Exploring Northwest Arkansas

Exploring Utah - Red Canyon

One of the biggest surprises to our trip to Utah last fall was an unexpected stop at Red Canyon. In planning our trip, Red Canyon was an area that I never really saw mentioned. There was only one page on the area in our 300 page travel guide, and barely a mention of it on any of the online planning tools. However, when we passed Red Canyon on the drive to Bryce Canyon, we knew we had to stop in and check it out.

Red Canyon is 14 miles WEST of the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance on Highway 12. We passed the area shortly after turning onto Highway 12 from Highway 89. We took a couple of photos from the highway on the way to Bryce Canyon, but saved time at the end of our day at Bryce to come back and check out a few of the hiking trails here.

You can't miss the Red Canyon, as the highway actually passes through two tunnels carved out of the rock here., and the red rock formations are definitely striking as you drive through.

Red Canyon also has a 9 mile long paved biking trail that looks like a magnificent place for riding.

We stopped back by the Red Canyon Visitors Center which is on the east side of the park. There is a nice visitors center here with water, restrooms and trail maps. While the Red Canyon area is quite large and also contains several horseback riding and ATV trails, the section nearest the visitors center has many family-friendly trails that are for hikers only. And with several trail options, it offers nine different trails that can be combined to form loops that range from .5 miles to 15 miles in length.

In spite of the proximity to the highway, and accessibility, the trails weren't terribly busy when we were there and the scenery was fantastic.

We started hiking on the west side of the visitors center on the Hoodoo Trail. The Hoodoo Trail is a .3 mile loop that goes through the valley through sagebrush, juniper trees and just below two large hoodoos that rest high on the hill that appear as if they are standing watch over the area.

All of the trails are well-marked and easy to follow, and most near the visitors center don't stray very far from the highway, so you can usually avoid any fear of getting lost by knowing where the highway is at all times.

After a short distance, the Hoodoo trail turns to the right and forks. To the left is the Birdseye Trail -- that runs high along the bluffs further west for approximately .8 miles or the Hoodoo Trail continues back to the right. We remained on the Hoodoo trail.

After another short distance, the trail forks again. At this fork, the Hoodoo Trail stays to the right in the valley area and heads back to the visitors center. However, to the left is the Pink Ledges Trail.

The Pink Ledges Trail is a .4 mile trail that runs from the Hoodoo Trail about 200 feet up into the red cliffs, and then back down to the parking area by the visitors center. We turned LEFT here and took the Pink Ledges Trail.

After the climbing on the trail, it provides some spectacular views back to the hoodoos and the valley below.

The "Pink Ledges" name definitely was warranted.

A look back at the trail and the hoodoos.

Really, this was just a fantastic hike throughout. The trail was smooth and easy to follow, and even though there is a slight elevation gain, the trail seemed very family friendly.

The Hoodoo Trail/Pink Ledges Trail loop is roughly a .7 mile hike -- that was filled with incredible scenery and was the perfect spot after a  busy hiking day for us. I'm surprised that this area isn't talked about more, because although it is overshadowed by Bryce Canyon just a few miles away, it is a great experience and would be a great entry point to hiking for a family with young kids or people new to hiking.

We'll definitely plan to spend more time here on our next visit to the area. We were pretty short on time after a busy day of hiking in Bryce Canyon and then heading down to Zion still that evening, but we are glad we made the time for our short hike here.

Trail Notes:

Red Canyon, Hoodoo Trail and Pink Ledges Trail Loop

Distance: .6 miles

Difficulty: easy

Footwear: tennis shoes will be fine

Kid Friendly: Yes!

Star Rating: 4.5 of 5

Exploring Utah - Bryce Canyon - Queens/Navajo Combination Loop

At only 55 square miles (35,835 acres), Bryce Canyon is the smallest of our National Parks, however, it is also one of the most unique. Bryce Canyon is known for its Hoodoos; odd shaped rock formations left due to the erosion from wind and water. 

And there is nowhere in the park that quite showcases these Hoodoos quite like the Bryce Amphitheater.

The Bryce Amphitheater is the heart of Bryce Canyon. You get there by going south on Highway 63 from Highway 12 and going through the main entrance into Bryce Canyon National Park.  You will need to pay the entry fee. 

Highway 63 is a 15 mile long road that runs through Bryce Canyon National Park and dead ends at Rainbow Point. It is the primary access road to the park. 

