zion - hop valley area recommendations

[goofball]

i plan on going to zion monday to poke around hop valley area from teh south. any recommendations ? red butte looks neat, but doesn't seem like its scenic beauty would take long to take in. there's an un-named canyon complex on hop valley's east side just a mile or so up trail that looks fun. any fun peaks or points w/ good views ?

[mattandersao]

Red Butte is fun to explore and hike around a little bit. Its also a great place to camp, not sure about the current conditions. If you make it all the way to La Verkin Creek be sure to go to Beartrap Canyon Falls (was part of last years Omnibus Lands Act) I have some pics from my blizog http://mattsamazingsouthernutah.blogspot.com/2009/09/heavenly-hop-valley.html

Hop Valley
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hDPew8Qgj5A/SqkInTQ9nhI/AAAAAAAAAcM/c1wAJ14-qUg/s1600-h/1.jpg

Beartrap Falls
http://http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_hDPew8Qgj5A/SqkIoBzSwtI/AAAAAAAAAcU/mhkqZgtax4E/s1600-h/IMG_1165.JPG

If you go all the way to the falls be prepared for a LONG DAY!! It took us from sunup to sunset

[ratagonia]

i plan on going to zion monday to poke around hop valley area from teh south. any recommendations ? red butte looks neat, but doesn't seem like its scenic beauty would take long to take in. there's an un-named canyon complex on hop valley's east side just a mile or so up trail that looks fun. any fun peaks or points w/ good views ?

The canyon to the east is locally known as Hurricane Canyon. Has some good spots, but currently not doable from the top due to snow. The bottom areas including Hop Valley are heavily cowed up, not the best place to spend time. Might be good if they have not put cows out there yet (which seems likely).

Tom

[goofball]

thanks guys.

hope the cows aren't out yet, that would be a big buzzkill.

[mattandersao]

thanks guys.

hope the cows aren't out yet, that would be a big buzzkill.

Even with the cows Hop Valley is pretty cool, without the cows it would be absolutely amazing!

[Randi]

i plan on going to zion monday to poke around hop valley area from teh south. any recommendations ? red butte looks neat, but doesn't seem like its scenic beauty would take long to take in. there's an un-named canyon complex on hop valley's east side just a mile or so up trail that looks fun. any fun peaks or points w/ good views ?


Lucky Jason! I ♥ that area! I've only done Red Butte (sort of), but it's just so pretty out there. I can't wait to do more out that way, and I can't wait to see your pictures! Maybe when you get back, you can give me a recommendation! :mrgreen:

[goofball]

Lucky Jason! I ♥ that area! I've only done Red Butte (sort of), but it's just so pretty out there. I can't wait to do more out that way, and I can't wait to see your pictures! Maybe when you get back, you can give me a recommendation! :mrgreen:

one recommendation is leave vegas sooner than 9 if you want to have more than a couple hours to hike before having to be home. other than that the area I WANDERED WAS PRETTY NICE. the little valley just south of the hurricane canyons. not many pictures tho. i am soooo sick of the mojave ! was glad to see real trees an flowing water and no rattlesnakes scaring me and cool temps. ahhhhhhhhhh...

33588

33589

[Randi]

Real trees are nice when you've been hiking areas devoid of em...I can't wait to get back out to Utah! I'm so excited for the Zion Trip!
If the kids don't want to go canyoneering, I'm thinking bout taking them down one of the forks of Taylor Creek - only scary thing about that is that I've heard the area has a lot of rattlesnakes! Speaking of rattlesnakes, I was hiking a narrow trail this w/e & startled one which scared the begeezes out of me! He was all coiled up ready to strike and rattling like a mo-fo, probably not more than two feet away if even that. I froze for a sec then backtracked as fast as I could. Two hours later, same thing happened on the same trail to one of the others in our group! We were very wary after that!

Something else I saw this w/e, which I'd never seen before were deer that could climb vertical cliffs.
Not mountain goats, but regular white tailed deer. I had no idea they were so sure footed!
It was an amazing site to see.

Better to get out even for a little while than not at all! :mrgreen:
But yeah - it might be better to leave Vegas much earlier - ya got that hour changeover too.