This canyon is the most popular backpack in the area. Although you start walking in open flat desert, you end up in a deep canyon with a healthy year-round water flow. Add in arches for the appeal, and it is a popular route. The trailhead is about 33 bumpy miles down the road, but that is above any real difficulty and about 10 miles back from Sooner Rocks, where I had camped for two nights.
The trailhead parking is right along the main road and you start out walking across the desert. Once years ago, people walked down Hurricane Wash as it zig-zagged back and forth. Now this well defined trail cuts the corners, providing a straight and shorter path across this section, and avoids the sometimes sandier and rockier wash.
After a couple miles the route alternates between open and narrows like this
With dampness comes the trees
Debris piled up against the trees shows the typical height of flash floods
This is 5.4 miles in to the hike, where tiny Hurricane wash joins Coyote Gulch. The latter is usually 3-5 inches deep and six feet across. You will be sloshing across ths repeatedly - 10 times in the next mile and a half to my camp. I switched to sandals, but most seem to prefer boots of some sort. Although I camped in 1.5 miles, it continues 8 miles to the Escalante River
First view of the massive Jacob Hamblin Arch
Where I made camp
Looking the other direction from camp - dramatic canyon with or without an arch
After lunch and a break I continued down canyon sans backpack. I had seen tracks in the trail, so I knew there must be deer. What a treat to see them this way
My goal for this afternoon slosh was the Coyote Gulch Natural Bridge here
More sloshing
This large critter - a few inches - was on the outside of my tent when I broke it down
One last view of the arch
Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
- retired jerry
- Posts: 14424
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
water looks pretty muddy for drinking
I love all your desert trips/pictures
I love all your desert trips/pictures
Re: Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
Great pictures. Sounds like a beautiful place but if I found that critter on the outside of my tent I'm afraid my tent would still be sitting right there.
Re: Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
Jerry - The guidebook warned about that, suggesting letting water settle or bringing some way to do an initial filter before using your water filter. But I got lucky somehow and the water was clear.
Limey - They are cute as long as they are not inside.
Limey - They are cute as long as they are not inside.
Re: Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
Nothing cute about it, unless you consider heart attack inducing cute.
Re: Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
Jabba the Rock is wondering why you haven't paid him for the spice.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109
- Double Tree
- Posts: 248
- Joined: September 6th, 2012, 10:51 am
Re: Escalante Canyons: Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch
Ha May the 4th be with you!