From the park entrance, the road will pass the Bryce Visitor Center and after approximately 2 miles, there will be a turnoff for Sunrise Point. Find parking in the Sunrise Point area.  There is a fantastic little general store here that will have almost any supplies you would want for the day. 

After getting supplies, the trail will head up a paved path to Sunrise Point -- which features amazing views of the Bryce Amphitheater area. From here, there are dozens of options for trails and routes. One popular route is just to follow the Rim Trail that is a paved path along the entire Rim. It's 11 miles in total length, but the walk from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point is about 1 mile and lovely if you're not up for a hearty hike. There will be a lot of people here as this is a popular stroll for the tour bus crowds.

However, there is another popular loop that starts off at this Sunrise Point that travels down through the valley and offers amazing views of the heart of Bryce Canyon. The trail follows the Queens Garden Trail into the valley where it connects with the Navajo Loop and then climbs back up to Sunset Point -- and then follows the Rim Trail to the parking area. You can see the trail in the photo above - -and it's very easy to follow.

The trail heads down into the valley and winds in and out of a variety of hoodoo formations -- definitely giving hikers a different perspective of the hoodoos and the Amphitheater valley.

So, a quick note about photography in Bryce Canyon. It's a desert -- and there are limited trees and sun in abundant. In addition to the need to wear a lot of sunscreen, these conditions make photography a huge challenge. I highly recommend using a sun shade for your camera lens if you have one. Also, if you are really into photography and don't mind spending a little money, a good filter that can help filter out some of the light will be helpful as well.  

Since I'm a better hiker than photographer, I had neither of these things which made it challenging to get some of the pics I wanted. It also created some challenging moments when I was shooting with one hand and holding my hat in the other to prevent sun spots. I also didn't end up with many good shots facing South. 

I wouldn't feel too sorry for me though -- as I still ended up with hundreds of photos as it seemed that there were amazing views and incredible rock formations at almost every direction I turned.

The trail continues down into the valley. At one point it will intersect with the horse trail at the bottom, so it will be important to be sure you follow the main trail. There will be a lot of people on the main trail, so it was easy enough for us to follow.

 Keep an eye out for the bristlecone pine trees - -some of which are up to 1600 years old!

Have I mentioned the really cool Hoodoos?

Once the trail intersects with the horse trail, the trail turns back toward the the rim - and a lot more cool views and hoodoos.

 And even through a couple of tunnels.

After about 1 mile of hiking (yes, all of these photos are within a 1 mile hike -- did I mention it's scenic?) the trail arrives at the Queens Garden -- which a really relaxing place with a spectacular view of some of the most majestic rock formations in the valley. At Queens Garden, the trail has descended 357 feet into the canyon.

From the Queens Garden, take the Queens Garden Connector Trail as it flows further to the canyon floor.  

This section of trail flows through tall pines that create nice shade and really interesting views of the hoodoos from the canyon floor.

As the trail reaches the canyon floor, it will eventually reach an intersection. This intersection is the connection to the Navajo Loop.

The section to the right goes up past a lot of rock formations, including the very popular Thor's Hammer.  The trail to the left heads up through Wall Street. We chose to do the route through Wall Street.

The route through Wall Street goes through a high-walled canyon before hitting a series of switchbacks that climb 600 feet from the canyon floor to Sunset Point.

The 600 feet climb is a challenging one at 8,000 feet elevation, but the views are fantastic and Wall Street is visually stunning. Take your time climbing, and look back at what you have accomplished. 

After making the accent. The trail arrives at Sunset Point. Take in the views of Sunset Point, and then follow the paved Rim Trail back to Sunrise Point and your vehicle.

Trail Notes:

Distance: 2.9 miles (600 foot elevation change down and then back up)

Difficulty: Moderate

Kid-Friendly: Yes!

Footwear: Good trail shoes would be best, but tennis shoes would be fine

Rating: 5 out of 5 (this may have been our favorite hike out of all the great ones we did in Utah)

Exploring Utah - Bryce Canyon National Park - Mossy Cave Hike

Most of my hiking time is in the Ozarks of Arkansas -- which features an amazing assortment of waterfalls. For all of the great scenery southern Utah has to offer, vast amounts of water in the desert isn't one of them.

So when there became an opportunity to do a waterfall hike in Bryce Canyon, we were definitely up for checking it out.  The Mossy Cave hike is a very short hike (less than 1 mile) and a small 200 foot elevation gain, so it's a great trail for families with young children or people who can't hike long distances. This trail offers a lot for a small amount of effort.

