Neat Hikes at Lake Powell, Utah

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I welcome feedback, corrections, suggestions, and additions.

The larger issue of Lake Powell being a paradise versus the lake “demolishing the canyon” is a fun discussion, but not the subject of this document. Suffice it to say that the vast majority of the red rock country in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is not underwater, and much of it is quite remote and fascinating to visit.

Note: In warm weather, bring lots of water and wet your shirt before you start hiking!

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

The elevations used in this document are taking from the Browns’ boating charts except where shown differently on a 7.5 minute topo map. An excellent read for serious lake explorers.

Stan Jones’s Ramblings By Boat and Boot in Lake Powell Canyon Country, 1998, 276 pages; long, entertaining, and full of facts and figures.

DEFINITIONS USED

RL	river left (facing downstream, relative to main or side canyon)
RR	river right (facing downstream, relative to main or side canyon)
DS	downstream, with direction of water flow, even if the channel is dry or flooded
US	upstream, against direction of water flow, even if the channel is dry or flooded
MC	main channel (of the Colorado River)
MM	mile marker (in the main channel, bouys are marked with the mileage from the dam)
OW	one way
HW	high water (at full pool), approx. 3700' elevation
N	north
W	west
E	east
S	south

“Right finger”, “right fork”, etc. are facing upstream, the opposite of “river left” and “river right”.

GPS waypoints datum is WGS-84.

OUR INVENTED NAMES FOR SOME UNNAMED PLACES

HIKES I HAVE DONE

Those hikes of special interest to first-time visitors are marked “!”, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy or convenient; use your judgement.

UPSTREAM OF BULLFROG

• Uranium mine and chinle formation above main channel, river right, ~1 mi upstream of Trachyte Canyon; watch for an old road along shore; some petrified wood and carnotite? (Yellow-saturated sandstone.)
• Farley Canyon traversal to White Canyon (eh). Follow a road around from the end of one canyon to the end of the other. Impressive acreage covered by wind-blown driftwood in White Canyon.
• Trachyte Canyon: First right finger, back to end of deep V, across large logjam below high water mark, then up through Chinle formation and huge boulders (easy scrambling and huge boulder caves) through cliff wall to wide, flat upper valley floor. Upper valley very tempting, with cairns, to probable high point 1-2 mi distant overlooking Hite, but was short on time.
• Good Hope Bay: Castle Butte S side N from bay; high, steep, can't reach 4527' top.
• Ticaboo Canyon off Good Hope Bay: Relatively easy and pretty walk up wide canyon with steep walls, water, and cottonwoods; only had time to go 0.5 mi GPS, a bit past the first left fork above high water. Also climbed up slickrock to cliff wall on river left at about high water to look out to S.
  Later, climbed steep loose recent rockfall downstream from steep-walled cove river left near mouth to bouldery top of pinnacle standing out from main (impassable) cliff wall and whitish slump zones; neat summit, through crack and around to top, great view.
• Good Hope Bay: “Chinle Cathedral”, petrified wood, slot canyons, and mudstone tunnel, all ~30 min one way, in left fork of Popcorn Canyon, between 4378' and 4670' high points; no exit (cliffs) at back? (Both gullies end in cliffs.)
• Good Hope Bay: “Popcorn Canyon”, right fork, interesting hiking, petrified wood, and springs/pools above (river right of) right fork; also hiked up to base of cliffs S side of this finger near mouth.
• Good Hope Bay: Unexpected and wonderful up-and-out climb/hike from steep talus slope on N side of SE bay, about 0.5 mi E of main channel. Climb up slope between cliffs to left fork at top, then up rectangular gully a bit to narrow slot (defile) leading up to the right near the top of the gully. Follow through to a second defile to access upper regions below main plateau. Note/mark your return point well here! Continue N up through last complex cliff wall, many choices, to main plateau. Sand-slog ~2 mi N to high point and overlook “Chinle Cathedral” and surrounding canyons. Several large cairns found along this route during a fast 3-hour round trip one evening.
• Near Seven Mile Canyon, cove NE, main channel river left just downstream of mile marker 114, to 4294' high point SSE from cove; challenging.
• (!) Tapestry Wall, 4312' high point (37 36'03.5" -110 36'23.1") above cliff, ~1 hour one way, 650' up slickrock from downstream end of wall, small cove off main channel river right; several huge pools (dry) in gully directly up from starting point (done three times).
• (!) Forgotten Canyon, Defiance House ruins, just near/past end at high water, river right; short (done three times).
• Hansen Creek Canyon, various strolls NE from N (river left) side.
• Crystal Springs Canyon, up ridge from amphitheater near very end, river left; can’t get out of canyon (cliffs above).
• (!) Moqui/Moki Canyon, sand dunes and ruins, right finger near end, river left; ascend dune through cliffs to “flats” and view of road (Utah 276) above (37 27'48.5" -110 34'39.9"). (Done twice.) Also ruins (three granaries?) ~45 min upstream from high water on river right. Also ruins and pretty cove and garden a bit up left finger (North Gulch). (Canyon mouth: 37 29'02.0" -110 38'27.8")
  In July 2000, Dave Boyd said: “We also stayed one night in the right finger... I tried hiking there, which required a boat dropoff. After a quarter mile or so of tough going through soft sand, aquatic grasses, scrub oak, and grapevines, I gave up. I'd call that area ‘not hikable.’”
• Moqui/Moki Canyon, slickrock near mouth, up and out to overlook points, relatively short, starting from mooring point river right just a couple of hundred yards upstream of the mouth and marker.

