Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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OneSpeed
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Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by OneSpeed » January 12th, 2017, 1:33 pm

My brother has gotten the backpacking bug and is looking for a March destination while his wife and son hit the Gulf Coast beach. Seems like Utah/Arizona/New Mexico are great places for that time of year, but I have never backpacked down there -- hardly hiked at all.

Any suggestions for a fairly rookie backpacker to check out? Are the national parks all permitty like the ones up here? Anyway, if you have some suggestions or a few minutes to jump on the phone, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Paul

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UTurn
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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by UTurn » January 12th, 2017, 5:06 pm

We loved hiking through Arches, Bryce and Zion this past summer. March may be too early but look into it. It was spectacular!

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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by OneSpeed » January 12th, 2017, 6:58 pm

I just found out that backpacking in Arches is under a moratorium!

https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/ ... torium.htm

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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by drm » January 13th, 2017, 8:57 am

March can still be awfully cold over there. The key issue for backpacking The SW deserts of course is water. I've done some very short overnighters where I carried all the water I would need. The Paria Canyon in the far southwest of Utah has reliable water and is not hard hiking. There isn't really a trail, you just hike down the wide slot canyon, and occasionally wade across the river in at-most ankle deep water. The entire Paria is multiple days but there are options for shorter versions.

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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by VanMarmot » January 14th, 2017, 10:32 am

I'd second the Paria River. We did an easy loop in the Upper Paria last March and had a fun time of it (trip report). Water wasn't a problem provided we could find a clear side stream or a quite settled pool along the river - the river itself was very silty. And we were lucky with the weather - 3 clear, sunny days with only one below freezing night - but a few days after we got home, the whole area got hit with a big snowstorm/blizzard. The iconic hikes in this area are the Lower Paria - Buckskin loop (which we did years ago) and Coyote Gulch. The loop could be a very cold trip in March and is also demanding because it's not a good idea (and pretty hard) to camp in Buckskin Gulch. Coyote Gulch has become so popular and crowded that the BLM has had to install two pit toilets!

A more demanding option would be some or all of the Zion Traverse (details). But, again, weather can be a factor in March. I also had a problem getting permits for the various campsites. Seems March/April is Spring vacation and Zion is a popular destination.

Closer to home, you might consider the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon loop in Death Valley (details). It's been wet this year so the springs seem to be working again, which is not something that could be said for the last few years.

To my mind, the big challenges with backpacking in the SW in March are (1) the weather (can be cold and stormy), (2) water (none or silty or not near where you'd like to camp), and (3) Spring vacationers.

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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by naturallog » January 15th, 2017, 12:23 pm

OneSpeed wrote:I just found out that backpacking in Arches is under a moratorium!

https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/ ... torium.htm
In my opinion, Arches is not a backcountry/backpacking park. The highlights of the park are the larger arches themselves, many of which are accessible by frontcountry trails (and as VanMarmot suggests, accessed by a lot of people, from spring break onward). That said, if you will be in the area I strongly recommend making the trip to see the park in in a day-hiking capacity! Any backpacking experience you'll miss out on here can be paralleled elsewhere on BLM, in the Needles, or in my personal favorite, Capitol Reef National Park. Bryce might be pretty snowy still, as it's much higher in elevation. Zion seems like it's going be crowded year round for the indefinite future...

The parks in this neck of the woods are pretty permitty, which I think is primarily to protect the delicate landscape (don't bust the crust!), but it's becoming more competitive with increasing popularity of the region.

As far as weather concerns, I agree that there is some risk of cold weather and storms that could roll through, but I think it's worth the risk and less likely to hamper a trip. Arches lists the average high in March as 64 degrees, in Capitol Reef, the average high is 58.

I unfortunately can't speak much about Arizona and New Mexico!

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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by VanMarmot » January 16th, 2017, 8:43 am

I'd also suggest Anza Borrego State Park (details, more) or Hayford Peak just east of Las Vegas (details). In Anza Borrego, the Goat Canyon Trestle is worth a visit in its own right. Hayford is an easy overnight backpack, which you could extend to three days if you want to scramble up the peak. In Anza, you may have to carry water but there's water at the cabin below Hayford. But Hayford may have snow issues in March.

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Re: Backpacking in the Southwest: Seeking Advice

Post by Steve20050 » January 21st, 2017, 7:58 pm

I have spent some time in Utah and agree the scenery is spectacular.

