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    Hiking Southwest Utah and Adjacent Areas
    Hiking Southwest Utah and Adjacent Areas
    Hiking Southwest Utah and Adjacent Areas
    Ebook230 pages1 hour

    Hiking Southwest Utah and Adjacent Areas

    By Tom Garrison

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    About this ebook

    This guide is about hiking and generally exploring desert areas, specifically southwest Utah and adjacent areas (southern Nevada and northern Arizona). Each of the 25 hikes described in the guide originally appeared as a published story in The Spectrum (St. George, Utah daily newspaper).There is no better way to experience the ruggedness and beauty, the history of settlement by Native Americans and later pioneers, and the solitude than by simply hiking and exploring. The purpose in writing this book is to enhancement the enjoyment of all who wish to sample the richness of southwest Utah and adjacent areas.
    Included in the book are more than 25 color maps and more than 50 color photos taken during the hikes. Twenty-five hikes are featured, each one includes: a general description of the hike; trailhead access; average hiking time; hiking distance; fees and permits; elevations; best season for the hike; trail rating (difficulty); type of hike; United States Geological Survey map(s) used for the hike; online resources about each hike; a sense of humor/playfulness about each hike; and a full description of finding the trailhead and the hike.
    Additional chapters cover “How to Use This Guide,” “Desert Hiking Tips,” “Quick Hiking Guide,” “Trailhead Locator Maps,’ and a five pages of “Information Sources.”
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateJan 1, 2015
    ISBN9781483544601
    Hiking Southwest Utah and Adjacent Areas

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      Book preview

      Hiking Southwest Utah and Adjacent Areas - Tom Garrison

      The author assumes no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained, by readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, Tom Garrison, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a published review.

      All photographs in this book, including the cover, were taken by the author, Tom Garrison.

      The stories entitled columns by Tom Garrison are reprinted herein with the permission of The Spectrum for whom they were originally written. © 2011-2014 The Spectrum.

      Most maps in this book were obtained from the United States Geological Survey, Department of the Interior. All such maps are identified and are in the public domain. One map of the Valley of Fire State Park (Nevada) is used with permission from Nevada State Parks. The St. George area trailhead locator map and the Kanab area trailhead locator map are portions of the Utah Official Highway Map (© 2007) and are used with permission from the Utah Department of Transportation. The southern Nevada trailhead locator map is a portion of the Official Nevada State Highway Map (© 2013) and is used with permission from the Nevada Department of Transportation.

      Address all inquiries to Tom Garrison at: tomgarrison98@yahoo.com

      Visit the Hiking Southwest Utah Facebook page.

      https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hiking-Southwest-Utah-and-Adjacent-Areas/1489605251309735

      Your comments are welcome.

      Published by BookBaby

      First Edition

      St. George, Utah

      Copyright 2014

      ISBN 9781483544601

      Contents

      Dedication

      Introduction

      How to Use This Guide

      Desert Hiking Tips

      Quick Hiking Guide

      Trailhead Locator Maps

      St. George, Utah area

      Kanab, Utah area

      Southern Nevada area

      St. George, Utah Area

      Bureau of Land Management and other public land

      1   Canal Trail: A Blend of History and Steep Canyons

      2   Fort Pearce, Petroglyphs, and Dinosaur Tracks

      3   Kanarra Creek Canyon Trail: The Perfect Hike

      4   Red Hollow/Ripple Arch (aka Lone Pine Arch) Trail

      5   Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area

      6   Water Canyon: A Non-Crowded Zion

      7   Yant Flat Trail

      Cedar Breaks National Monument

      8   Take a Break at Cedar Breaks

      Red Cliffs Desert Reserve

      9   Red Reef Trail: Striking Natural Beauty and Solitude

      10 What’s in a Name? (Cottonwood Canyon)

      Santa Clara River Reserve

      11 Cove Wash East Trail: Natural Beauty vs. Trash

      12 Tempi’po’op/Anasazi Trail: Great Public Art Display

      Snow Canyon State Park

      13 Johnson Canyon and Scout Cave

      14 Three Ponds Trail

      Zion National Park

      15 Emerald Pools Trail

      16 Riverside Walk: Gateway to Zion River Narrows

      17 Taylor Creek (Middle Fork) Trail

      Kanab, Utah Area

      Bureau of Land Management and other public land

      18 Red Hollow Slot Canyon: Slots of Fun

      Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

      19 Cottonwood Canyon Narrows

      20 Lick Wash Canyon: Add it to Your Bucket List

      Southern Nevada

      Bureau of Land Management and other public land

      21 Gold Butte Area: Watch Out, Falling Man!

      22 Rainbow Canyon

      23 Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area

      State Parks

      24 Isolation: Thy Name is Beaver Dam State Park

      25 Valley of Fire State Park

      Information Sources

      Other Books by Tom Garrison

      Dedication

      This book is dedicated to my wonderful wife Deb Looker. Thanks for all the driving to the trailheads, editing, suggestions, and general good cheer as I put this book together. I especially appreciate Deb’s enthusiasm for attempting hikes where the trailhead is many rough miles in the wilderness that only our Jeep could get to. I’d like to think we both possess a bit of the pioneer spirit.

