Coyote/Escalante/Beryl Loop

The canyons on the east side of the Escalante River between Scorpion and Coyote Gulch aren't visited very often...it's pretty neat back in there, but I always thought that some folks that might be wondering what's back in there are put off by not knowing the routes or were water is.

Well, there's plenty of water. All the (bigger) canyons have potholes...some many, some just a few. The routes can be found in Steve Allen's guidebooks. Just going in there to "figure it out" is not advised...unless you're a pretty badass, experienced route finder.

It's beautiful back in there, but you're not going to find lush, creek filled canyons like Coyote or Harris Wash. It's physical, hard, dirty, dry and you will lose some skin...but awesome nonetheless.

So I did a short little loop at the bottom end of this area. It's a great, short (3 night) backpack...I've done it, and variations, many times. It's a great way to warm up for a bigger epic backpack...say in the Grand Canyon.

The trailhead is the Jacob Hamlin Arch route, leading into the middle of Coyote Gulch. You're not in Coyote for long, because you travel upcanyon about 20 minutes and climb out the other side. 2nd fin up from the arch...it's pretty steep, with moki steps but some may want a belay.

From there it's cross country to the Bobway, which is the short canyon between Fools and Coyote. Down the Bobway (good water there) to the river. Upstream to the next canyon on the east side...that's Icabod.

To get out, and onto the Wingate for the walk south to Beryl...go up the first little side canyon you come to. Climb a talus slope on the right to get above the first pouroff, the up to the next one where you'll see the log in the picture below...that's the way out. Walk the Wingate south, with great views of big canyon walls and the river.

Funny thing, Steve Allen said there's no way out of Beryl, but there is. I can't believe he missed it, because it's pretty obvious. Look around and you'll find it, but DON'T DO THE MOKI STEPS! One slip, and you're toast. There's a way down really close to them without all the exposure...about 30 feet away upcanyon.

Beryl is really nice, especially the long arm. At the end of it is a good seep and lots of greenery for a dry canyon. If you go in there, please practice no trace and no fires...it's pristine. When you're ready to leave, just climb down the exit and follow the river to Coyote...up that the the JHA route to the car.

Speaking of trash, although Coyote is still nice, I've decided to nickname it "Poop Canyon". Its shameful how much crap and toilet paper is in there. It seems a lot of folks just don't know what to do in that regard. It's a bummer to see a pile of dookie and a wad of ass wipe right next to the creek. A fair amount of regular trash, too...especially in the campsites. Oh well, it's still better than when the cows were in there.

Anyway...pictures.

Nice TR.

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Funny thing, Steve Allen said there's no way out of Beryl, but there is. I can't believe he missed it, because it's pretty obvious

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Just my guess, but it is certainly possible that he didn't miss it. He's actually been a lot of places that his book indicates are impassible.

I think that is because many of fools die when they get in over their head.
Have not seen this area in years and by the way about a year ago a young man barely made it out when his pack got stolen and he tried to make his way to page with no supplies. I think he had a condition prior to his big march. Not sure if this is the route or not however. May have been further east.
I know I've done some of this as well as north to Loa by way of Posey? lake can't remember. Just west of Boulder I think. Very long time ago.
There is tons of ancient peoples evidence in there.

Is the vault toilet still in Coyote? Seems like I heard that it went up in flames?

Beautiful pics Byron,:2thumbs: thanks for posting.

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Originally Posted by Sandstone Addiction

Is the vault toilet still in Coyote? Seems like I heard that it went up in flames?

Beautiful pics Byron,:2thumbs: thanks for posting.

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Thank you, Sir...and yes, the toilet at Jacob Hamlin Arch got torched...it's a mess. They put in smaller "open" dooker a short distance away. It's nearly full now.

There's another one down past Cliff Arch, just past the big spring and cave.