• (!) Unnamed canyon on river right, downstream of Moki Canyon at about mile marker 96: Easy hike 0.98 miles GPS direct east in about 45 minutes from 3601' up to 4031' high point, a flat-topped remnant mesa on “peninsula” (lake on three sides). View SE straight up Moki Canyon mouth, SW to Halls Crossing and Navajo Mountain, north to Henry Mountains.

• Bullfrog area: “Monotithe” ridge SE of Bullfrog, ~4100'; fun, scenic; between Bullfrog Bay and Stanton Canyon; attain summit through cliffs from NW side or from N ridge (from Stanton Canyon road, above caves); thick river cobble caprock (done twice).
  Sept. 2001: Anchored W of N end of “Monotithe” in muddy cove; it looked close, but we just got to the base in 15 minutes; too steep to climb NW side and too far to the N ridge before sunset.
• Bullfrog area: Nice slickrock hiking, say for sunset, within 1 mile, N of marina, on the same side of the bay.

DOWNSTREAM OF BULLFROG

• (!) Halls Bay: Mesa on island, 3825' high point, between Halls and Bullfrog Bays, SW end of Bullfrog Bay just upstream of shortcut/island (at 3687'+), NW of “Garys Rock”; hike W and N from SE of high point; fun, short hike up slickrock gully to lots of river cobble and nice views of area.
• Halls Bay: Island (at high water), S end between Halls and Bullfrog Bays, SW end of Bullfrog Bay, SW of “Garys Rock”; nice short walk on sand and gravel around top of large, relatively flat island.
• (!) “Sally’s Cove”: 3967' high point above cliffs E of cove, river left at mile marker 92A; excellent surreal night view of marinas by full moon.
• Miner's steps: downstream of Lake Canyon, main channel river right around the corner just before cliff wall starts, covered at high water, easiest to spot when even or downstream of them; they go up over the top, easy slickrock climb up-and-out.
• Downstream from Lake Canyon: 4152' high point ESE of unnamed cove river left at mile marker 86A around left turn downstream from Lake Canyon stretch, upstream from Annie’s Canyon; short hike up, nice views; many pools of water after recent rains.
• (!) Elephant Arch, river right, main channel downstream from Annie’s Canyon a short distance; doable from a bit downstream around corner up flooded gully, with skiboat dropoff, at least at 3687'+; very brief hike up slickrock gully (~15 minutes). Can get both above and below arch, latter a bit exposed to reach (friction around corner), but a gorgeous view from there. Looks like elephant’s head from downstream looking upstream. Look for cairn (“pimple”) on elephant’s head.
• Alice Cove: Up narrow gully to upper “flats” from left rear of small finger with nice Alice J Arch (covered at high water, named by Stan Jones for his wife, who “discovered” it), main channel river left at mile marker 83 (between Annie’s and Slickrock Canyons). About 20 minutes brisk climb and bushwhack out of the gully, and later went another 40 minutes NE to isolated 4461' high point with excellent view and a 1959 USGS survey marker W of the summit.
• (!) Slickrock Canyon, unnamed Anasazi ruins, roof still included, just SW of 4310' point; not the fenced ruins, but further upstream high above river right just at end at high water; 15 minutes one way from high water; last 20 feet to ruins requires scrambling (done many times).
  November 2002: These ruins are now fenced off, and a new interpretive sign names this the name Mistake Alcove for no given reason.
• (!) Slickrock Canyon, ~2 miles (1 hr+) E from high water up main canyon past two S side branches to lovely pool and ~150' waterfall at end, via decent trail on N side; some scrambling and bushwhacking near end. Intense fire 980623 burned from high water through most of canyon, leaving stark beauty in 9807 -- black skeletons of cottonwoods, huge holes from burned out cottonwood stumps, “ghost tree” ash piles, etc.
• “Not Annie’s Canyon” up-and-out at rear onto Waterpocket Fold; “thread the needle” through cliffs starting river right in cove near rear; pass Double Echo Canyon enroute (done twice).
• “Slope” bump: 4172' high point on tower at base of Waterpocket Fold across from New Spall, somewhat upstream of Iceberg Canyon; challenging scramble from rear (away from lake).
• (!) Waterpocket Fold (the “Slope Hike”); long, 1400' gain; start from coves in bottom of “Slope”; across from Iceberg Canyon, or from back of finger just upstream of 4172' point at base of “Slope”; access to “Camera Butte”, 5102' (topo map, not on boating chart) from N side (easy) and “Island in the Sky”, 5200'+ (37 20'43.8" -110 47'29.9"), from S side (tough); slept on top of “Camera Butte” once. Also worth going S to overlook enormous cliff (37 20'05.4" -110 47'45.7") and great view of Rincon. (Done many times.)
  August 2001: Started from NE of 4172' high point, just at the “edge” of the Slope; one hour across red gullies including a natural bridge to a big broken-rock gully halfway up the Slope at N end, and up through this and over and back down somewhat and then up again, through Navajo sandstone terrain, and visited 5300' (?) high point (37 21'24.2" -110 47'41.2") 0.8 mi GPS N of “Island in the Sky” for the second time; incredible view from Bullfrog Bay to Rincon and beyond to San Juan and Navajo Mountain; down in 1:30 around “Island in the Sky”.
• (!) Iceberg Canyon: “Doug’s Cathedral”, 10 minute hike/bushwhack at 3687'+; at end of right fork (beyond several right fingers), SE of 4621' point; brushy hike in to an incredible amphitheater, ~900' below surrounding plateau (done several times); can also view it from high above either flank by climbing up steep walls (37 17'03.1" -110 44'00.0"). On November 28, 2003, the hike took over an hour one way from end of water near fork, at lake level 3601', about 1.0 mi GPS direct.
• (!) ICESRF: Iceberg second right finger, 0.77 miles GPS, ~45 minutes one way from brushy end at high water up and down on decent braided trails to huge sandy flat, gardens, and pool; probably the biggest amphitheater at the lake, bigger than even “Doug’s Cathedral”, with a comparable 600-700' drop from the rim. You can also overlook this spot. Awesome cave on river left along the way, not very big by Powell standards, but the greatest depth-to-height ratio I’ve seen at the lake.
• Flying Eagle Arch (also called “Kissing Elephants”, Doug Baskins thinks that was the original name prior to Stan Jones, but Jones says the arch was formally renamed in the 1990’s for its discoverer, Harry Aleson), SE of 4541' high point, direct or loop from Rincon upstream arm or from Flying Eagle Cove (name found on a different map); ~1 hour each way. Visible from lake if you know where to look, on Navajo bump downstream of Iceberg Canyon and Flying Eagle Cove, upstream of Rincon upstream arm; study map; access from Flying Eagle Cove up to right of arch through cliffs (neat caves here) and then left on top (done several times). Can also hike from sand dune in Rincon upstream arm back through Kayenta/Wingate cliffs and around. Excellent views but non-trivial hiking.
• Rincon: Up steep terrain out of Rincon, E side (river right) of upstream arm, from top of huge sand dune (yes you can get through the Kayenta/Wingate cliffs from there) to overlook Iceberg Canyon first right finger and reach 4288' point (tricky route, challenging, but < 2 hours one way). This is also one route (a longer way) to Flying Eagle Arch (done at least twice).
• Rincon: Around the Rincon, either direction, along floor of old oxbow; long, sandy. River used to flow around it, but now the high point is at the back due to erosion.
• Rincon: Up jeep road out of the Rincon bowl (nice views); pick up road at rear of upstream arm and follow up and out SE side near rear of oxbow; can get to Flying Eagle Arch or Iceberg Canyon this way, but it’s quite long.

