful of rain, you don't want to be flushed. If I knew how to post a link I would, but check out:

http://www.myoan.net/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000200”

“Ldhiker, I just tried to access your link and received a message stating there was no such number.”

“Tango, Bryce is on the list, especially if Angels Landing is a wash and if snow prevents us from getting to the North Rim. We'll be staying in Springdale and the drive to Bryce only looks to be about 80-90 miles.”

“Yes, Geezr, that is the knife's edge. They don't say "don't do this hike if you're afraid of heights" for no good reason.

That said, I've been working on my fear of heights. Hidden Canyon Trail is cut into the sandstone wall of the canyon maybe 400 feet (maybe more, check Zion information on trails) above Virgin River Valley floor. You have a cable to hang onto. I did this and was kinda freaked, but made it. I saw people freeze on this trail however.

That said, I kinda froze where you first go onto the Angel's Landing hike (my next MAJOR attempt on fear of heights!). To begin the hike on that ridge, you have to crawl across the face of a rock, a horizontal rock... with chains to hang onto. I was encouraged by someone I met on the trail up. Cuz I was chicken. But the other guy who was with him just totally freaked out and turned back.

So........ now you're warned. I think it's 1,500 elevation gain.

There's a lot of places to hike, if you're traveling from Zion to Cayonlands via Highway 12, then 24 to 95. How are you driving to get to Canyonlands?

There's a bunch of hikes to ruins off Highway 95 near Blanding (or is it Monticello?) Also, hikes in the mountains there. Plus, you go past Natural Bridges N'tl Park. It has like a 9-mile loop, which hits its three natural bridges. You are in an upper canyon of the White Canyon, which is where the Black Hole slot canyon is that was mentioned above. I'd like to do that someday. 8-)

Let's hear your route to get some ideas.

I am not so thrilled about Bryce. Would pick Capitol Reef over it any day. But that's personal preference. A nice trail there is Navajo Loop for maybe a couple, three hours.

Takes you down Wall Street and by Thor's Hammer.

I haven't been EVERYWHERE in Southern Utah -- not YET -- but have resarched the hell outta it!! LOL!

There are good hikes in Capitol Reef, a lot from the main area right by Highway 24. Which seems like it might be on your route. It might be a good choice. This time of year they let you pick apples yourself from their orchards. (Stikmon, take note!! LOL!) You'll be walking among the mule deer to do it)

If you're gonna be around St. George, Utah, there are hikes you can make there, too. Snow Canyon State Park is nice.

I've been to Toroweep, which is cool. Didn't hike there. But there are trails there, one goes doooooooooooown to the Colorado and is wicked, I understand. Plus, there's one on the rim there.

Also, there are trails at Lee's Ferry recreation/campground area...... well let's hear your route before I blab more....... LOL!”

“Lizs- You are totally right I forgot about Calf Creek Falls! It was awesome! Here is the link to my trip report about S. Utah.
Tango's Trip

Geezr- How long is your trip going to be?”

“Just saw that you are staying in Springdale. Another idea, go to Virgin, take the drive that goes onto the rim ABOVE the main part of Zion, to Lava Point. Might be snow up there, possibly. There are trails up in that area. Look at your park trail map. The Subway is up in there. It's cool to be above and look down on the monoliths of Zion.

And if you go to Grafton, also take that dirt road up to the mesa top. There are mountain biking and other trails on Gooseberry Mesa.”

“Tango, I'd previously read your trip report and viewed your photos, but will go over both again.

We arrive in Moab (from Montana) on Oct 22nd and will hike Canyonlands thru the 26th. We arrive @ Zion on the 27th and depart for Los Angeles on the 31st.

Lizs, Tango, Ldhiker and everyone else, thanks for the ideas and advice. looking forward to researching your suggestions.

Lizs, I believe I'm going to have to rule out Angels Landing. The elevation gain is nothing, but doubt very much I can cross the knife edge. I've managed to overcome a large portion of my fear of heights, but this appears to be too much. Perhaps I'll hike out and have a look before ruling it out completely.

