Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument

From a trip log to this great place in November:

Again---- cinched up the backpack, excited by the view down the unknown canyon. Unknown to me anyway. Made my way down in a side drainage, got cut up by brush, saw a few late fall leaves, then it was boulder and gravel travel down the widening and deepening canyon. Soon the big views opened up, a wide valley bordered by cliffs and hoodoos, much like upper Parashant but without a road. The wash hiking was easy but tedious. The sun was out and it was warm. A few miles along and the bottom started to canyon up, and some sandstone outcrops to walk on. Petroglyphs on the rock, interesting and different. The walls rising, the wash more confined now. My research had indicated water about 9 miles in, I had a late start so planned a dry camp. I scrambled about 25 feet up to a ledge with an overhang. My first spot was packratted out, but along the ledge I found a nice depression just big enough for me, a nice undercut to store small stuff, and rocks to provide a windbreak. It was obvious the rock had spalled off but part of it seemed arranged.
I didn't care, just ready to camp in the fading light. Cook, eat, read ( Colin Fletcher's "The Man Who Walked Through Time" ) a reread, get comfortable and just sleep and starwatch.
The next morning whilst enjoying coffee and first light, packing, I noted an odd looking rock. I pulled it out of the dust and a pottery piece as big as my hand was revealed. I had thought I was alone. We are never alone; and as I clinched the shard I felt that curious genetic pull. I gently placed it back, and wondered how many more years would pass before someone else would touch this--tomorrow, or a hundred years from now??
The canyon opened and closed, broad then narrow. Waves of rock. The first Redwall came. Nice multiple shelter caves, some with solutioning and dead formations, one with big horn sheep glyphs. The walls shot up dramatically. The world is made of rock. Stark, massive, and I was progressing in the tubular passage. High drama with vaulting walls and a huge chockstone, teasing seeps and ferns.
My world changes beyond the chockstone. Water, the mini stream from the spring. The festooned walls of a cave of an old spring, with formations. Greenery, flowers, birds, trees and light. Grand compared to the naked harsh place I had been. I was dazzled.
The little stream gains volume and makes noise in small cascades. Cottonwoods and I think ash are golden and glowing. I come to the confluence and look for a campsite. I find my alcove, and set my things here. I sit and just look at the scene. Lots more water in the other canyon, have to rock hop to keep feet dry.
So hard to explain to someone how wonderful this is when you have hiked for miles in dry and tough territory. So many faces of Eden----

I wander around. I am like this if left to my own devices---ie. no hiking destination in mind. I look at the light, I crawl in a few holes, I climb a few ledges, I watch the water. I go up the canyon; I go down the canyon. I look at my maps. I wish I could quit my job.

A storm is coming. I pack up and leave the next morning early. It is a long trailess trek to the car. I find the steady elevation gain easier than coming down the canyon on the rolly polly rocks. Clouds float over my narrow vision. It's colder and a little more wind. The light is better for pics on the return hike so I am later than I like to the car. The drive out is scenic and wonderful in the light of the storm clouds. Finally I pull over to sleep in the back, the vehicle lightly rocking at time in the wind, the rain tapping to find a way in. The next day over the top in the snow, then the rain, then the non stop wonders by Lake Roosevelt and the Rainbows. Life is very good indeed. When I post pics I will include some of the travel shots if they turn out .

Of note--- in the Grand Canyon Parashant NM in the canyons and around the rims belongs to the NPS, and is subject to all those rules and regulations :naughty:

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Awesome Trip Report, yet again. :2thumbs:

I have spent many days in the Parashant, and I am always struck by the absolute loneliness of this place. You can go for days and not see hardly a human track, much less a human. No cell coverage, no contact of any kind. Never bothers me, though. if I am to die by some accident here, I can't think of a better place anyway. This is one place you have to be prepared for any emergency or change of weather. I think this place is one of God's special ones.

Sorry I missed this TR earlier. Very nice write up. Another spot so close to home and un explored, by me.

The canyon you did is one of my favorites in the area. Too bad you had to turn back. The canyon gets really good both up and down from the confluence when you hit the main canyon. Going up canyon we were stopped by a huge and very clear pool. It was so clear that you could look way into it. It looked to be 20-30 feet deep and crystal clear! Going down canyon is really great too and has many waterfalls and sperings.

Beautiful photos! What canyon or area is this within the NM? I'm planning on exploring the area, as well as the North Rim, in early June. This board has been amazing in helping me plan previous trips.

