Colonnade Arch, Three Canyon, and Chaffin Geyser

[Udink]

I took the kids out yesterday to explore some more of the San Rafael Desert. I wanted to hit up a couple of places that I'd driven past several times previously but never got around to checking them out before. We hiked to Colonnade Arch, then hiked part of Three Canyon, and finally stopped at Chaffin Geyser and got to see it erupt (I've been skunked a couple of times before at the geyser).


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fcastlecountry.org%2Fgeo%2FColonnadeAr chThreeCanyonChaffinGeyser.kmz&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.572881,86.572266&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=10
http://castlecountry.org/geo/ColonnadeArchThreeCanyonChaffinGeyser.kmz


The hike to Colonnade Arch was pretty easy, it was about 2.6 miles round-trip and took us about two hours, which included a lot of time just checking out the area around the arch.


Pronghorn at the Keg Point turnoff
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqH7Kr-aI/AAAAAAAASf0/oeDClQBAUHk/s640/IMG_2574.JPG

Starting the hike
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqJqrzUsI/AAAAAAAASgA/HJraQcPukqQ/s640/IMG_2580.JPG

Flowers in bloom
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqLp_jfSI/AAAAAAAASgI/lbsjykZ6uVE/s640/IMG_2586.JPG

Hiking across the slickrock toward the rim of Twomile Canyon
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqOYyXVEI/AAAAAAAASgU/zUq-4wmfqZk/s640/IMG_2603.JPG

Twomile Canyon
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqSo5EvcI/AAAAAAAASgo/waO4ow4g_PE/s640/IMG_2613.JPG

A smaller arch near Colonnade
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqVsvprzI/AAAAAAAASg0/0REfD6Eq1TI/s640/IMG_2633.JPG

Colonnade Arch
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqWIK7xoI/AAAAAAAASg4/os7GQX1aT0w/s800/IMG_2641_stitch.jpg

View from inside the arch
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqX5pgjZI/AAAAAAAAShA/JDzCQIzxxJc/s640/IMG_2649_stitch.jpg

The kids in the arches
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqa6MmFhI/AAAAAAAAShM/ePT8L6zqypc/s640/IMG_2665.JPG

The larger of the two skylights
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqdLYuvRI/AAAAAAAAShY/WMCEhTsJWX8/s640/IMG_2691_stitch.jpg

On top of the arch
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqh-onD6I/AAAAAAAAShs/fwmjcNrW7F8/s640/IMG_2731.JPG


After returning to the truck and eating lunch, we drove north and parked at the Saucer Basin turnoff and hiked into Three Canyon. After entering the canyon, there's only a little more than a third of a mile of canyon before it turns into a technical route. We hiked to the first rappel, then reversed course and headed back to the truck. There's a short section of narrows along the way, which was worth it for such a short hike.


Dropping into Three Canyon
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqjqIASgI/AAAAAAAAShw/AR_LwcSohCY/s640/IMG_2734.JPG

Pretty easy going
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqlm06iuI/AAAAAAAASh4/smMQ0EkrwsU/s640/IMG_2739.JPG

A small drop in the canyon
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqnz8n_2I/AAAAAAAASiA/9c4f0peYksY/s640/IMG_2741.JPG

Entering the short narrow stretch
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqp8NCfmI/AAAAAAAASiI/gQjaMFkh-K8/s640/IMG_2745.JPG

Three Canyon narrows
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqq2N2KqI/AAAAAAAASiM/qCRxgcTibko/s640/IMG_2747.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqtBd3fjI/AAAAAAAASiU/orlhPL6LLrM/s640/IMG_2749.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiquG95o4I/AAAAAAAASiY/EcKtFBcqTzM/s640/IMG_2751.JPG

The top of the huge drop
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiqvViVJ0I/AAAAAAAASic/vu9mGBCjjLo/s640/IMG_2763.JPG

Back in the narrows on the way out
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiq2M5QB0I/AAAAAAAASi4/hhkPVpDrWwg/s640/IMG_2789.JPG

Upclimbing a small drop
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiq3mlrDjI/AAAAAAAASjA/NuOQZDHt6Yc/s640/IMG_2791.JPG


On the way back home, we stopped at Chaffin Geyser hoping to catch it erupting. I met a fellow there from near Calgary who was planning on camping there for the night, and he said the geyser had already gone off earlier in the afternoon, so I wasn't expecting to see it erupt again so soon. However, just after the guy walked back over to his truck, the geyser started sputtering. In a very short time it was shooting up in the air quite nicely, and we stayed for about 20 minutes watching it go off. The kids ran through the spray for a bit, and ended up with a white film on their skin and hair and clothes from the high mineral content of the water. It was a great ending to what had already been a really good day.


