Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument
09/27/2017 to 09/30/2017
At last the weather has cooled enough to enable us to make a trip closer to home.
We have wanted to do Escalante for some time, just never fit into the schedule until now.
Aside from the incredible formations and vistas, the area has another feature we love; lots and lots of dirt roads. Our friends can attest to our fondness for unpaved, washboard, rutted, bouncy routes.
Another great thing about this trip was we finally got to drive Cottonwood Canyon Road. This is a shorter route from Arizona to Utah but it is considered impassible if moist - clay base under soft sand equals bogged down. So, since it is not too hot and it is very dry, CCR is now off our bucket list with a big star for another visit.
Guess there is a good side to global warming after all.
Kodachrome Basin State Park 09/27/2017
The basin got it's name when some National Geographic Society folks were here in 1947 taking pictures for a September 1948 article. The colors were so striking they named it after the new Kodak film, Kodachrome.
There are a couple different theories on how the formations were created or exactly what made them, especially the tall pipes.
The bottom line is it is a beautiful place with lots to see and appreciate.
George out on a little ledge as we walked around Angel's Palace Trail
Love this pointy finger
The Tree of Woe - for all you folks who remember Conan. No vultures though
The sandstone formation and colors are always spectacular
Yup, i am out on a ledge looking lost
Actually this is what I am looking at from my lofty perch
In all that red this beautiful white sand pipe
Just scenery
Chimney rock. I am that little person at the base of the rather tall sand pipe
On to Shakespear Arch.
You walk a short trail to this formation
The arch
Burr Trail 09/28/2017
The road is named for John Atlantic Burr - he was born aboard a ship in the Atlantic ocean, thus the name - a cattleman who forged a route moving his cattle from winter pasture to summer pasture.
If you start from Boulder, as we did, the first 30 miles or so are paved. After that it is all dirt.
As with Cottonwood Canyon Road, if there is rain the dirt is impassible. Thankfully no rain.
The formations are just as spectacular as anything in the area.
Also there is a small slot canyon which was a lovely surprise.
Now we just need to start from Grand Staircase end and go back to Boulder. Good to have goals.
That is our sign
This cool stone rocket is outside the Hells Backbone Store in Boulder
The road along the bright red cliffs
Entrance to the slot canyon
The sandstone formations are dotted with holes
Rather artistic washouts in the rocks
Inside the slot canyon the walls rise above you
Sandy path into canyon
Looking back out as you enter the canyon
As you can see the walls are very high. George looks very small
Loved the colors
More road shots
There were a proliferation of these round, black rocks on this light sandstone hill
Reminded us of a bunch of rabbit poop - from a rather large rabbit
Looking at the windy road from above
Here is where the pavement ends and dirt road begins as you head toward Grand Staircase
Peek-a-boo Arch
Looking down on the winding dirt road
Devils Garden on Hole-In-The-Rock Road 09/28/2017
Another dirt road. Yeah!
This started as a cattle trail back in the 1870s or so. Today it is part of the monument with many interesting formations along the way.
We did not make it all the way down to the actual Hole-In-The-Rock so we have a reason to go back.
Devils Garden is not large but it is full of great spires and hoodoos. Lots of opportunities for climbing on rocks and great scenery.
Proof George does smile
I called these gnomes
Peek a boo
The only wildlife - a smiling lizard
This is Mano Arch
George climbing on the rock
For some reason it reminded me of all the chimneys on row houses in London
But a lot prettier
Metate Arch
This is the one you usually see on post cards
To me this looked like a persons profile
I'm out there to give a little sense of scale
Spires
Toadstools
Dinosaur Tracks - Hole-In-The-Rock Road 09/29/2017
These tracks are high on a bluff of slickrock at 20 Mile Wash on Hole-In-The-Rock Road.
Getting there is a little tricky and the last mile or so was rough - which is why we have a truck - but quite doable.
Once you find the sign you start searching for the tracks. Now, I was looking for big feet with toes and claws like the ones near Tuba City so it took a while and some climbing to find them.