On Sept. 27, 1999, we did the “Iceberg Canyon Grand Tour”, at least the first half; ~15 miles, 14 hours, overlooking the canyon at four points (with some steep slickrock ups and downs in between them):
1. ICESRF, the single most spectacular viewpoint at the lake, where you can peer over an overhang at the pouroff straight down ~600'; rocks take 7.5 seconds to fall from the pouroff, and can be watched the whole way. About 3 hours one way from the trailhead in the Rincon, up the road. GPS and/or map highly recommended, it’s not obvious where to head after you turn left off the road near a local high point.
2. ICESRL, not as impressive an overlook; the pouroff itself is inaccessible in a narrow slot, and the canyon below appears too choked to hike.
3. “Doug’s Cathedral”; you can’t see the cathedral itself from the pouroff, but must continue E around the rim to either a precarious, close viewpoint, or 10-15 minutes further to a straight-up-the-valley viewpoint from across the canyon; a total of ~2 hours one way beyond ICESRF, and requires at least a 14 mile total round trip hike. This point is tough to reach from anywhere; see also about hiking from the San Juan area.
4. ICESRR, ~1.5 hours back around NW from ICESRF; many very deep potholes in the drainage before the pouroff, and a nice pool right near the edge. Gorgeous view down, but curiously the main pouroff is not at the very back of the canyon, illustrating that these canyons are formed more by seepage erosion than waterfalls.
We did not continue from ICESRR to ICEFRF that day.
But on Sept. 16, 2002, completed the Iceberg Canyon Grand Tour Part 2 in 10:45, up the Rincon road, to ICESRF, then to ICESRR, then N over the 4687' high point and down to ICEFRF; then to the cliff looking N to Flying Eagle Arch, up S and W over the slickrock to overlook the Rincon again, and N and E to Flying Eagle Arch; finally down to Flying Eagle Cove for ski boat pickup (difficult downclimb in dryfalls at low water).
• Rincon: Up the Rincon center island, 4880'+; wild climb, near technical at top, 3 hrs for 1000'. (From map: 37 18'22.1" -110 47'40.1") Ascend gully through cliffs on NE side of island; watch for cairns through top of Kayenta/Wingate layer; then around either direction to high saddle in Navajo sandstone S of highest point (between two highest knobs); up and down (“thread the needle”) N to the summit. There’s just one way to get there, with ~6 short semi-technical sections... (Done twice, both times in summer!)
• Rincon: Up steep terrain out of Rincon, W side, via huge sand dune, 1:10 to high point. Rugged climb, but cairns from top of N-most dune to upper shelf; easier but still rugged 15 minutes further S from other dune top. Thence N to gully at NE end of cliff, up to pillars and incredible view. No exit to higher terrain found in this area, just two dead ends, but gully bottom is boulder-choked and interesting.
• Near Rincon: Petrified wood in Chinle Formation, various points river right N and NW of Rincon below cliffs, at or high above waterline, also at “Alan’s Petrified Forest”. Interesting hiking up toward cliffs below “Slope”; weird badlands terrain, tunnels, undercuts. Caution, poor traction on mudstone!
• (!) Bowns Canyon: Well-constructed trail(!) starts at high water, river left, cove at bend in Bowns in sight of fork with Long Canyon; leads in just 20 min past unusual archaeological ruins warning marker (but no sites spotted) to very pretty flats and amphitheaters on purple top of Kayenta below Navajo cliffs. Can hike back left to overlook cliff or climb to “balcony” below higher cliffs for sunset view; hike further left around corner to springs and view far up Bowns; or hike right and climb up, out of amphitheater to neat walk along base of Navajo cliffs to far end; drop down and continue around corner for view up Long Canyon; could continue on shelf between rock layers, but not clear how far. At water line, can get out of Bowns, but both fingers of Long Canyon end at dry falls not far from high water.

