Help on Mill Crrek --Moab

[kvolk]

I need a little help here and have a few questions. I would like to go up North Fork of Mill Creek to do a little photography. We will be going 4/11-14. I would really like to get there with some good morning light.
1. Is this a trail that could be easily and safely done starting in the dark with headlights? I will be carrying 30# of camera gear so I don't want any cliff edges in the dark.
2. Will we be avoiding all of the crowds and the swimmers by going this early in the year? Or early in the morning?
3. What is the canyon like above the swimming holes? How far up can you go without doing any canyoneering/climbing?
Thanks for any help

[Iceaxe]

My concerns with hiking in the dark is the creek and hiking route are lined with poison ivy. And there are a couple minor obstacles you must deal with, either a cliff section or river wade, depending on which of the braided social trails you follow.

My concerns with going in April is there can be a lot of water boiling down the creeks from spring runoff. Mill Creek can get really big, North Fork (where the swimming hole is located) isn't so bad. Navigating around the first swimming hole could be difficult in the dark if you haven't ever hiked the route. I have hiked for several miles above the first swimming hole and there is a second obstacle to deal with about 1 mile above the first swimming hole.

Lots of rock art in Mill Creek

Everything you ever wanted to know about Mill Creek is here
http://climb-utah.com/Moab/mill.htm
Including the waypoint to several rock art panels I have never seen mentioned anywhere else.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctWBHhSwV5Y