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