The tracks are of Sauropods and Theropods, so no toes and claws. They are also quite worn so it takes a bit to locate them, but once you find one the others are easy.
A little info on the site
The large bluff of Entrada sandstone
Just climbing on the rocks looking for tracks
AHA! A Track. That large, round slightly indented thing is a footprint
If you sprinkle some water it shows up much better
I am walking along the trail of tracks. Lots of footprints and tail drags
View of the valley and our truck from above
Me pointing out more tracks and tail drags
The Shadow People followed us again
More prints
And a few more. No idea which are Sauropod and which are Theropod. Just know they are bipeds
Nice view
Loved the streaks in the rocks
Scenic Highway 12 - Escalante to Boulder 09/28/2017
This is a beautiful road that winds its way between Escalante and Boulder. Lots of great scenery and curves along the way.
This section is known as The Hogback.
To quote from the Scenic Byway brochure "the asphalt clings to this thin razorback ridge of slickrock as the terrain spills steeply off to each side..."
Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons 09/29/2017
After the dinosaur tracks we headed further down Hole-In-The-Rock to the Dry Gulch area and FR 252 to do two slot canyons we had heard about.
As with most of the road it was a little rough but not bad. The last half mile to the trail head was anything but easy. Our truck did just fine, but a car would have a lot of trouble.
The trail to the canyons is marked by cairns. First you descend a nice, tall slickrock hill, then head out into the desert.
Once you find the start of Peek-A-Boo you have the choice to do it or go on to Spooky. We chose Peek-A-Boo first.
We made an attempt at climbing the rock face entrance to the slot but it got pretty slick half way up so we came back down. Good sense prevailed - meaning George not me.
So we chose the lesser path around the cliff to pick up the slot.
The area is amazing and well worth the hike in and out. Just be sure to bring lots of water and really good shoes
Little info about the slots
Up there is where you start
As you can see at times it can be hands and feet getting down
The entrance to Peek-A-Boo. Once you wade through the thigh deep water you use hand holes to get up to the slot
Yup, after we decided to try another path this is what our shoes looked like - after we cleaned a lot of mud off
The alternate entrance. Bypasses the first part and the pool
As you can see there are some nice tight slots - Hi George
And mud in many spots of the path
George trying to straddle the muddy path
Those folks are coming back from Spooky - skirting the rim
More squeezing
Just a nice shot of the slots
A wide spot in the canyon
Me hanging out
Now on to Spooky - so named because most of it is very narrow
There was a large rock in the trail which we climbed over
Just some shots of the walls
The colors varied depending on light
This rock was right over a descent to the remainder of the slot but we could not get down it. So end of Spooky
Now for the climb back out
After about 8 miles we were a little tired and the thighs and knees were not happy
Grosvenor Arch - Cottonwood Canyon Road 09/30/2017
At last the Cottonwood Canyon Road.
So today we are heading home and finally getting to do this road.
There are many places of interest on this road but we only had time for a couple.
Our first stop was Grosvenor Arch. Well, actually 2 arches but who is counting.
First glimpse of the arch
The nice path up to the base
And the arches
Walking around the side of the formation
From the back the sun was shining through the small hole
Looked quite lovely
Cottonwood Narrows North - Cottonwood Canyon Road 09/30/2017
Our second stop along Cottonwood Canyon Road was a nice hike through the Narrows.
We started at the north end. Mostly it is flat sand meandering through a spectacular slot but there was at least one spot where we had to do some rock scrambling to get down.
Once you reach the exit you have a choice of either reversing your course back through the wash or walk back to your vehicle along the road.
We chose the road just so we could enjoy the scenery.
The sign for the start of the northern end of the trail
First glimpse once you go into the canyon
George is in for scale. Some idea of how high the cliff walls are
MUD. Yes, mud. The rains only ended a few days ago but some areas were very wet in here
The rocks are full of streaks and scars from debris washing down the canyon with great force
After we left the canyon at the southern end we walked back up the road to the truck
And as you can see the scenery was just beautiful.