Oct 1, 1999, hiked ~2 miles up Bowns past major right fork; very pretty with unusual perennial creek, springs, side grottos, etc. and reasonably easy hiking. Climbed high to the top of a steep talus field on river right ~0.5 miles upstream of the major right fork before returning. Several possible exit points.
June 19, 2000, "Bowns to Explorer Canyon Grand Tour", hiked ~3 mi up Bowns past previous limit; much drier than last fall, but still some welcome pools; no easy exit found until a large amphitheater, river right ~1 mi beyond previous, with old stock gate at the top. Easy exit! And easy ~1.2 mi further up across crest and then down to overlook Explorer Canyon and Zane Grey Arch, total 4.5 hours one way from start, 8.0 hours round trip.
On July 20, 2002, hiked ~1 mi up Long Canyon (one fast hour from trailhead in Bowns) following a pretty good track (possibly ancient) around above the cliffs, to above amphitheater at end of Long above high water. Gorgeous view and the canyons kept going.
Later that day, walked up Long Canyon from high water (3638') 10-15 minutes on sand to pretty amphitheater, pool, and huge “altar stone” at end (left fork). Surrounding cliffs appear ultimately impassable.
On November 30, 2003, walked up to end again, this time in 50 minutes from 3601'.
• Downstream of Rincon: Up-and-out through cliffs to high points on huge peninsula, rarely visited, NW of Rincon from deepest of ~8 coves, just upstream of mile marker 72 (downstream of mile marker 72A), river left; topo map shows creek into this cove (canyon); area possibly inaccessible any other way due to cliffs; ~1 hour one way NE to overlook cliffs above 3 miles stretch of river W of Rincon. Difficult traversal E from there but possible, by going lower (SE), to higher points (reached 4620'); complex terrain, hard to interpret; cliffs block access to river E of starting point.
• (!) Upstream of Escalante: Main channel river left ~2 miles upstream from Escalante, hidden side canyon; left fork, relatively short but hard bouldery/bushwhacky climb from end up to beautiful springs and small creek.
• Upstream of Escalante: Main channel river right ~1 mi, small cove (at 3607'), hike/scramble up and out above high water mark, toward cliffs, and toward a small “Eden” without a pool. To the right just before this spring, uphill to a narrow cleft partially hidden by bushes is an almost-cave eroded from a deep crack between boulders. Also above this point is an almost-too-steep scramble up slickrock and then zig-zag on neat ledges to eye level with a very high cove with what appears to be broken down ruins but probably isn’t. No “exit” up and out seen here, although possibly continuing down and upstream you might eventually get fully out.

• (!) Moriahs Arch is a short walk from a nearby nice mooring site, if not underwater. Attempted to find a way up-and-out through the slickrock behind the arch, upstream of the Heart Cave, but discovered it to be a bit too steep after an initial 10' climb through a broken cliff wall. Note: This campsite has an excellent view of Navajo Mountain downstream, and if it’s quiet enough you can hear 7-9 echoes from this point returning from up to 7-8 seconds away. Also, going directly uphill to the top of the talus field against the cliffs affords a very nice sunset view.

