Best way to spend 3 days in Grand Gulch

[ibenick]

Planning my first backpacking trip in Grand Gulch, so many options. Any opinions on the best way for some GG noobs to spend 3 days? No shuttle available other than a bicycle that could be ridden between trailheads. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[gnwatts]

3 days? I would suggest to start at the Government trailhead, but instead of using the trail head east about 20 minutes and enter Polly's Canyon, pretty easy finding a way down. Take Polly's down to the gulch, set up camp, and you have access to great ruins up and down canyon, including Big Man panel. And there are great ruins in Polly's and it's side canyons, and the other side of Polly's Island. Take the Government trail back to your car, and you have a loop. I have a description in my trip reports under my sig. Wherever you go it will be great. Or for something more adventurous, do the Sheiks canyon Jailhouse ruin loop. See http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...ks-Canyon-loop for a description. Sheiks might be more fun.

[Wasatch]

We did a backpack a few years back (2002 or 2003), started at Kane Gulch, exited out Bullet Canyon. Many side canyon/side trips. Started on a Friday, Ended Sunday 23+ miles easy, including side trips. You do need a shuttle a bike will do. We did it in March, so there was plenty of water.

[gnwatts]

Almost 8 miles a day excluding side trips? How did you have time for cocktails?
Muy macho!

[Wasatch]

Almost 8 miles a day excluding side trips? How did you have time for cocktails?
Muy macho!

We had a great time. The first night/morning was very very windy and quite cold, was a bitch trying to pack in the morning, lol

[bobb169]

We just did a 3 day trip from Collins to Red man with a extensive side trip up Water Cyn, was pretty nice.

[hike.higher]

I did the same trip was Wasatch back in March, just opposite direction. In Bullet out Kane. Used a bike as the shuttle. The bike ride sucked as you leave the ranger station its all up hill for the first few miles. Took about an hour to bike the 8 miles. Was glad I did it before though as on ride after backpacking would have been killer.

We went in Bullet to the confluence, spent the second night in Todie, and out Sunday around noon.

[ibenick]

Good stuff. Time to start doing some research on these places. Thanks for the info everyone.