Suggestions for my two week trip in the fall

Hi y'all!

I'm a real newbie on this forum but not a newbie to hiking/backpacking. However, I am planning a 2 week trip to southern Utah in the fall and have some hikes planned for each of the places we are visiting and wanted to ask for everyone's input in case we are missing out on someplace you have been that is a "must see" while in that area. I am a very experienced hiker and have done some canyoneering here in AZ as well as sections of the Appalachian Trail in my younger days. My companions are more moderate hikers and I'm trying to tailor moderate hikes for them with maybe an occasional "you can do it" hike :nod:

We are starting in Page AZ and then heading for Zion......is a side trip to Pink Coral Sand Dunes worth it?

In Zion we plan on spending 3 days. The hikes I have on the agenda are the Narrows to Orderville, Emerald Pools, and the Barracks (as far as we want to go).

On to Bryce for two days....Fairyland Loop and Under the Rim Trail (as far as we want to go)

Then to Escalante for 3 days....with maybe a stop in Kodrachrome State Park (again, is it worth the trip?) Doing Upper and Lower Calf Creek Falls, Spooky/Peekaboo Slot, and maybe Phipps Arch. Anyone with ACCURATE directions to Spooky please PM me.

On to Capitol Reef for 2 days......Rim overlook/Navajo Knobs, Frying Pan, Capitol Gorge to the Tanks and Chimney Rock. We only have two days here and I haven't been able to find a whole lot of good info on this area. So I have 4 hikes listed but not sure which ones are the best?

Then Natural Bridges where we'll spend a night and then leave for Page, AZ and then back to the Phoenix area. When in Page on the way back, we are going to do the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons......I've done these before and they are JUST terrific!

So any input or suggestions from you fine people is much appreciated!

Thanks in advance~~~~

:cool2:

While in Page (or in Kanab), I think North Coyote Buttes (The Wave) is a must, if you haven't done it. Then, nearby is Wire Pass that leads to Buckskin Gulch.

I've done the WAVE in Coyote Buttes North and that is a REALLY great trip....you have to be at the ranger's by 9 AM and hit the lottery they have. We lost last time I was there so we did Coyote Buttes South which BLEW MY MIND! It was GORGOEUS. And we saw no one all day. Totally remote area we had all to ourselves. We found own our WAVE in Coyote Buutes South and there was no one there but us!!!!

Wish I knew how to post pics......I could post one of the route we took through Coyote Buttes South.

:mrgreen:

I'd focus on Zion, Escalante, Capitol Reef. You could spend weeks hiking in each place, whereas Bryce gets old for me after a day.

Spooky is in all the guidebooks and isn't hard to find. If you're going to drive that far on the Hole-in-the-Rock, my only suggestion is to keep going to 40-mile Gulch. The 40-mile/Willow combo has water, waterfalls, and arches, is a moderate day hike, depending on your definition of moderate and is one of my very favorites. Have fun.

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Originally Posted by Trish

and the Barracks (as far as we want to go).

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This has me a little confused.... the Barracks is not really a great "far as we want to go" type hike. The actual Barracks is extremely committing from any of the dozen possible routes. Please explain the route you intend if you would like more comment. Or maybe consider replacing this with anther route.

:popcorn:

Hey Trish,

My idea of a two week trip--from Page
1. Head toward Kanab---take Cottonwood Canyon Road toward Hwy12, hike the narrows, stop in at Hackberry and take the little trail up onto Yellow Rock, shoot a ton of pictures, then the loop down to Paria Box and back to car.
2. Stop off at Grosvenor arch, nice photo op no hiking
3. Kodachrome State park is pretty neat but depends on time you have
4. Turn left Hwy 12 to go back over to Zion
5. Don't have much experience there but liked the Virgin River Narrows and Angels Landing---these are touristy hikes.
6. Go to Bryce-- must see once, but I like Zion a lot better
7. Escalante--- Peekaboo and Spooky are cute slots but can have a lot of traffic. Plenty of outfitters in town to ask for directions or get better maps--Escalante Outfitters have pretty good pizza. Across the street is I think Escalante Outdoors---used to be run by Drew and Julie Cozby (Sp?) stop in and say hi if they are still there. Another outfitter, guide in town down main street, have never stopped in there.
Mucho dayhikes and backpacks off Hole in Rock road. My favorites are 50 mile canyon, Willow Gulch, Coyote Gulch ( heavily trafficed compared to others), side canyons off Harris.

Going on toward Boulder will be Upper Calf Creek falls, a pretty spot indeed. Again, I like stuff off the Burr Trail just in Boulder, a great drive and a ton of short and long hikes, the Gulch, Deer Creek, then the Circle Cliff area. I kinda like the "backside" canyons of the Escalante-- Little Death Hollow, Silver Falls Creek, the Moodys.

Two weeks won't be enough time but it depends on what ya wanta do, will be a good introduction in the area.