Thanks for giving me other options everyone and keep them coming.”

“Ldhiker, I made it to your link. Apparently I deleted a # when I pasted the first time. Sounds interesting. Any photos?”

“Geezr you don't have to rule out the trail to Angels Landing. There is a large plateau before you have to cross the knife edge and if you follow along the west rim trail farther there are beautiful panoramic views.

Since you are landing in Moab it will not be out of the way to make the short side trip to through the Manti La Sals. And the day hike to Calf Creek falls is on your way to Zion.

I didn't do any hiking in Canyonlands when I was there, I sure wanted to though so I will be looking forward to your trip report!”

“If you come to Salt Lake let me know. I can show you a few different dayhikes.”

“Unfortunately not. Its dark down in there, we tried several but no one's turned out very good. I have a couple but none that I'd put on the wall. Should've invited SnowNymph to come along, her's are so good. I'll see if I can find any to email you.”

“Wasatch, nothing is set in stone yet, but I believe we'll be stopping in Salt Lake, though not long enough to get in any hiking. There's a quilt store Weezr (Malinda) mentioned wanting to stop at and I believe someone said there was an REI store there.”

“Check out a pic of mine from Hidden Canyon on Phil's page. Scroll down to the 2nd picture of Islandgirl's photos...anyway I don't really like heights either but this didn't scare me...Angel's Landing was more scary but having cables to hold onto makes it less so. The West Rim to the west of Angel's Landing is worth pursuing IMO. Have fun!!”

“Ldhiker, if we do get to Page, how close are you?”

“Here you go REI: 3285 E. 3300 S. 801-486-2100.”

“Islandgirl, Observation Point and Hidden Canyon (same trailhead, I believe) are both on our list.

Also, did I misunderstand you, or are there cables leading across the knife edge to Angels Landing?”

“Some places on Angel's Landing there are cables... some places not. If rock shoots up beside you, there are typically cables.

Also, just so you know... and you can probably tell this from my shot... the ridge goes kind of downhill. You have to climb UP maybe 20 feet to get on top of Angel's Landing. And then it's maybe 30-feet wide on top?

Someone verify this. Sometimes I'm bad at numbers... plus, it was in '99. I just recall thinking, sheeyat, and now I have to go UP THAT YET! lol

I had fears my legs would be jello for coming down off it, too. BUT... it was fine. I felt better once I saw a guy with a youngster in a hiking bacpack. I mean, c'mon, if that kid moved, wasn't he going over the edge!??! LOL! And he made it. Had taken that kid everywhere.

I did some jogging on the long trek back down the canyon wall.”

“I spent the majority of the day yesterday researching everyone's suggestions. When we've been to Utah in the past, the trip was "geared" around mountain biking, with hikes thrown in. This trip the bikes are staying home and it's strictly hiking.
Thanks everyone!

There will also be a trip, or two to Eddie McStiff's and Moab Brewery.”

“If you can find it Horseshoe Canyon is pretty nice, especially the Great Gallery.”

“going on a trip,to the narrows anyone heard of it, seem like a good trip on the 11-15 of oct,all the info on it looks like a fantastic trip wife and friend going as well, but first we have a trip on the 4-5-6 thru the black canyon the gunnison north rim trail, anyone is invited on either trip,,,, good to see that i'm not the only one hearding to the canyon lands this fall, we bought a new mountain hardwear tent shyview 2 (nice) i must say,, well as of jan 4 my last paramedic exam we are leaving colorado and going home for about to weeks LITTLE ROCK ARK, then as of now we don't know yet so want to meet some more backpackers,so far oregon takes top billing for people on the trail,for nice all around trail people,,, well later”

“Three weeks from today, we'll be on our way to Canyonlands. It's a good thing too because snow is predicted for the upper elevations of the Beartooths over the next several days. Hiking here is drawing to a close.”

“I have never done the narrows (I walked up it for about a mile)... but from what I've heard it can be done in one grueling day, or else you can camp out and do it in two. Of course you need to check the weather as flash floods are a concern. It should be very pretty though... all of Zion is.”