Flag Point

[IntrepidXJ]

Arizona Strip & Southern Utah Wanderings | Day 4
Tuesday, October 9, 2012

The Original Trip Report on ADVENTR.CO

Since there weren't really any good places nearby to photograph sunrise, we slept in a little later on Tuesday morning. After a little breakfast we packed up camp and took the rough Jeep road to it's end where we would start our hike. Our destination for today would be to the top of Flag Point in the Vermilion Cliffs of the Grand Staircase. Jared and I had wanted to try this hike last year, but were unable to squeeze it in. From what I understand, most people that have made this trek hike up from the base of the cliff and are able to find a way up, however we thought that we would try to hike from the backside. It was probably a longer hike, but it involved less steep climbing.

The view towards Kanab from the top of Flag Point.


Flag Point View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

After visiting the point we started hiking along the rim in search of a dinosaur track site.


Rim Hiking by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Jared taking a photo looking back at Flag Point.


Leaving Flag Point by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

After hiking a bit and searching we eventually found the awesome dinosaur tracks.


Dino View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

There are a few in this photo, but there were plenty more scattered around this area.


Tracks Over the Edge by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Here's two deep tracks that are located under the tree pictured above.


Deep Tracks by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

An obligatory foot-next-to-the-dinosaur-track-for-size photo. I wear a size 15 boot, in case you were interested...


Dino Print Size by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

After a little more searching nearby we found what I was really looking for on this hike. As far as I know, this may be the only pictograph depicting a dinosaur track! I wonder what kind of myths the Native Americans had about the tracks found at this site, especially since some of them appear to head right off the edge of a 1,000+ foot cliff?


Dinosaur Track Pictograph by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

There were plenty of other 'typical' pictographs found here, too.


Flag Point Pictographs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

After exploring the area some more and taking plenty of photos, we hiked back to the Jeep and drove back to Kanab to grab some dinner before making our way back towards Lake Powell.

After leaving Kanab we took the short side road to the White House trailhead since neither of us had been down it before.


White House Road by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

We spotted this hoodoo near the road and stopped for a photo.


White House Hoodoo by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

At this point it was getting pretty close to sunset, so we decided to head across the highway and quickly hike out to the Rimrock Toadstools.

Here's one of the smaller hoodoos casting it's shadow on a boulder.


Hoodoo Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

The biggest and most well-known toadstool found here immersed in warm afternoon light.


Rimrock Toadstool by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

This guy always seems to be following me around...


Shadow Photographer by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

The rocks really lit up just before the sun went down.


Small Hoodoos by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

We stuck around after the sun was down and took a few photos in the twilight, which is becoming one of my favorite times to take photos.


Twilight Toadstool by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

When the light was all gone we hiked back to the Jeep in the dark and started driving further east towards Lake Powell. We decided to camp out on Alstrom Point so that we could catch the sunrise there in the morning. When we reached the point, we quickly setup camp, took a few night photos (which didn't turn out for me), and went to bed. It was a perfect night, so I setup my tentcot without the tent and slept under the stars.

>> Flag Point Photo Gallery

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[pixie1339]

This may be my favorite installment of this trip yet. Those dino tracks were awesome, and the pictos depicting them were super cool. What a unique find! When I visited the Toadstools it was mid-morning. Next time I will definitely go for sunset. The light on the rocks in your pictures is gorgeous!

 

[jdgibney]

We might have still been sleeping in Kanab Tuesday morning when you were shooting that way.
more great shots!

 

[Yvonne]

another great report.
The Toadstools really look as they were on fire.
I went there twice, but usually I was too early and missed sunset.
And camping at Alstrom Point - I'm so super envious

 

[regehr]

Awesome! I've been wanting to visit Flag Point and its dino tracks.

How was the backside drive/hike?

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Much of the drive to the backside was pretty deep sand, and the last few miles were a bit rougher with lots of scratch-your-paint tree branches over the road. It appears this route mostly gets used by ATVs and few full-sized vehicles.

From the end of the road it was about a 2 mile hike that gradually climbed to the rim....there was a very old faint road to follow in places, but we saw no footprints or trail the whole way.