ESCALANTE RIVER

• Crushed ruin near waterfall: Small perennial spring and waterfall (marked on map) upstream of Cow Canyon, river right, is interesting to explore on foot from boat mooring spots nearby. Just upstream of the waterfall there’s a steep, precarious way to climb up ledges, around slickrock to left, and across rubble to the high point below cliffs about halfway out of the canyon, to a flattened ruin: Two logs and a 1" thick layer of leaf and twig debris under 18" of rock that apparently spalled off the wall -- hopefully after the dwelling was abandoned.
• (!) Cow Canyon to Escalante, or vice versa, a surprisingly big, narrow isthmus between the main channel and a bend in Cow Canyon upstream of the mouth of Cow Canyon, with trails on both sides. A bit steep but relatively short with ski boat drop-off and pickup.
• (!) Explorer Canyon: Relatively short hike, though bushwhacky and sandy, on decent trail, to pretty pool at end (best in morning before sun hits), ~1 hour; look for small Zane Grey Arch tucked high on left side (river right, take uppermost trail) ~2/3 of the way in (0.54 miles GPS direct from high water). A few petroglyphs beyond, (upstream) of arch.
• Fiftymile Canyon: Up-and-out, river left across from the “Bedroom”, up peninsula E of 4001' point.
• (!) Up-and-out E from peninsula E of Fiftymile Canyon (river left), to Pollywog Bench and overlook “Doug’s Sound Cave” (400' drop); look for hikable slickrock ~1 mile upstream of “Doug’s Finger”, same side; one very steep section just before bench, then cross bench to intersect the “Finger”; ~1 hour one way.
• Davis Gulch: Up past LaGorce Arch (37 18'40.9" -110 56'19.3") to end of water (37 18'04.6" -110 56'56.1") and thence to Bement Arch (from map: 37 17'02.9" -110 57'54.4", formerly called “Nemo (no-name) Arch•); ~1.6 miles direct from high water but a tough bushwhack, up and down on sand, braided trails; took 1:25 one way. Huge arch high up river left wall of Davis, a cross between Rainbow Bridge (for size and grace) and LaGorce Arch (for style). (Davis Gulch was named for John Davis, pioneer Mormon in Escalante, Utah.)
• Clear Creek: At the end, Cathedral in the Desert is underwater, never mind what some maps say. (37 17'19.2" -110 54'55.2" based on topo map, no GPS coverage down in the slot canyon itself!) From 3638' walked up to narrow polished serpentine slots (“pollywog pools”), stemmed up them, then walked on sand, up and over a big hill, to eventually reach a very pretty dead-end amphitheater and pool above high water, about 20 minutes one way.
  On three visits in 2003, I definitely identified the Cathedral: With the lake at 3607-3611' the water ended in a small pool just beyond the slot waterfall into the floor of the Cathedral. Snorkeled down 37' using a weighted line to reach the silty bottom. Depth was 49' in the middle of the area, indicating 12' of silt had poured over the waterfall and settled below. At 3611', you can walk a ways up the canyon to a previously underwater fall that might or might not be passable depending on silt buildup. At 3601', I jumped off the roof of a houseboat to the boulder to the right of the waterfall, moored the boat, and walked up again to the higher fall.

DOWNSTREAM OF ESCALANTE RIVER

• Near Escalante mouth: Shallow cave high above lake below 3922' point main channelriver left just downstream of Escalante mouth; fun slickrock to “balcony” perch. (Done thrice.)
• “Walking Rock Canyon”, dead-end U-shaped finger in Navajo sandstone, ~1 mile long, downstream across from Escalante (river left), just upstream of high pillar with rounded cap; 30 min one way up to small “Walking Rock” just S of 4415' point. Done four times; rock discovered in May 1992, still standing in July 2002, but no longer standing (sigh) by November 2003. I found the rock itself but the legs were gone.
• Unnamed canyon between “Walking Rock Canyon” and “Twin Edens Canyon” features a possible up-and-out on the center sandstone rib, rare for this area, although quite steep, plus a forming buttress arch cave on the N wall and some Anasazi flakes and metates in the cave to the left of that one. Relatively short walk up from the lake.
• (!) “Twin Edens Canyon”, about 40 minutes stroll from low water on river right above Kayenta sandstone at base of Navajo, past view of Bell Tower Window, to a remarkably deep pool, nearly subterranean, with long waterfalls down slickrock from both forks, each of which ends in a lush garden and spring (although no plunge pools). The right fork's Eden includes an upside down U shaped cave above with a tree growing in it. (Done twice, second time also to top of debris pile in left fork, near what looks like but is not a ruin high above the pool below.)
• (!) Hole in the Rock (well-known), main channel river right; can be done in 17 minutes from high water in cool weather, but 45 minutes is more typical; fun scramble up old Mormon route. (Done four times?)
• (!) “Golden Arches” (really Hi-Lo Arch, not on map but says in register) near Cottonwood Canyon mouth; great slickrock hike to double arch! 20 min one way, but requires ski boat drop-off in cove off main channel, river left, upstream of Register Rocks, upstream of Cottonwood mouth, just SE of 3922' point; then route-finding up and down SE across gullies to arch; can get under and over both arches; nice views. (Done twice.) (A thunderstorm on August 3, 1999, created an awesome waterfall through the arch, as seen from lake.)
• Cottonwood Canyon: Overlook point above cliff above Cottonwood Canyon; 30 min one way, slickrock, very steep and exposed; start past (downstream) cliff, river right, just before canyon makes sharp left to mouth, well downstream of left finger. (Cottonwood Canyon was previously known as Cedar Creek Canyon and Cottonwood Valley.)
• (!) Cottonwood Canyon: Moki steps and pretty pool, at rear of first left finger (only major branch); steps up wall, right corner, at left subfinger (airy, but easier than most); pool at right subfinger (done twice, second time went up moki steps, not much above there).
• Near Llewelyn Gulch mouth: river left from cove at base of Navajo cliffs ~0.5 mi upstream from mouth, easy scramble to relatively flat area perhaps 3/4 mi across, no exit found, but Anasazi hunter camp (lots of various agate shards in a small area plus some old stoneworks) at base of Navajo cliffs; nice overlook of Cottonwood Canyon mouth and up to Hole in the Rock; could get somewhat higher but cliffed out.
• (!) Near San Juan mouth: “Sandy Beach” hike, main channel river right at mile marker 59; sandstone friction to high overlook (“balcony”) above cliff. Start from sandy back of cove, right side; hike up trail onto slickrock at right; follow way up around cliffs to access top terrain, then cut back left to cliff overlook; 700' drop? (Done at least twice.)
• (!) Jack’s Arch, back of finger off San Juan river right just upstream from mouth; short walk on trails (at right of arch) from end at high water; can get both below and above this arch (latter around to left side). (Done many times.)

Can also hike/climb way back above the arch to backs of two pretty glens, one above the arch, the other (spectacularly decorated) to the left, upstream relative to the main channel. Narrow path through rocks leads up from arch, or use large debris pile more to the left all the way up from lake level.
• Near Jack’s Arch, last cove river left downstream before San Juan, ~0.5 miles from the arch, hard to describe. Found moki steps in excellent condition (ancient or recent?) leading up through short cliff to a large upper slickrock area below highest cliffs. Rope helpful for comfort on descent; unsure if there’s any other way down from this area. Hiked downstream to huge “balanced rock” and “arch” on the point between the main channel and San Juan, then out (S) on faint trails to a high slickrock bump with an excellent view up both rivers. No ruins or markings seen.

SAN JUAN RIVER

• San Juan Chinle Formation, ~3 miles downstream of Zahn Bay (37 12'30.1" -110 35'25.4"), river right, large area of whitish/gray mudstone; interesting canyon, much petrified wood, hiked ~1/2 miles into it.
• Alcove Canyon, ~1.5 miles N to end, no exit; bushwhack, some glens. (Mouth: 37 16'35.5" -110 41'27.7".)
• Downstream of Alcove Canyon: Unnamed finger river right off San Juan downstream of Alcove Canyon, E of 4369' point; can hike way back on river left but no exit found; one tough scramble (“Alan’s Alley”) leads to cliff; crack river left closer to main channel gives technical exit with exposure (used rope, 9810). From water to jeep road and local high point on Wilson Mesa ~2:50 total; then ~2 miles further N to overlook “Doug’s Cathedral” in Iceberg Canyon in 1:20. This is definitely the hard but entertaining way to overlook the “Cathedral”! Approx 46 miles by rivers, 2.4 (difficult) miles one way direct. See also the Iceberg Canyon Grand Tour.
• Piute Canyon bay, N side, up cliff from cove at S end of “cape” toward highest point; tough climb; semi-technical crack through Kayenta/Wingate. Complex highlands beyond cliffs; no easy way to very top of Navajo bumps; ~1 hour to highest point on cliff. Saw and left a 4-finger, 6-point antler near top of route; explored NW into major gully with impassable cliffs at head in Navajo.
• Piute Canyon bay, N side, around cove to high point on small peninsula to view bay and cliffs; 45 min round trip.
• Piute Canyon bay, N side, ~0.5 mi W of previous site, up talus to cliff base, nice view, but no exit.
• Piute Canyon bay, Neskahi Wash, walk up from W of mouth, lots of petrified wood, around cone-shaped bump, and drop through cliffs into gully above high water, continue walk up wash past small dry fall with burro trail on river left, then up to second larger dry fall (climbed it, but trail goes river left again) and further to turnaround point (Neskahi Wash continues further for miles), 1.0 mi GPS from water at 3667'; easy walk, lots of fossil wood, some shade.
• Piute Canyon bay, three unnamed gullies/washes (one called “Lost Sail Cove”) SW of Neskahi Wash, S to petrified wood; Navajos disallow collecting (done four times).
  Aug 2001: Continued up through petrified forest to flatter sandstone area, then more Chinle with huge blackened fossil logs, to more sandstone below cliffs; left to obvious talus slope, steep but burros get around on it, to just left (E) of pinnacles; narrow “sky sidewalk” here with cairn; E to high point; then S 0.5 mi GPS further to 5286' high point on cliff overlooking Neskahi Wash, incredible view; then down more directly around terrain to finger canyon S of pinnacles, dropping W, bushy but direct, to flats above Chinle again; 7.0 hrs round trip (leisurely), 1600' gain.
• (!) Piute Canyon, river right off canyon near mouth, high butte with long N ridge all the way out and down to the lake. No good way sighted up butte, but very interesting hike down the sharp ridge from lowest sandstone pinnacles, with sheer dropoffs to E side, and petrified wood here and there; < 1 hr one way from water.
• Piute Canyon, river left, cove near main channel with small spring (“waterfall”), ~1/2 hr up steep, loose donkey trails or rocks to impassible Kayenta/Wingate cliffs and shady spots, with nice view.
• (!) Peekaboo Arch (“rim arches”, unnamed on map but named in register), four holes, 700' drop! ~1-1.5 hours one way, scrambling, slickrock, from cove in NE end of oxbow in San Juan E of Wilson Creek, just NW of 4286' point; get to flats above Kayenta/Wingate cliffs, then NE along and in drainage up to tree-dotted gully visible from lake; follow cairns NE from top up and across Navajo dunes. Probably single best arch hike at Powell! Unmarked 9609; showing much trail “development” by 9807. (Done four times.)
• San Juan oxbow: Up gully N ~15 minutes to dry fall from cove just NW of N end of island in San Juan oxbow; pretty little canyon.
• Unnamed finger E of Wilson Creek, from cove river left ~0.5 mi from mouth, with obvious purple dry fall just above high water, and many dead trees (muddy and tough anchoring); pass first dry fall on either side (easier on left) to second dry fall, semi-technical scramble but found 1/2" nylon rope in Aug 2001; then friction, boulder, and bushwhack up and out the rest of the deep slot; then a short distance across and up to 4322' high point W of oxbow and overlooking it, with small arch on summit; 35 minutes to top. Great view, interesting outing with lots of variety. Short side-trip on return to overlook upper end of unnamed finger.
• (!) Wilson Creek “water slide”, honorable mention though it's not a hike; perennial stream with nice slickrock slide into the lake, best at 3690' or so; also jumping-off ledges; usually a rope here (hard climb) to use the slide.
  August 2001: With lake level at 3667', ~3' of scummy water below enormously high waterfall, no way to climb up. (Starting a hike from here requires a high lake level.)
  May 2003: At 3607', the “water slide” is a bit of a hike, about 20 minutes one way, first on sand and silt, then on rock after the lake has been down long enough to flush the drainage. It’s quite beautiful in its natural state.
• Wilson Creek mouth area, NE of peninsula and E of short canyon upstream of Wilson, found easy scramble up one rock-filled gully and around W and NW to come down another gully river left in Wilson Creek just upstream of mouth, then back via burro trails just above water, 3.0 hours round trip.
• (!) Wilson Creek mouth area, river right from downstream of peninsula, up obvious slopes ~35 min with a bit of scrambling to overlook cliffs on NE side of Cha Canyon bay. Relatively easy access to a very impressive view.
  Aug 2001: Second time, ~40 min to cliff, then ~1 mi W along it up to talus slope, then up to 4722' point on Wilson Mesa and big cairn, a nice walk along the cliff.
• (!) Cha Canyon bay, S side, up old Navajo (?) trail just W (downstream) of Trail Canyon (look with binocs for trail wall segments); lowest part of trail swept away by slide; primitive trail reaches it from further downstream. Once on flats above, proceed W (downstream) up 2 more high points to 4714' point above cliff, excellent views all directions including Navajo Mountain; ~1.5 hours one way.
  June 23, 2000: continued 10 min down W to overlook Cha Canyon mouth, then S along river right rim of Cha, remarkably easy walking, toward Navajo Mountain, past big cairns, to another constructed trail down into Cha left fork ~1 mi up from petroglyphs. Under 3 hours from high point to petroglyphs. ATV tracks and some trash on the plateau (sigh). May 27, 2003: Hiked it in the other direction, from Cha to Trail, in 7 hours at a slow pace (and hot weather). The Navajo trail near Trail Canyon was rapidly eroding and becoming little better than the raw hillside.
• Cha Canyon bay, N side, route through Kayenta/Wingate cliffs to Wilson Mesa, 4722' high point on Navajo bump with huge (5' high) cairn visible from lake; great views, not very long, rather steep and loose; scrambling, some exposure; sharp gray limestone caprock at cairn.
  August 2001: Visited second time from W at Wilson Creek mouth area; see above.
• (!) Cha Canyon petroglyphs; moderate; start from end of water, follow creekbed; petroglyphs scattered on boulders between streams beyond main fork, ~30 min one way; one large Navajo (?) glyph along the stream. (Done several times.)
• Cha Canyon bay, N side from W side of cape; possible to scramble E then N through cliffs to 4370' high point. I did this from just E of the cape, all the way to the top crux move in 40 minutes one way. There's only one way through the top of the cliff, right at the point; an airy step across a 30' deep hole to the last 8' up behind a boulder. Excellent view of course. Found a single piece of fossil wood just above high water here, the only piece I’d ever found on the N side of Cha Bay.
• Cha Canyon bay: Up to base of “Clock Rock” from NE side; impressive chasm; difficult scramble on huge, loose boulders; short distance up from end at high water. (Done twice.)
• “Not Cha Canyon”: Up and out at rear, river right, through cliffs, SE to base of cliffs.
• Bald Rock Canyon: Short hike/scramble through modest cliff to top of a dryfall ~100' above high water; thence very flat, pleasant walk up streambed mostly on purple top of Kayenta sandstone, below Navajo hills and cliffs, with some small dryfalls and sandy stretches. Went ~2 mi to 4040', 1.5 mi GPS direct, to larger dryfall and pretty pool below a pillar. Canyon just keeps on going “forever” toward Navajo Mountain.

• Nasja waterfall “Honorable mention”: On July 31, 2003, with the lake at 3607', heavy rain on E side of Navajo Mountain produced a spectacular 120' tall, 200' wide flash flood waterfall over the impassable U-shaped cliff at the “end” of Nasja.

• San Juan “shortcut”: Across isthmus (boat drop-off/pick-up) several miles up San Juan at gooseneck between 4204' and 3922' points; much longer hike than you’d think due to cliffs on both sides; must exit water just SW of 4204' point and hike to water about due W of 3958' point.

DOWNSTREAM OF SAN JUAN RIVER

• Music Temple Canyon, Butterfly Arch; hour or less one way from obvious starting point below and slightly downstream of arch; steep slickrock. Requires ski boat dropoff, and maybe high water too.
• Music Temple Canyon, up and out river right near end at high water, look for obvious slope, to overlook San Juan mouth; dangerously steep section on descent.
• Oak Bay, A 4138' point NE of “mouth” of bay, more or less across from the biggest island, just S of a somewhat hidden cove (nice at 3607' but tough anchoring). Reaching this point requires comfort on barely-doable steep slickrock; took me 1:15 up with exploring, but only 28 minutes down knowing the route.
• Twilight Canyon: Up and out to Eye Arch; single route, river left, near high water only (OK at 3687'+), just upstream “Twilight Arch” (not formally named; under high water, base ~3662'), E and slightly S of 4138' point W of canyon, N of more obvious but impossible “gap” between Twilight and main channel. Ski boat dropoff required. Route has section of steep slickrock followed by narrow slot requiring long, hard stem to ascend/descend. Short walk from there NE to arch; under 1 hr total from water. Arch is enormous, much bigger and higher (~400') than it appears from water. Also nice views W into Twilight at several points.
• (!) Oak Bay, 4103' butte W of bay, from NE side; short, steep slickrock and cobbles, great views.
• (!) Oak Bay, main island in bay, from SW side; steep slickrock and cobbles, ~10 min to top, great views; nice place to watch sunset on Navajo Mountain.
  Warning, some maps seem to have Oak Canyon and Secret Canyon reversed; I'm certain the one upstream of the bay is Secret Canyon.
• (!) Secret Canyon (mouth: 37 07'23.4" -110 57'27.2"): Up main fork or left finger when no risk of flash floods. Incredibly long and narrow slot canyon for ski boating. Able to (carefully) bring ski boat to moor on sand in main fork at 3691'. Later started near fork at 3638' and hiked in one hour past wading pools on mostly rounded cobbles well grouted by sand, past best slots below high water and a two-way fork to an open area (37 06'02.6" -110 57'16.1") with 3-way fork about 300' above lake level (and the canyon kept going). Numerous possible up-and-outs noted.
• (!) Rainbow Bridge National Monument (short), well known (done many times). At 3607' it was ~1 mile and took 25 minutes to reach the bridge from the courtesy dock. I highly recommend going very early in the day, not only to avoid boat wakes in Bridge Canyon and people at the bridge, but also because early morning light is very nice on the bridge.
• Carrot Top Arch, high above the main channel on river left, hikeable from slickrock center finger of Little Arch Canyon, one hour, fairly straightforward. Nice large span, great view. No evidence whatsoever of prior visits in July, 2003, except for Stan Jones inscription, August 9, 1973, on wall left of arch, apparently when he named it for a red-headed friend.
• Balanced Rock Canyon, short hike E up slickrock and through Carmel rubble to the base of the Entrada sandstone fin between Balanced Rock and Klondike. Skirted N along the E side of the fin and down to the back of Klondike Cove at cliffs. Nice views down and across to Carrot Top Arch.
• Rock Creek Canyon, first right fork (a major side-canyon), at the back, up sandy beach (at 3607') to a narrow slot; then up ~300' nearly to top of Entrada sandstone; serious stemming, scrambling, and climbing over chockstones, to an open area with no good exit higher (but some evidence others had done it); saw a simpler slope downstream river right from the back of the canyon.
• Main channel river right downstream of Friendship Cove, promontory WNW of channel marker M, ~500' up steep talus and slickrock through Entrada sandstone to high point at base of impassable cliffs; great view; 45 minutes up, 35 minutes down.

HIKES I WOULD LIKE TO DO

• Warm Springs Canyon: Cool slickrock area spotted main channel river right, just upstream of Warm Springs; reach 4230'; high point?
• Smith Fork mouth: Out of main channel near mouth, downstream, river right; saw a friction slope out of the lake.
• ICESRF waterfall: If we are so fortunate as to be in the area for a major rain and can race up to the end of the canyon in time, it would be incredible to see this waterfall flowing. Difficult to get there if the water is low enough to form a separate lake behind Sallys Pocket.
• “Slope”: All the way up the Waterpocket Fold from “Not Annie’s Canyon”; long; been up to the top already from the “Slope Hike”.
• Rincon to Escalante: Hike from Rincon WSW one way across peninsula to near Escalante mouth; is there a way through the cliffs downstream? None spotted, but one huge cove overlooked river left, upstream of Escalante might offer a route (dubious).
• Long Canyon: Go further than previous 1-hour hike.
• Escalante: Up and out at new places; several spotted, such as W up peninsula to 4102' point just downstream, river right, from Willow Creek.
• (!) Escalante, further up Davis Gulch; either exit to right (river left) at fence just past high water and hike on high ground to above Bement Arch, all the way to the Hole in the Rock Road (~4 miles); or, bushwhack up the gulch past Bement (slow going). Reputed to be technical slots with no exit ~3 miles up from high water.
• Willow Creek: Up slot canyon; watch for flash floods. Visit Broken Bow Arch.
• Escalante: Up from water’s end; went to point 15 feet deep at 3697', many logs and overgrown, hard to reach end by boat? Would like to visit Stevens Arch; very long?
• (!) Wilson Creek, San Juan, to Cottonwood Canyon (or vice versa), ~8 miles one way?
• Secret Canyon: Go up even further than previous 1-hour hike.
• Forbidding Canyon: In July 2000, Dave Boyd said: “One of our anchoring spots was at the very end... We were dubious about finding a spot, since it's adjacent to Rainbow Bridge. But apparently everyone else also thought it would be crowded and stayed away. I hiked a mile or so up. I was able to hike from the houseboat after wading thigh-high a few yards across the channel. There is a huge cathedral not too far up. In fact, high water probably extends to it. After that, it gets to be soft sand along the streambed. I went back to an open area that has a hanging valley coming in to it. It appeared possible to go for a long ways...”
• Anasazi Canyon: Up canyon past broken debris, one of few possible exit points.

ARCHES WORTH LISTING

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