Salt Wash exploration - Moab

Has anyone hiked up Salt Wash from the Delicate Arch trailhead? Anything of note? Any side canyons worth exploring? From Google Earth it looks like a bushwhack nightmare from all of that brush. But I dunno.

Anything up Clover or Pipeline canyon? I heard a park ranger last month talk about how Clover Canyon has some petroglyphs but she didn't know where exactly. And judging from G.E. - Clover canyon isn't too big of a canyon to scour and *hopefully* find them. Who knows, she could be way off.

Cottonwood Wash?
Freshwater Canyon? I heard that is a spring here that I refill from, compare to silty Salt Wash. ???


The Destination? Nothing specific. But here's my answer - cause I can. :nod:


I'm just looking to do something off the beaten path as I'll be in Moab this week looking for a hiking adventure. GREAT hiking temps this week, btw!

I've poked around up there, but I found the rimlands to be more interesting than Upper Salt Wash itself. Unless things have changed, prepare for a big swamp for part of the hike and some bushwhacking.

I'd suggest Lower Salt Wash or the rimlands above upper Salt Wash as being better. The rimlands have a bunch of cool arches and rock formations.

Lower Salt Wash is interesting. At one location, it has a shooting out of the wall like a faucet (don't drink it though; it taste terrible!).

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Originally Posted by Scott P

I've poked around up there, but I found the rimlands to be more interesting than Upper Salt Wash itself. Unless things have changed, prepare for a big swamp for part of the hike and some bushwhacking.

I'd suggest Lower Salt Wash or the rimlands above upper Salt Wash as being better. The rimlands have a bunch of cool arches and rock formations.

Lower Salt Wash is interesting. At one location, it has a shooting out of the wall like a faucet (don't drink it though; it taste terrible!).

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Awesome. Thanks for the intel.

I'm prepared for the bushwhack and mud. However, There is a particular "canyon" near Salt Wash that I have my eye on that creates a perennial stream. It looks promising to be a entertaining canyoneering route with a good-looking grotto and swims. (And as far as Arches is concerned - creating/finding new routes within the park is acceptable. And swimming is acceptable if it has a flowing inlet and outlet OR it's the only way to proceed through the canyon. We'll see though.

From what it looks like though, Lower Salt Wash looks more interesting on the map. If I head down that way, I'll be sure to look for this nasty-tasting spring. ;)

Btw, I assume this is the spring that you are referring to Scott??

Attachment 78659

A guy on another forum said it tasted really salty - go figure. Looks cool though!

Oh, and this the petroglyph that is rumored to be in Salt Wash - the one near Clover Canyon perhaps?
Attachment 78660

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Btw, I assume this is the spring that you are referring to Scott??

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Yes, though it was shooting more out of the wall when we were there.