The Mossy Cave Trail is in Bryce Canyon National Park -- but outside of the main area that most people visit and can actually be hiked without paying the park fee. To get to the trailhead, travel EAST on Highway 12 approximately 3.5 miles past the main park entrance. The road will go down a very steep canyon road and the trailhead (with toilets) will be on your right).

The trail begins in a small creek valley called the Tropic Ditch (or I've also seen it called Water Canyon) and past some of Bryce's famous Hoodoos. There are two different bridges that cross the creek.

The waterfall is actually visible from the second footbridge. The falls is roughly 25-30 feet tall and had a nice flow the day we were there in late September.

Just beyond the second bridge crossing, the trail splits. The path to the left goes to Mossy Cave, to the right, the top of Tropic Ditch Waterfall.

Mossy Cave isn't so much a cave as a rock shelter with a lot of moss growing in it. But it does offer the cooling temperatures of a cave which offered a nice respite on this hot day.  Please stay on the trail and the overlook on this one to avoid trampling the delicate moss.

To the right leads to the top of Tropic Ditch Waterfall. While the area always served as a drainage during rainfall, in the 1890s, early Mormon settlers actually dug a trench to connect the drainage to from the East Fork of the Sevier River as a way to supply a consistent water supply to the town of Tropic. The drainage now runs year-around, although the "wet season" is May-October. Other than a short stop during the drought of 2002, the falls has flowed continuously for more than a century thanks to the work by these hard-working pioneers.

To get the the bottom of the falls, it's best to go back to the second footbridge and go down to the drainage at the bridge and then hike back up to the falls. 

The total distance on this hike is 0.8 miles round trip -- so it's short, with a views of a cave, a waterfall and hoodoos which makes for a really nice, easy hike.

Trail Details

Distance: .8 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Kid Friendly: Yes!

Footwear: Tennis shoes would be fine

Rating: 4 out of 5

Exploring Utah - Zion National Park - The Narrows

If you want solidarity, The Narrows may not be the best option for you. But if you're looking for an epic hike through one of the most amazing slot canyons in the United States, you'll want to add this to your list.

The Narrows is a regular on "Top Hikes in the United States" lists -- and for good reason. It's relatively accessible, and unique in that it features the beautiful Virgin River and miles of beautiful, 200 foot tall canyon walls that were carved out by the river over the centuries. It's a hike unlike any other, and for that reason it has become a popular destination for both serious and recreational hikers. 

But be forewarned, the popularity of this hike can cause it to be a little crowded, particularly in the early stages of the hike, so be prepared to deal with more people than you're probably used to and enjoy the beauty. Zion National Park is the 6th most-visited National Park in the US, and The Narrows is one of the more popular hikes there -- so if you go during the busy season, crowds are inevitable. In spite of this, we definitely enjoyed the hike.

One very important note on hiking The Narrows, or any other slot canyon: Please be VERY AWARE of the weather. Water in the slot canyons of Utah can rise VERY quickly if there is rain upstream. And in most slot canyons, it would be impossible without special equipment to get higher than the high-water mark. And because cell service is virtually non-existent, if it's raining upstream, it would be impossible for anyone to get word to you before it's too late. The week prior to our visit (in late September of last year), six canyoneers were killed in a different slot canyon in Zion due to a flash flood in the canyon they were exploring. So before going into the canyon, please check the weather forecast and the rangers station for current conditions to be sure hiking there is safe. 

Now that you're properly frightened, let me also note that when the weather is good, this is a pretty safe hike.  There are two hikes into The Narrows: Top Down and Bottom Up. The Top Down hike requires overnight camping and a special permit -- so is far less popular. The Bottom-Up hike is more accessible, and more crowded. This blog post covers the Bottom Up. 

The trail begins from the Temple of Sinawava shuttle bus stop -- which is the last shuttle stop in Zion Canyon. Unless you are visiting in the off-season, the shuttle will be your only transportation to this point as general automobile traffic is not permitted in Zion Canyon. We found the shuttles to be fantastic and efficient and made the trip in Zion more enjoyable. 

From the shuttle stop, the trail begins along the Riverside Walk Trail. The Riverside Walk Trail is an easy, but beautiful stroll through the canyon, by the river (Pictured directly above).  Even if you aren't up for hiking the Narrows, the River Walk Trail is a great hike for all ages and skill levels and offers a taste of the beauty that exists inside The Narrows.

