Labyrinith Canyon / Green River Day Hiking Suggestions?

[Skiermike123]

Hi everyone! First post here, but life circumstances are such that I may be spending the majority of next spring and summer backpacking and floating rivers so you may hear from me once in a while. Awesome community and great info here!

Question: it looks like I

[burnsdye]

Labyrinth Canyon is awesome! I've done it twice: once in July 2013 and once in June 2014. My write-ups are at http://dyeclan.com/outdooractivities/paddling/?id=322 Click on the trip report tabs to see each trip. I've got mph info for the different flowrates and a bunch of other good info.

My advice: don't take 3 extra days. Taking 3 days total is already taking 2 days extra. You'll have plenty of time to explore as it is. The canyon goes fast.

Here's the simplified mile-by-mile:


Crystal Geyser
Three Canyon
Register Rock
Hey Joe Canyon
Bowknot Bend Overlook


You can look at pictures on Google Earth for locations.

Jeremy

[Scott P]

I respectfully disagree with the above, but then again I'm the kind of person that likes to hike and explore. There are so many good hikes along the route that even three extra days only gives you a sample of what the area has to offer, at least if you like hiking.

There are a lot of hikes, but here are what I'd consider the best (I've been exploring those canyons for about 31 years now). I will use miles and river directions for reference. RR = River Right and RL = River left and M = mile

RR M 88: Three Canyon (most of a day)

RL M 85.7: Half Pipe Canyon (1-2 hours)

RL M 84.7: F Canyon (2-3 hours)

RL M 74.2: Hey Joe Canyon (2-4 hours; there is also a trail to the rim on the south side for some great views)

RR M 68.3: Bowknot Bend and Ridge (1-2 hours). Make sure to make the hike up to the saddle.

RL M 66.1: Spring Canyon (most of a day). You have to walk an hour on a 4wd road to get to the good stuff, but above where the 4wd road leaves the canyon there are many crystal clear waterfalls and pools of water.

RR M 58.1: Two Mile Canyon and Colonnade Arch (about 1/2 a day). This is the best arch in the Labyrinth Canyon. It's actually a quintuplet arch with five openings.

The above would be my favorites and would be nice to hit if you only have three extra days.

Other good hikes are Horseshoe Canyon and the Frog, the canyon at Placer Bottom, and Bull Hollow. There are some nice things to see in Keg Springs Canyon, but the section near the river is choked with brush, so it may be better to come in from the top instead of on a river trip. The drainage just north of Keg Springs Canyon has an old historic mining trail to the rim (built by Wolverton in 1910) and is interesting though. Bull Bottom has a short trail up to the rim. Tenmile Canyon has interesting side canyons, but the main canyon has seen quite a bit of ATV abuse.

There are also many petroglyph panels throughout Labyrinth Canyon.

[Skiermike123]

Scott - thanks for the great post and ideas, and sorry it took me so long to get back to you (Xmas/Holidays/etc). It now looks like we're going to be doing Ruby Ranch to Mineral Bottom and I'm hoping for two full lay-days. I was planning on camping on those lay days at Keg Springs Canyon and Horseshoe canyon, but it sounds like you might have other suggestions (?). Camping right at the mouth of Keg Springs Canyon looks like it might be tough, and one of the big reasons I want to stay at Horseshoe is to see the Harvest Panel, but it may turn out to be too big a day hike from the river (it'd be probably 20 miles or more there and back).

Curious what spots you think warrant a full day's exploration? Three Mile (Trin Alcove) looks pretty cool from Google Earth, can't figure out if it is worth a full day.

Thanks again for the awesome information!

[Scott P]

Camping right at the mouth of Keg Springs Canyon looks like it might be tough

I like Keg Springs Canyon, but with the bushwhacking, it's best not to access it from the river and the upper end is better anyway. The Wolverton Trail mentioned would probably be a better hike than the part of Keg Springs by the river, but it{s not really an all day hike.


and one of the big reasons I want to stay at Horseshoe is to see the Harvest Panel

The Harvest scene is in Pictograph Fork of Horse Canyon (which is below Mineral Bottom), rather than in Horseshoe Canyon. I assume you mean the Great Gallery? If so, that's something like 30 miles round trip from the river. It is not practical as a day hike.


Curious what spots you think warrant a full day's exploration?

I'd say it would be closer to a long 1/2 day, including the side canyons. Half Pipe and F canyons are very near though, so you can easily do all day in the area.

Spring Canyon would be a good all day hike. Combining Horseshoe Canyon as a loop with Colonnade Arch would make a good all day hike (it would be a pretty long day though).