      Introduction

      Geographers define a desert as a region receiving less than 10 inches average annual precipitation (Wikipedia 2013)—an area of irregular and minimal rainfall. Meager rainfall means sparse vegetation and results in exposed geological features. One can think of the raw features as the earth without the makeup of vegetation. Deserts can be stark, creating a drama of space, color, relief, and sheer ruggedness. Despite the sparse vegetation, deserts in the southwest United States are full of life—hundreds of plant species, scores of bird species, and many other animals. The best way to observe the flora and fauna is on foot, far from urban areas.

      This guide is about hiking and generally exploring desert areas, specifically southwest Utah and adjacent areas (southern Nevada and northern Arizona). There is no better way to experience the ruggedness, the history of settlement by Native Americans and later pioneers, and the solitude than by simply hiking and exploring. My purpose in writing this book is to enhancement the enjoyment of all who wish to sample the richness of southwest Utah and adjacent areas.

      My wife, Deb Looker, accompanied me on every hike. This book is a testament to her love of the outdoors as much as mine. Through trial and error from scores of hikes, reading many hiking books, and much Internet research, we have become experienced desert hikers.

      More than 20 years ago we began seriously exploring the American southwest. During the first several years we concentrated on areas fairly close to our then home in Santa Barbara, California—the Mojave Desert around Barstow and Baker and Death Valley. We later branched out to Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in south central California. In the early 2000s Arizona became a favorite destination. Finally, we began exploring southern Utah in 2006. In the fall of 2009 we left California and settled in St. George, Utah. St. George is a great base camp for adventures in southwest Utah, southern Nevada, and northern Arizona.

      While we much enjoy the grandeur of big name desert national parks—Death Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon, and others—our preference is hard to find, out of the bustle of humanity, slot canyons. Fortunately, the area we choose to live is full of slot canyons.

      In May 2011 I began writing a one-a-month hiking story for the local daily newspaper, The Spectrum. The 25 hikes and all the photos (I took all the photographs, including the cover photo, appearing in this guide) in this book are based on those stories. For each hike I identify the date it was first published in print. Some stories have been slightly edited from the published version to reflect current information and conditions along with an occasional edit for clarity.

      I wrote them to describe the natural beauty where we hiked, and as importantly to inspire people to get out and enjoy nature. Go outdoors and relax, leave the pressures of daily life behind for a few hours. These hikes are not hard-core three day backpacking treks through the wilderness. That is a great thing, but not for the vast majority of people, even those who enjoy the outdoors. There are many good hiking books with long, tough hikes—this is not one of them.

      These are more of get off the couch or out of your daily rut and see what nature, plate tectonics, and erosion have given you. These stories and hikes are for the average person/family that understands the value of nature, but never quite gets out to enjoy it.

      Kudos to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for placing their topographical maps in the public domain. Most of the maps in this guide are from the USGS. I also am thankful to the Nevada State Parks for permission to use of their Valley of Fire State Park map, the Nevada Department of Transportation for the use of their Official Nevada State Highway Map (© 2013), and the Utah Department of Transportation for the use of their Utah Official Highway Map (© 2007).

      My approach to writing is less formal than found in other hiking books. I’m not above making a joke out of slogging through loose sand or commenting on how rocks in a wash kept grabbing at my feet and that is the reason for my stumbles. Humor and not taking myself too seriously are important parts of my life, and these stories reflect that. At the same time, detailed directions for finding sometimes obscure trailheads, the hike itself, and where to look for interesting features are provided.

      If you are over 62 (my wife and I were in our late 50s when my stories first began appearing in print) and at least occasionally visit national parks, buy an America the Beautiful (National Park Service 2014) senior pass. The onetime fee is $10. It allows the holder and occupants of a single non-commercial vehicle free entrance into national parks for the lifetime of the holder. What a deal.

      As you explore the American Southwest, remember that in most cases (except when hiking on private property) the land, artifacts, plants, and animals belong to all American citizens. We all need to share the responsibility of protecting the land and its inhabitants. Specifically, collecting or disturbing any animal, plant, rock or any other natural, historical, or archeological feature is unlawful—leave the area at least as good as you found it. I encourage you to experience this wonderful area, but do it in a responsible, low-impact manner.

      I hope my book encourages many to experience the outdoors. Aristotle put it well, In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous (The Quotation Page 2013). Happy hiking!

      References

      National Park Service website. 2014. America the Beautiful—The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass. Last modified July 26, 2014. http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm

      The Quotation Page website. 2013. Aristotle, Parts of Animals. Last modification unknown. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/24228.html.

      Wikipedia. 2013. Desert. Last modified December 31, 2013.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert

      How to Use This Guide

      I’ll begin with a warning: the author assumes no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book. The fact that a trail is described in this guide is not a representation that it will be safe for you. I’m trying to encourage safe and enjoyable desert adventures and don’t want to be sued because a reader screws up. Ultimately you, the reader, are responsible for your actions and safety. That legal warning aside, how should you use this book?

      I would like to think my guide is the book for hiking southwest Utah and adjacent areas. I know it is useful, I’ve done all the hikes described herein. Hikers are given many choices from which they can pick, depending upon their wishes, abilities, and vehicle (reaching some trailheads requires the use of high clearance vehicles). This guide provides the

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