I believe it's Surprise Canyon via Twin Creek and Twin Springs Canyons.

Personally, I wouldn't go there in June though. When we were late over Thanksgiving weekend 1995, we roasted in the heat (in late November!). There is water once you hit the chockstone, but it's a long way through the searing desert to get there. After you hit Surprise Canyon there would be plenty of swimholes, but hiking back out would be really hot.

If you do go in June, here's one solution, but it brings up another problem:

Get a super early start on day one and put the really hot part behind you. Once you hit the water you could slow down and enjoy the canyon for several days. Instead of hiking back out through the hot desert to return, I would arrange a shuttle from Lake Mead and hike all the way down canyon to the lake. This leaves the problem of getting back to your vehicle though which would be a logistal problem.

Another alternative would be to boat to and from the canyon from the bottom end.

You could hike back up Twin Spring and Twin Creek Canyons in the June heat, but make sure you carry several gallons of water and maybe even hike at night. From what I remember it's pretty shadeless and this area is hotter than other parts of the Grand Canyon. On our trip during an unusally warm November it was in the upper 80's.

Thanks, Scott, his helps a lot. I'm just putting together an itinerary now. General plan is to check out the north rim for a couple of days then head to Toroweap. We'd make our way out via the longer St. George route, taking a few days to poke around. Any suggestions are welcomed for the Parashant and area in general. We have 10 days. Probably going to car camp more than anything else, though out and backs would be great within a reasonable range.

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Any suggestions are welcomed for the Parashant and area in general. We have 10 days. Probably going to car camp more than anything else, though out and backs would be great within a reasonable range.

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I wouldn't bother going to Surprise Canyon unless you had several days anyway. It takes a day each way to get to the really good stuff. The route doesn't get interesting until the chockstone in the photo above and then it gets really good. Up and down Surprise Canyon from the confluence with Twin Spring Canyon is superb. It is one of my favorites and one of the best canyon on the CP.

I don't know what I'd recommend in the Toroweap area in June. There are lots of great routes over there, but I always think of them as winter routes rather than something you would want to do in June. I wouldn't even think about something like the Lava Falls Trail or Tuckup at that time of year. The Whitmore Trail is a short one so you could do that one and have a cool dip in the Colorado River before hiking back wet.

The Kanab Creek area might be better (though seeing Toroweap in the morning would still be nice). Something like Jumpup canyon and Kwagunt might not be so bad in June. Many areas on the main part of the North Rim are good in June as well including the trails along the North Rim. Even the North Kaibab Trail isn't that bad since there is water available once you hit the hot part. The Old Kaibab might not be that bad either and has some nice little waterfalls.

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Originally Posted by coots

Thanks, Scott, his helps a lot. I'm just putting together an itinerary now. General plan is to check out the north rim for a couple of days then head to Toroweap. We'd make our way out via the longer St. George route, taking a few days to poke around. Any suggestions are welcomed for the Parashant and area in general. We have 10 days. Probably going to car camp more than anything else, though out and backs would be great within a reasonable range.

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Since you are taking the "longer route" AKA Main St or River Road....there are a few places to check out, if you are interested......actually, nevermind. I'll just send you a PM with a Google Earth file. If you need pictures of the sites that I pinpoint in Google Earth, let me know and I'll send it ASAP.

Hope you find it useful.
And BTW - most of the locations are less than a 20min drive from the mainroad that you will be taking.

Hi, I found this thread searching for info about Grand Canyon Parashant NM.
I'm planning a trip in April 2012 and am contemplating a trip down Surprise Canyon, sounds like a great trip.

I would love any suggestions for trips and places to go in the monument, as the other poster I plan to drive from St. George which I also did a year ago on the way to Toroweap.
This time though I would like to spend some more time in Grand Canyon Parashant, it sounds like theres lots and lots to explore.

Thanks
Peter

It is beautiful out in the Parashant. We did an easy ride last Sat out to Tassi Spring. The scenery keeps changing and there is so much you want to do. Drove out on 111 and back on 113 to Gold Butte Rd and only saw one other vehicle.

Win

Parashant has been on my to do list for quite some time now, I REALLY need to go after seeing your pics!

The lower part of Kanab Creek (below Snake Gulch) is superb. Did a hike from Deer Creek Falls, down the Colorado, up Kanab Crk and out Snake Gulch years ago. Other Kanab Crk access is Hack Cyn or Jumpoff Cyn.