piper01
Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2013
- Messages
- 182
Day 3
Bighorn Canyon was near the top of my list of must-do hikes due to its amazing colors, so I made sure to visit it near the beginning of my trip when I still had lots of energy for exploring. I had planned to do it as a loop hike from the Hole in the Rock Road and returning down the Zebra drainage, so I started from the parking area for Zebra.
It was a looong sandy slog: about 1.75 mi to Harris Wash, then another 2.75 mi down Harris Wash to the entrance to Bighorn. I was already regretting not parking at the closer access point that came in from the west.
Colorful cross-bedding always distracts me though, so I just kept putting one foot in front of the other with hope that I would soon be there.
Finally, I spied the hanging fence marking the confluence with Bighorn Canyon.
I explored the West Fork first as an appetizer. Seeing these folds, I knew it was going to be good.
I came across this piece of wood that was wedged between the canyon walls.
Check out these folds in the sandstone; the beds go from horizontal to vertical!
A few turns later, I encountered the battering ram. How did this 6-10ft long tree trunk even make it this far with all the twists it had to navigate up canyon?!?
I followed the slot until it reached a dryfall, enjoying the cool of the shade.
Retracing my steps back to the main canyon, I found this iron staining in the rock:
And more folds:
The West Fork detour was only a third of a mile one-way and well worth the time. Soon, I was back at the main canyon and ready for the explosion of colors I knew awaited me. First I saw the reds:
Then the yellows appeared:
And more reds:
It was like upgrading from the 8 pack of Crayons to the 120 count box! Every color came in multiple hues.
I tried not to drool on the rocks too much, but my jaw kept dropping open everywhere I turned.
It was butte-ful! (All bow before master of the bad puns!
)
The rocks have definitely been deformed. I found this evidence of compression:
And this mini pop-up block:
The canyon narrowed again as I continued on.
Someone didn't color within the lines!
Geology rocks!
I merrily hiked on until I came to a large dryfall. Hmm...that was what that cairn I passed a few minutes back was for. I retraced my steps and bypassed the fall along the rim, then dropped back into the canyon. Soon, I encountered another large dryfall. By this point the sun was starting to get low in the sky and I had reached my appointed time to start the hike back. I had my headlamp, but I didn't want to be caught on unfamiliar ground in the dark so I decided to skip the loop and return via Harris Wash.
Back to the hanging fence across Harris Wash, now much prettier in the evening glow.
The walls of the wash were glowing with the last light of day as I hustled back toward my car. I stopped and sat down in one of these human-sized holes to catch my breath, then continued my race against the light.
The sun won; I had to admit defeat and use my headlamp for the last 10 min of the hike, but by then I was on the flat trail back from Zebra. I had packed up camp that morning, intending to set up further down the road nearer to my next hike. I didn't want to hunt for a new campsite in the dark though, so I returned to Harris Wash Road and set up at a site I had previously seen on a ridge overlooking Red Breaks.
While waiting for dinner to cook, I tried my hand at some star shots. With the light pollution at home I can barely see a dozen stars, let alone the Milky Way.
Soon the breeze picked up over the high point on which I had set up, so I retreated to the warmth of my sleeping bag, completely exhausted from another great day.
Featured image for home page:
Bighorn Canyon was near the top of my list of must-do hikes due to its amazing colors, so I made sure to visit it near the beginning of my trip when I still had lots of energy for exploring. I had planned to do it as a loop hike from the Hole in the Rock Road and returning down the Zebra drainage, so I started from the parking area for Zebra.
It was a looong sandy slog: about 1.75 mi to Harris Wash, then another 2.75 mi down Harris Wash to the entrance to Bighorn. I was already regretting not parking at the closer access point that came in from the west.
Colorful cross-bedding always distracts me though, so I just kept putting one foot in front of the other with hope that I would soon be there.
Finally, I spied the hanging fence marking the confluence with Bighorn Canyon.
I explored the West Fork first as an appetizer. Seeing these folds, I knew it was going to be good.
I came across this piece of wood that was wedged between the canyon walls.
Check out these folds in the sandstone; the beds go from horizontal to vertical!
A few turns later, I encountered the battering ram. How did this 6-10ft long tree trunk even make it this far with all the twists it had to navigate up canyon?!?
I followed the slot until it reached a dryfall, enjoying the cool of the shade.
Retracing my steps back to the main canyon, I found this iron staining in the rock:
And more folds:
The West Fork detour was only a third of a mile one-way and well worth the time. Soon, I was back at the main canyon and ready for the explosion of colors I knew awaited me. First I saw the reds:
Then the yellows appeared:
And more reds:
It was like upgrading from the 8 pack of Crayons to the 120 count box! Every color came in multiple hues.
I tried not to drool on the rocks too much, but my jaw kept dropping open everywhere I turned.
It was butte-ful! (All bow before master of the bad puns!
)The rocks have definitely been deformed. I found this evidence of compression:
And this mini pop-up block:
The canyon narrowed again as I continued on.
Someone didn't color within the lines!
Geology rocks!
I merrily hiked on until I came to a large dryfall. Hmm...that was what that cairn I passed a few minutes back was for. I retraced my steps and bypassed the fall along the rim, then dropped back into the canyon. Soon, I encountered another large dryfall. By this point the sun was starting to get low in the sky and I had reached my appointed time to start the hike back. I had my headlamp, but I didn't want to be caught on unfamiliar ground in the dark so I decided to skip the loop and return via Harris Wash.
Back to the hanging fence across Harris Wash, now much prettier in the evening glow.
The walls of the wash were glowing with the last light of day as I hustled back toward my car. I stopped and sat down in one of these human-sized holes to catch my breath, then continued my race against the light.
The sun won; I had to admit defeat and use my headlamp for the last 10 min of the hike, but by then I was on the flat trail back from Zebra. I had packed up camp that morning, intending to set up further down the road nearer to my next hike. I didn't want to hunt for a new campsite in the dark though, so I returned to Harris Wash Road and set up at a site I had previously seen on a ridge overlooking Red Breaks.
While waiting for dinner to cook, I tried my hand at some star shots. With the light pollution at home I can barely see a dozen stars, let alone the Milky Way.
Soon the breeze picked up over the high point on which I had set up, so I retreated to the warmth of my sleeping bag, completely exhausted from another great day.
Featured image for home page:
Last edited:
