Poison spider mesa views of behind the rocks

[kaniukr]

Hi. I wondered if there's anyone who has 4x4ed and hiked on Poison Spider Mesa. I don't have a 4WD but I want to hike up there cos there are wonderful views east to Behind The Rocks area just across the river.

Obviously to get up on to the mesa I'd start by hiking up the 4WD trail switchbacks but after completing them I don't know where best to go to see across the river to the north east to BTRocks as the jeep trail then follows the rim north west as the Colorado bends round in a U shape so I'd be the "wrong" side of the mesa.

My first thought is leave the jeep trail and keep hiking north east along the mesa rim right opposite BTRocks. However looking at google earth there could be cliffs and canyons forcing me away from the rim in a very windy fashion. And I don't even know if I'd be getting higher than the Behind The Rocks area to be OVERLOOKING it.

The other thing I've read is that if I stay on the 4WD route after the switchbacks then after about 2 miles at a slickrock step called The Waterfall there is a great viewpoint O.3 miles off the jeep trail. However a map suggests at this point the jeep trail has curved into a part of the mesa a fair way from the rim opposite BTRocks so unless it is a very high vantage point I'm wondering if I could see across over a mile of mesa top to the otther side of the river. I don't want to hike 5 miles if its pointless

Appreciate any advice

[Sombeech]

I was just on poison spider a couple of months ago. http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71765

Maybe hike up the Portal trail?

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[kaniukr]

Amazing photos and video of your trip. That viewpoint where about 8 vehicles are lined up on a flat sandy area - on page 2 - (and the pics just above it which seem to be the same place) looks really nice. Where was that?

Did you see the reply I got to the same post on the Hiking forum, when someone mentioned the Portal trail, and my reply back.
I wondered if as well as the Portal trail you'd been to the 2 places I was thinking of and could say how they compare - the slickrock domes near the top of the 4WD switchbacks and the domes near the Waterfall
Further north on Poison Spider Mesa looks like higher altitude, but perhaps further away from what looks like a great fins and domes area around Pritchett Canyon?

Is the Hinton Trail an extension of the Portal Overlook Trail that starts next to the Colorado on 279 on the east side of Poison Spider and hits the top of the mesa on the north side and then its' fairly clear the route of the 4WDs on top