Buckskin Gulch

[Chuck the Mauler]

Greetings trekkers. I struck out with the online permit on Buckskin Gulch on an up coming trip. Can they be obtained the day of? From what I can tell we will only be able to day hike there now. Any insight from the folks with feet on the ground there would be great. I will be in the area from 3-21 through 3-31.

Thanks in advance,
KC

 

[IntrepidXJ]

If it's only going to be a day hike, you can get a permit at the trailheads for that.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

The hope/plan was to do an over-nighter. I see that day hike permits are easy and available at each trail head. Is there a ranger station or the like close by where I could go chat with them in person?

 

[Carlos]

If I remember correctly, there is a ranger station for permits (probably the same one where The Wave lottery is conducted) in Kanab. Google "Buckskin Gulch permits" and it should point you to the location of the office.

 

[Nurrgle]

It's a long haul to the ranger station, I think around 50 miles or so.

The gulch itself is a good day hike and if your leaving by whitehouse, there are some decent camping spots after the confluence. It is pretty rocky so I would recommend good shoes and a good solid pack. I dropped pack for a break and had my back lockup from walking over all the rocks. I was pretty concerned but a Motrin got me moving enough to loosen up.

I was advised not to draw water from the river because it is salty and nasty. I think this is mentioned in Kelsey's book. If you don't draw from the river, there is no water until the wall springs about 2 miles south from the confluence and no water heading North to whitehouse.

Still one of my favorite trips in Utah.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

@Nurrgle , can those camping spots be had without a permit or are they within the area where a camping permit is required? We will be coming in from the Grand Canyon via 89 from the south. Looks like the Paria Ranger Station is on the way to White House. Do you recommend starting there or at Wire Pass or Buckskin Gulch TH? We may not hike the entire thing as my wife may not want to unless we are able to get a camping permit. If we can't get a permit, is there a TH which offers the best views if we only hike 8ish miles or so?

What about checking out The Wave....if I can get a permit for the day there??

 

[IntrepidXJ]

If we can't get a permit, is there a TH which offers the best views if we only hike 8ish miles or so?

I think staring at Wire Pass is a good place for a day hike.

 

[andyjaggy]

I will most likely be in Buckskin next Thursday and Friday. See you there.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

Yup. I'll be there the same time. If you happen to get a permit for "The Wave".......I'm gonna try for that too.

 

[Absarokanaut]

Beware Beehivers. KC is an advance Scout for the ghost of Rick James and the Association to put the Federal Lands in Utah under Lilliputian Control.

It's beautiful there. Hiking Bright Angel to Plateau Point? Hope you swing by Sipapu. Whatever you do Have a blast man.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

I've spent the past 5 minutes trying to figure out how to respond to that.....I got nothing. Hope your doing well DC and perhaps you can buy me a beer in September when I'm in town. (9-11 through 9-20)

We are spending 3 days in the big ditch. Plans are still a little unclear. 2 days near Buckskin Gulch a day in Bryce and 3 days in Zion.

 

[Nurrgle]

I like the wire pass start. The parking area can get crowded from the wave crowd but it is a quick walk and your in darkness. As I recall the camping that is along the route out to Whitehouse are not permit required.

As I recall it is about 18 miles from Wirepass to the Whitehouse trailhead. If you don't want to make the full hike through Buckskin, I would suggest camping at Whitehouse and then leaving South from there early in the AM. It is an easy hike down a usually dry riverbed to the confluence. From there you can explore up Buckskin and down the Paria, both are amazing, and then make it out by nightfall.

This is the confluence, the walls are probably 80 feet up and for some reason, this spot always touches my soul and I spend to much time sitting and pondering. The Paria comes in from the left and continuous to the right. I am looking out from Buckskin. Please excuse the crappy iphone pic.

 

[Ben]

^that's a great iphone pic.

we day hiked like you are talking about, roughly 8 miles round, from the wire pass trail head. about five hours of walking. it was great. we camped at the the th parking lot, no permit. we were on our way to the grand canyon.

this was our experience. http://backcountrypost.com/threads/buckskin-gulch-day-hike.3888/

 

[HomerJ]

FYI - You don't need a backpacking permit if you don't camp in the canyon....

Here's what we did a few years ago

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

Those both great reports and very helpful, guys. I've been reading. It's just a little difficult planning because I don't want to kill my wife. Yes she does SOME hiking with me. She has done plenty of hiking in the Tetons with me....even in the backcountry for 3 or so nights at a time. But this trip is slightly different. She hopes it will be more of a "vacation" than another trip for me. So I'm doing a delicate balancing act here. I'm aware of all the legal stuff (permits, fees, etc). Just trying to get good info and decide if it's worth the effort to try an obtain a camping permit or just do a simple day hike here?
Out of Wire Pass once you make it to the Buckskin is it best to hike towards the Buckskin TH or the confluence then back? FYI: I REALLY want to do an over night trip here. Any insight on potential water sources?
Does anyone know what the White House campground is like? Maybe we could camp there and do a day hike out of wire pass?

 

[Nurrgle]

Buckskin is 13 miles as I recall from Wire Pass to the confluence. that would give you a sandy and rocky 26 out and back. Long for a day hike but do-able. The White House campground is pretty sweet for a standard trailhead campground. Whitehouse rock itself is pretty and there is a panel across the river.

Best water you will find is the first wall spring about 1 mile down the Paria from Buckskin. It is in a small recess and as I recall, there will be a really nice campsite in an island to the left. Great camping all over that area. After that there are periodic springs until you get closer to Lee's Ferry.

Honestly, if your wife was able to log miles in the Teton area, this should be a walk in the park. Sandy, rocky, and some potential for getting wet. Other then that it is flat both ways.

 

[Nurrgle]

Also, If you are thinking on leaving from Wire Pass, there is some great dispersed camping down the road that the trailhead is on. Also closer to Lee's Ferry is a California Condor Reserve. They are worth a stop

 

[Michael]

Another more vacation option.
Stay on WH CG, like Nurrgle said. Hike from WH towards Calf Spring. If you like, make the short trip to Cobra Arch - this Arch is beautiful. Than back to the Dive. Drop in to the Buckskin via the Crack (Middle Route Exit) and hike back via confluence to the WH CG. You bypassing the cesspool. No fight against mud and debris when he's full. It's a long, but beautiful day hike. Bring all your water and you don't need natural sources.

The best option is a over night trip - IMO.
Start from WP in the morning. If you don't like to camp here, a nice CS is located on the confluence of WP and Buckskin. Enjoy the Buckskin. Setup your camp approx. a half mile south of the confluence. There are two CS, one the left and one the right. The other day hike up canyon towards WH.
Water. Most is mentioned. If the Buckskin is dry, some seeps are located on the ground (right) approx. 1.5 miles before you reaching the confluence.
You also can use the water of the Paria. It's not so tasty like the spring water, but it's water. Don't forget to purify it.

Just my 0.02$. Have fun and enjoy.


Gesendet von meinem iPad mit CrapaTalk

 

[richvosko]

Has anyone gone through it recently? I called BLM 2 weeks ago and the guy used the term "disaster". He recommended I do not even try.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

More great info fellas. I think I have what I need to make some solid decisions in a few days. I hope the conditions change there, richvosko. I really would like to spend a couple days here. Thumbing through the maps of the area and southern Utah in general it seems one could spend a lifetime here and not see all the area has to offer.
Looking forward to scraping the surface of the area and our "vacation". As a courtesy I will post some kind of trip report when I return...even though it's not my strong suite.

Peace