Sputtering
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiq5yPLFWI/AAAAAAAASjI/qjoRy8jlRUk/s640/IMG_2799.JPG

Gettin' started
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiq7FCoyZI/AAAAAAAASjM/qh0Pj580rB4/s640/IMG_2803.JPG

The kids playing in the geyser
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZiq8Lf3ACI/AAAAAAAASjQ/By0Bu_vUnok/s640/IMG_2804.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZirAPjmdYI/AAAAAAAASjc/KXeUYY1DjxM/s640/IMG_2811.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZirDF38qVI/AAAAAAAASjk/LRW7Ccs7SE8/s640/IMG_2821.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZirFKFqwtI/AAAAAAAASjo/D9r-l8EW1j0/s640/IMG_2827.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TZirGp5rsII/AAAAAAAASjs/PdO5NePT92E/s640/IMG_2829.JPG



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRQ582ywzpg


There are quite a few more photos here:
ColonnadeArchThreeCanyonAndChaffinGeyser
https://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/ColonnadeArchThreeCanyonAndChaffinGeyser#

[jdgibney]

So cool! Looks like a great trip with the kids, thanks for sharing, man!

[Wasatch]

Nice area, got to hit it some day.

[IntrepidXJ]

Looks like a good day....despite the wind!

[MPH]

Great pics...thanks for sharing!

[Dr. Nebz]

Looks like a lot of fun! Nice TR! :hail2thechief:

[rwpontius]

Hi Dennis:
I think it is great the way you are making sure that your kids are getting outside doing things with you. Seems like so many parents and children today do not have time for each other and the out of doors. Keep it up! Oh, I also really enjoy your trip reports!
RP

[acaron]

I wanted to check out Crystal Geyser last time I was down there. Looks like you got there at just about the right time. Is that geyser on public property? I know a lot of those are in private land.

[Udink]

Looks like a good day....despite the wind!
Yeah...at least it was pretty warm, it made the wind less annoying. :nod: It sounds like you were out enjoying the wind as well.


Hi Dennis:
I think it is great the way you are making sure that your kids are getting outside doing things with you. Seems like so many parents and children today do not have time for each other and the out of doors. Keep it up! Oh, I also really enjoy your trip reports!
RP
Thanks, RP! This time I showed the boys a few locations in Google Earth and let them choose where to go. They really liked the looks of Colonnade, but I think after the trip they ended up having the most fun at the geyser.


I wanted to check out Crystal Geyser last time I was down there. Looks like you got there at just about the right time. Is that geyser on public property? I know a lot of those are in private land.
I'm not certain, but for some reason I seem to remember that Chaffin Ranch is owned by the Utah DWR. I have no idea about Crystal Geyser, but either way both geysers are publicly accessible.

[wes242]

That looks awesome! I been looking at this Arch for and been wanting to hike to it, now you make me want to go there even more.
Maybe next weekend.

[mattandersao]

Im glad you didnt enter this TR in the first bogley TR contest, you would have smoked me!

[beachbum222]

Man Awesome pics! your a good dad takin the kids out for some adventure! Beautiful country i may have to drag the tent trailer down there for a weekend and do some explorin! How many miles is that from GR?

[Udink]

How many miles is that from GR?
It's about 40 miles from Green River to where I parked at the start of the hike to Colonnade.

[zzyzx]

...nice TR and great pics, thx. :2thumbs:

[americanhero]

wow, great trip report and pictures. You and the kids had a lot of fun, great. :2thumbs:
It's exactly the kind of trip I've planned for this year when I'm in the area. :haha: