Utah national parks trip in June
We will be visiting a few of Utah's national parks in June for the first time. Over two weeks, we will be staying in Zion, Bryce, Grand Staircase/Escalante, and then Arches/Moab (in that order). Reser...
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For hiking trailertravelers hiking link has some good ones.
Outside of Escalante peekaboo, spooky and brimstone make a nice trio of slot hikes and nothing crazy. Spooky and Brimstone are just walks in the park although in some places tight walks in the park. Peekaboo perhaps the most scenic of the 3 is a bit more difficult as it involves a bit of scrambling crawling and twisting in places. However if you can get up in it you will be fine from there on. Also as you come down in the canyon from the trail head you can go up canyon into a nice canyon nothing like the other 3 but nice. There is also Tunnel and Zebra slots short slots but nice. More adventurous try Egypt 3 slot. Another nice walk is Harris Canyon. Driving out to Hole In the Rock (the same road all the previous slots are on) is kind of a kick especially if you read the book Hole In the Rock the adventure of the Mormons traveling from Escalante to the Bluff/Blanding area. When you see the Hole and know that they took wagons down it you will just scratch your head wondering. Also Calf Creek Falls upper and lower are not bad. The lower puts you at the bottom of the falls in a pool.
Over by Bryce (just south of Kodachrome) you have 3 slots that come to mind that while not a walk in the park are not difficult. One is Round Valley Draw this is a great one. You get the feel immediately as you descend into the crack after that the occasional choke stone to get over, around or under but except for a couple it is easy walking. Then you have Bull Valley Gorge nothing really hard here unless full of water then careful stepping should get you through ok when under the bridge make sure and look up at the truck that is up in it that in the 50's rolled down the opposite side hill and wedged in there (unfortunately several people died in that accident). Also Sheep creek there is an easy one though not as dramatic as the other two.
One of the Grand daddy slots is Buckskin Gulch down to the Paria and then up the Paria to the trail head. This is a fairly easy hike but it is very long from end to end. You could easily go in from either trail head and go in as far as you want then turn around and still see some good stuff.
Zion- the Narrows is a must do if you can, the farther you go up it the better it gets but even if you only go 1/2 a mile it is worth it. Angels Landing is another good hike there. The Subway is also an excellent hike but you will get wet, you will have to do some swimming if going all the way through but if you just travel up it from the lower trail head it is easy walking and you can get to the Subway proper without swimming anything, it is nice.
Moab area good hikes in the Needles District Druid Arch, Chesler Park, Devils Kitchen even if you only take the trail a mile worth it. 4wd trails Moab full of them many of them fairly hardcore but some easy ones as well. Gemini Bridges comes to mind as an easy one. Also the Schaefer trail not really 4wd just high clearance but a great drive as is the Long Canyon Trail down from Deadhorse Point which is a must see if in Moab You can loop Long Canyon and Schaefer for a loop or both end up on the Potash road that goes into Moab. On the South side of the River try Kane Creek up to Hurrah Pass and beyond if wanted it will take you all the way to the Needles District through Lockhart Basin. 4wd required but only in places.
So many things to do in those areas not enough time to do them all in a lifetime it seems.
Outside of Escalante peekaboo, spooky and brimstone make a nice trio of slot hikes and nothing crazy. Spooky and Brimstone are just walks in the park although in some places tight walks in the park. Peekaboo perhaps the most scenic of the 3 is a bit more difficult as it involves a bit of scrambling crawling and twisting in places. However if you can get up in it you will be fine from there on. Also as you come down in the canyon from the trail head you can go up canyon into a nice canyon nothing like the other 3 but nice. There is also Tunnel and Zebra slots short slots but nice. More adventurous try Egypt 3 slot. Another nice walk is Harris Canyon. Driving out to Hole In the Rock (the same road all the previous slots are on) is kind of a kick especially if you read the book Hole In the Rock the adventure of the Mormons traveling from Escalante to the Bluff/Blanding area. When you see the Hole and know that they took wagons down it you will just scratch your head wondering. Also Calf Creek Falls upper and lower are not bad. The lower puts you at the bottom of the falls in a pool.
Over by Bryce (just south of Kodachrome) you have 3 slots that come to mind that while not a walk in the park are not difficult. One is Round Valley Draw this is a great one. You get the feel immediately as you descend into the crack after that the occasional choke stone to get over, around or under but except for a couple it is easy walking. Then you have Bull Valley Gorge nothing really hard here unless full of water then careful stepping should get you through ok when under the bridge make sure and look up at the truck that is up in it that in the 50's rolled down the opposite side hill and wedged in there (unfortunately several people died in that accident). Also Sheep creek there is an easy one though not as dramatic as the other two.
One of the Grand daddy slots is Buckskin Gulch down to the Paria and then up the Paria to the trail head. This is a fairly easy hike but it is very long from end to end. You could easily go in from either trail head and go in as far as you want then turn around and still see some good stuff.
Zion- the Narrows is a must do if you can, the farther you go up it the better it gets but even if you only go 1/2 a mile it is worth it. Angels Landing is another good hike there. The Subway is also an excellent hike but you will get wet, you will have to do some swimming if going all the way through but if you just travel up it from the lower trail head it is easy walking and you can get to the Subway proper without swimming anything, it is nice.
Moab area good hikes in the Needles District Druid Arch, Chesler Park, Devils Kitchen even if you only take the trail a mile worth it. 4wd trails Moab full of them many of them fairly hardcore but some easy ones as well. Gemini Bridges comes to mind as an easy one. Also the Schaefer trail not really 4wd just high clearance but a great drive as is the Long Canyon Trail down from Deadhorse Point which is a must see if in Moab You can loop Long Canyon and Schaefer for a loop or both end up on the Potash road that goes into Moab. On the South side of the River try Kane Creek up to Hurrah Pass and beyond if wanted it will take you all the way to the Needles District through Lockhart Basin. 4wd required but only in places.
So many things to do in those areas not enough time to do them all in a lifetime it seems.
