Tres Westbrook
Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2013
- Messages
- 122
In about 6 weeks, my wife and I are making our first trip to Canyonlands NP. The plan is to canoe from Mineral Bottom to Spanish Bottom over 6 days / 5 nights. I have been planning this trip for a couple months now, and have read Kelsey's River Guide and attempted to come up with a rough itinerary for the trip. In planning this trip I have found that this area of Utah is about the same as the western part of the state in the sense that when you start researching you find that there is just too much to do (I hope you locals appreciate that). So, you gotta pick and chose and put off many things until next time. Accordingly, I would like to solicit any thoughts on things to do, must-see sights or experiences, etc. along the river.
My rough itinerary so far is:
Day 1: Put in at Mineral Bottom, 11 miles to Fort Bottom - check out the log cabin and the moki tower on top.
Day 2: Mineral Bottom to Anderson Bottom (10 miles) - explore the bottom and hike up to the rim for a while.
Day 3: Anderson Bottom to Kelsey's shortcut route to the Horse Canyon lower trail (14 miles) - hike up to the rim and down into Horse Canyon (maybe try to make it to the Harvest Scene).
Day 4: Horse Canyon to Water Canyon (11 miles) - hike up Water Canyon as far as comfortable.
Day 5: Water Canyon to Spanish Bottom (9 miles) - hike up to Doll House area.
Day 6: Catch shuttle boat at Spanish Bottom (11:00 am).
I pretty much based this itinerary on information contained in Kelsey's book and would like to get some thoughts from BCP folks regarding whether there are other things that y'all think would be better to do along the way - for example, what hikes (not climbs, for we are not climbers and don't care for serious exposure) are out there that might be better than what I have down so far, or would provide a more diverse experience than some of the stuff I have down. Any and all thoughts are appreciated.
Also, we have one full day after our pickup before we have to catch a plane in Grand Junction the next morning. What are some things that would be good to do in a day in the area? I thought about hiking down to false kiva, or checking out Arches NP, or hiking to Upheaval Dome, maybe even adding another day on the river to see something else. So much to do and so little time. Also, please advise of any special concerns I need to have or recommendations for traveling on the river.
Anyway, thanks for any thoughts and advice.
My rough itinerary so far is:
Day 1: Put in at Mineral Bottom, 11 miles to Fort Bottom - check out the log cabin and the moki tower on top.
Day 2: Mineral Bottom to Anderson Bottom (10 miles) - explore the bottom and hike up to the rim for a while.
Day 3: Anderson Bottom to Kelsey's shortcut route to the Horse Canyon lower trail (14 miles) - hike up to the rim and down into Horse Canyon (maybe try to make it to the Harvest Scene).
Day 4: Horse Canyon to Water Canyon (11 miles) - hike up Water Canyon as far as comfortable.
Day 5: Water Canyon to Spanish Bottom (9 miles) - hike up to Doll House area.
Day 6: Catch shuttle boat at Spanish Bottom (11:00 am).
I pretty much based this itinerary on information contained in Kelsey's book and would like to get some thoughts from BCP folks regarding whether there are other things that y'all think would be better to do along the way - for example, what hikes (not climbs, for we are not climbers and don't care for serious exposure) are out there that might be better than what I have down so far, or would provide a more diverse experience than some of the stuff I have down. Any and all thoughts are appreciated.
Also, we have one full day after our pickup before we have to catch a plane in Grand Junction the next morning. What are some things that would be good to do in a day in the area? I thought about hiking down to false kiva, or checking out Arches NP, or hiking to Upheaval Dome, maybe even adding another day on the river to see something else. So much to do and so little time. Also, please advise of any special concerns I need to have or recommendations for traveling on the river.
Anyway, thanks for any thoughts and advice.