I figure I'll post up a couple more pics of this area. The first one is the exit from Beryl, taken from the Wingate across the canyon. The Moki steps are on the smooth slickrock area at the top left of the first picture. There is a 30 foot drop with big rocks waiting below if you peel off. The second picture is Katie showing off against my wishes. Funny thing, I'm ten times the climber she is, and if I won't do it, she won't. Most of my friends won't go up, down or across places I turn down, but I think she felt like showing me up on this one, which is quite uncharacteristic of her. Don't be fooled by some little girl walking across it, if she lost it, the only thing to stop her would be a full on body layout. Knees, elbows and chest glued to the rock...and then what? Trouble.

Edit: first and second pictures got reversed somehow.

She even did it with her walking stick in her hand!! It's steeper than it looks, and the steps are very worn. I was angry that she did that, but glad she didn't fall. I just had to take a picture.

The third shot is the safe way to get off the top...it's about 30 feet right of the Moki steps. That ledge may not look like much, but it's a good landing zone. A short rope for lowering packs is handy.

Getting up from the river might be tough for most solo hikers who aren't agile climbers...a partner assist would do the trick.

Hi Byron!


Is it possible to access Beryl Canyon by going up-canyon directly from the Escalante River? Reading your post it sounds like it may not be possible for a solo hiker to ASCEND the initial climbing ("from the river"), which I assume is not in your photo? I'm an experienced intermediate climber but don't want to have to backtrack upriver to Ichabod if it's not possible without an assist, or stacking nearby rocks/logs for steps.


Additionally, did you attempt (or assess) the route up the Navajo sandstone to go on top of Steven's Bench at the location Steve Allen mentions in Canyoneering 3? It's in the larger north fork of the canyon (not the northern head).

Thanks so much!

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Originally Posted by Brewster

Hi Byron!


Is it possible to access Beryl Canyon by going up-canyon directly from the Escalante River? Reading your post it sounds like it may not be possible for a solo hiker to ASCEND the initial climbing ("from the river"), which I assume is not in your photo? I'm an experienced intermediate climber but don't want to have to backtrack upriver to Ichabod if it's not possible without an assist, or stacking nearby rocks/logs for steps.


Additionally, did you attempt (or assess) the route up the Navajo sandstone to go on top of Steven's Bench at the location Steve Allen mentions in Canyoneering 3? It's in the larger north fork of the canyon (not the northern head).

Thanks so much!

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Alright man, you're all over it...kinda. I forgot all about this thread but I've got quite a bit of detail in here. For access to Beryl from Escalante River, just walk up the canyon and you going to run into a double pour off, maybe 20 minutes to get there. Turn around and start walking back to the river and look up to your right. You're going to be surrounded by high cliffs but that thing on your right (like a ramp) is it. Pictures are above. When you get to the top, you're going to see those Moki steps Katie is on...I wouldn't advise doing it. Move to the right of that and you'll see that short cliff that I'm taking about. Can one person get up it? I don't think so...however, If I were to attempt it I'd tie a rope to my pack and toss it up there...hopefully it's enough counterweight to hold me as I scramble up it.

If it's too sketchy, then simply make your way back to the river and go up Ichabod. Get up onto the Wingate as I described above and walk your way over to Beryl. You can mini jump down that cliff that's hard to get up easy enough...I've done it solo. Nice backpack in there. You can do the whole thing in two nights if you don't mind moving all day long. Any other questions or any other detail, just let me know. There's water in both canyons.

I also want to say that in regards to beta on nice places...I don't own those places, we all do. Anyone that reads what I've written here and enjoys the place on a trip deserves it...and they can thank me, very much. It's a bit of an adventure and I think backpackers of the ethical ilk will be the ones most interested...it's not easy access like Coyote. If folks just police the microtrash and DON'T BUILD FIRERINGS it's all good.

EDIT: See that picture with Katie in the blue tank top? That's the "climb up" into Beryl...easy enough to come down, not so easy to get up. In fact, I've never done it...I've always come down that way as the end of the loop from Ichabod.