I have spent a number of years living in AZ. At different time periods when the economy was bad here I would head down there. The state has an immense number of canyons. The weather issues described above are the same for AZ. March can be cold/snowy in the northern part of the state. Many places April is the best month of the year, just before it gets too hot.

I was fortunate at one point living there to get involved in a hiking club made up of teachers and school administrators. It was like hiking with an encyclopedia of information on history, geology, culture etc. :) Certainly a learning experience. They would get permits months out for places that would or could be problematic to visit.

Having said that places like the north rim of the Grand Canyon are closed and 8000 feet in elevation. You need to go farther south. The south rim of the canyon is open all year long as it is 1000? feet lower. The trail down inside has a lot of traffic. Phantom ranch at the bottom is reservations of course. I stayed there once with a rim to rim trip with the hiking group mentioned.

In the vicinity of south rim you also have the Havasupai Indian reservation. The trail down into this waterfall heaven is rocky and dry, but there is a reservation run "motel" and campgrounds. Again this was set up by that group, so they got reservations at the "motel'. I do think it easier to camp there. Expensive with a 35USD permit. As well as costs to camp. It is a beautiful and different experience.
Havasupai 001.jpg
Hiking group ready to head down.
Havasupai 002.jpg
If I recall correctly these rocks are at the village and the world ends when they fall.
Havasupai 003.jpg
One of 4 major waterfalls in the area.


Farther south is the Verde Valley. My father has a home in the area so I have been there numerous times over the years. What many of us considered the most beautiful canyon in this area was the West Fork of Oak Creek canyon to the north end of Verde Valley. A ten mile RT hike of pines and red sandstone. Or possible one way with some fords farther in.

The area unfortunately was burned a couple seasons ago, so I don't know the current situation or what survived.

Edited: I checked this for internet info: http://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/l ... /17308537/. Apparently the Slide Rock fire did little damage to West Fork, as originally believed. I have been down to AZ to see my dad, but his health is failing and I haven't wanted to run off to check this myself.

There is Sycamore canyon which is easy to hike, West Clear Creek, (that can involve water wading in places and some very demanding adventure ) as well as Wet Beaver Creek. I probably forget some here.
West Fork Oak Creek Canyon 001.jpg
Even winter hikes are enjoyable in the area.
West Fork Oak Creek Canyon 002.jpg
Beautiful stuff. This place encouraged me to see many other places.
West Fork Oak Creek Canyon 003.jpg
This place was one of a favorite for many years.
Sycamore Canyon  001.jpg
This canyon was the scene of people living back there and tales of Peyote back in the 70s.
Sycamore Canyon 002.jpg
The canyon is named after the local sycamore trees. My dad's place has 40 of them. Great shade in summer. Loose the leaves in winter for sunny days. Nice.
Sycamore Canyon 003.jpg
Water is certainly the key to enjoyable hikes in the canyons of the southwest.
West Clear Creek 001.jpg
I believe the west end is hiking to begin. My adventure was to drop down into the canyon from a topo map over view.
West Clear Creek 002.jpg
Fortunately for us the last drop had a rope. There were a couple government employees from Jerome that decided to grow dope in this canyon. The feds sat up on the rim and waited...
West Clear Creek 003.jpg
Beautiful inside this canyon. Tough to get around other than the west entrance.
Wet Beaver Creek 001.jpg
This place is right down the road from my father's house. Gives a good idea of what water can do.
Wet Beaver Creek 002.jpg
Maintenance road for a ways into the canyon to water station. No motorized vehicles otherwise.
Wet Beaver Creek 003.jpg
That flat rock is used as a diving platform on warm days.
Have a ton more photos if interested..Farther south you get into the Sonoran desert. The Superstitions are popular hiking outside of Phoenix.

Farther south...I have been to Aravaipa canyon in southern AZ. This is a very ecologically sensitive area and entrance is controlled by the Nature Conservancy. Again this was a hike with the group who got permits early on.

Many of the desert canyons had beaver at one time. As the trappers killed off the beaver, the canyons lost the animal's dams that blocked water flow. The usual heavy monsoon rains of late summer scoured many of the desert canyons, so the number of riparian type habitats are limited.

Also in the south of the state around Tucson, you also have places like Chiricahua National Monument and Saguaro National Park. Desert Museum is also worth a visit.

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