I know that a lot of people don't enjoy Bryce. I love Bryce and think that two days is just fine. You should also hike the Peekaboo Loop. Both Peekaboo Loop & the Fairyland Loop can be done in a day if you start early and don't get too distracted.

In Capitol Reef I really like the Cathedral Valley Loop road which you should consider. You can do it in one longish day or just do part of it or spend two days and take your time hiking around and exploring.

Scott

In Zion, Observation Point is the most awesome hike, in my opinion... it has everything, great, really cool canyon areas, meadows, amazing rock, and a most incredible view from the top where you are actually looking down onto Angel's Landing.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trish

and the Barracks (as far as we want to go).

---

This has me a little confused.... the Barracks is not really a great "far as we want to go" type hike. The actual Barracks is extremely committing from any of the dozen possible routes. Please explain the route you intend if you would like more comment. Or maybe consider replacing this with anther route.

:popcorn:

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I've read that this is a demanding hike......we were thinking of starting at from the Mount Carmel junction along the east fork of the Virgin River and hiking along that route for about 5-6 miles.....maybe to Mineral Gulch, then turning around and hiking out. We weren't planning on doing the entire 18.4 miles. I'd really like to see Purunuweap Canyon since I've heard it is awesome. If there is a better way in, please enlighten me. Maybe we should start from the other end at Highway 9?

:mrgreen:

Bo and I plan to hike from Mt. Carmel this summer and exit at the Powell Plaque and go to Checkerboard Mesa. This would be the best of all choices but it would have to be a backpack.

Of what we have done --- If you have a 4wheel drive .... this is my favorite way to go!
http://www.zionnational-park.com/parunuweap-canyon.htm

If you are hikers rather than "canyoneers" (rope stuff) then you can do this one. Best of all you could go in with this entrance at Checkerboard Mesa and then exit at Elephant Butte... (near Mt. Carmel jct./Coral Pink Sand Dunes area) -- but that requires that you set up 2 shuttles. If you just want to do one car then hike from Checkerboard Mesa to Pweap... explore and then hike back to Checkerboard Mesa.

Avoiding the technical slot canyon - Fat Man's Misery and hiking from Checkerboard Mesa to Pweap and back to Checkerboard Mesa.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/parunuweap-hike.htm

With Fat Man's and Exit at Elephant Butte
http://www.zionnational-park.com/parunuweap-canyon.htm


With Fat Man's and Exit at Powell Plaque
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zio...on-narrows.htm

Thanks for all your wonderful and insightful replies!

So....is the side trip to Pink Coral Sand Dunes worth the trip?

Also Kodachrome?
I'll look into 40 mile Gulch/Willow a bit further....thank you JB

AND Red Roxx......you are always an inspiration and have given me these routes recently on that "other" website :2thumbs:

My thanks again

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Originally Posted by Trish

I've read that this is a demanding hike......we were thinking of starting at from the Mount Carmel junction along the east fork of the Virgin River and hiking along that route for about 5-6 miles.....maybe to Mineral Gulch, then turning around and hiking out. We weren't planning on doing the entire 18.4 miles. I'd really like to see Purunuweap Canyon since I've heard it is awesome. If there is a better way in, please enlighten me. Maybe we should start from the other end at Highway 9?

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The first 5 or 6 miles from Mount Carmel Junction are kinda trashy and you will not get to see much of the good stuff. If you must do this hike start from the other end and hike over Checkerboard Mesa.... But be prepared for some hardcore hiking and a beautiful reward. The only reason to start from Mt Carmel Junction is if you plan to do the complete route.

I suggest you replace P-weap with Subway, Orderville Gulch, Red Cave, Kanarra Creek or the Zion Narrows unless you are a fit group willing to do a commiting route.

:popcorn:

Thanks Iceaxe,

I'll take your words of wisdom into consideration. I'm not too worried about myself since I've done some very difficult hikes & backpacks but am more concerned about my companions who are used to the more gentle trails of the east coast. So I'll do more research into the alternates you listed.

Thanks!

:mrgreen:

The P-weap Sneak-N-Peek route gets you some awesome canyon. The problem is you hike over a small mountain and down into a deep canyon..... so once you reach the river you are really commited to hiking back out. If your group is up for the challenge you will get to see some spectacular country that is rarely visited. Good navigation skills and a GPS with waypoints are probably required items for most on the Sneak-N-Peek.

63 days to go and I can't wait for almost two glorious weeks in southern Utah.

Plan are made, reservations a done deal and we've revamped a few hikes along the way.

The Sneak and Peak is high on my list and I got a GPS to help us out on the route (THANKS ICE!). We've shaved off a day in Escalante so we can also get into the Grand Gulch area later in our trip.

My hearty thanks again to the wonderful ideas and feedback from this community! You guys ROCK

:hitit:

Lotta good stuff here. I'd add Coral Pink Sand Dunes is really neat, but overrun with 4-wheelers.