At 1.1 miles, the Riverside Walk Trail ends at the River. This is the start of the hike into The Narrows. You can see that even though we attempted to get an early start on the hike to avoid the biggest of the crowds, there still are plenty of people at the start of the hike. From this point, the "trail" simply follows the Virgin River upstream into the narrow canyon.

Expect that your feet will get wet (we'll talk about supplies in a bit), but the scenery  here is first class all the way. The past will zig zag across the water, onto dry sides along the river, and back into the river the entire way.

The Narrows trail, from the bottom -up is about 4 miles one way (8 miles round trip). The further you hike into the Narrows, the fewer people that will be there. There are no wrong turns (because you just follow the river and can't turn). And the great thing about hiking out and back is that you don't have to commit to the entire trip, you can just hike out as far as you want (whether that is 1/2 mile or all 4 miles) and come back when you're done.  It makes for an enjoyable day regardless of your age, skill level, and how much time you have.

A little ways into the hike, we came across a small waterfall that came in from another drainage -- which was pretty cool. One our return trip, there was a small group of people repelling down from this drainage.

The Narrows continues back into the Canyon. Because of the high canyon walls, and bright sunlight, that the shadows in The Narrows could be very harsh -- making photography a challenge. 

I really can't say enough great things about the hike -- the water, the canyon walls, it was just simply amazing. 

With new surprises around virtually every corner.

So, let's take a minute to talk about supplies -- as this was my biggest question before heading out on this hike and was difficult to find answers.

The water temperature tends to run about 55 degrees during much of the summer and fall. This sounds really cold -- but I didn't think it felt as cold as would have thought. I think that a person wearing a comfortable pair of water shoes with a protected toe (such as Keen water shoes, or trail shoes) should be fine.

That said, there are several companies that will rent equipment. We stopped in at Zion Adventure Company at rented the basic package for $20 apiece for the day. The basic package included a pair of canyoneer shoes, neoprene socks (to keep your feet warm) and a walking stick.

While both Michelle and I's feet became really uncomfortable late in the day in the shoes (her shoes didn't seem to fit quite right for an 8 mile hike and the insole in mine became dislodged and caused problems) I will say that the good traction of the shoes, the warmth of the socks and the balance provided by the walking stick were worth the small purchase for a once-in-a-lifetime type of trip.

Beyond that, you'll need to pack food, water anything else you'll need for the day. And try to have everything as waterproof as possible, because for the entire hike you'll be a slip away from being completely wet. But being able to simply take in the day, and the surroundings is an amazing experience.

 And while the water on our trip was generally ankle -calf deep, there were places that got deeper and up above the knee.

More photos at the bottom of the post, but trail notes:

Distance: 9 miles roundtrip (can be made shorter to fit personal preference).

Difficulty: Strenuous - -could be easier depending on how far you travel, but hiking through water for 8 miles on a lot of slick rocks takes a lot of energy.

Kid-friendly: Going a short distance with kids would be ok

Footwear: Rented Canyoneer shoes would be preferred, I also recommend a walking stick

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5. 

Buzzard Roost Scenic Area - Big Piney WMA in Summer

Last week, temperatures dipped a little to give a break to the month's heat, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to get out for a short hike. July isn't exactly the best time of year for hiking in Northwest Arkansas due to the heat, ticks, and the reality that many of the trails get pretty grown over.

However, after some thought, we decided to check out Buzzard Roost Scenic Area.

The trail to Buzzard Roost Scenic area follows an old four wheeler road, so it is pretty wide and allowed us some pretty good hiking without the overgrowth that often makes hikes in the summer not enjoyable. There were still plenty of cobwebs though, so bring a walking stick.

The views from Buzzard Bluff are amazing -- and much prettier with the wilderness being green. Our previous trip was in November, so there wasn't nearly this much color and it was nice. 

We stopped for a quick snack and soaked in the views. 

Once done enjoying the view, we headed down to the caves below. We were REALLY lucky this day. We made a last minute decision to bring our dog Grommit and he alerted us to a hornets nest that was on tree that was downed over the trail. We're really grateful that his awareness didn't cause us to get lit up. The caves below were very fun, as usual.

We also took in both natural bridges in the area. First the smaller one:

And then the larger one:

This really is a fantastic area with a lot to see and explore. And at four miles round-trip hiking along an old road, it's pretty easy hiking. In spite of that, this area remains not a terribly popular destination which means you'll get to enjoy this area without the crowds even on a holiday weekend.

You can get full directions to the trail head and trail notes from my previous blog posting here.