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- Dec 23, 2013
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Every fall, when my backpacking season is over, I pop up a large bowl of popcorn and watch my DVD of Jeremiah Johnson. I first saw Jeremiah Johnson back in 1972 in a movie theatre when I was eight years old. I went with my brother who is four years older than I am and he was the one who wanted to see the show. So my mom dropped us off at the Terrace movie theatre on Tunnel Road in Asheville, North Carolina. I didn't even know what the movie was about, but if there was popcorn involved, I was all in. Almost right off the bat, I was mesmerized by the show - whether the portrayal of the mountain man life, the big, open, wild country, the wildlife (particularly the grizzly 
), or the portrayal of the Native Americans in the show I was hooked. When my family moved from western North Carolina to Utah a few years later I realized that I was in the country that the movie tried to portray. Long story short, this movie had a profound effect on my life, and once I graduated from college I set out to see some of the wild lands that this country has to offer. I've probably told this story before here so forgive me for repeating myself.
So after coming home from my Specimen Creek trip in Yellowstone, I had planned to watch Jeremiah Johnson on the following weekend when I got an invitation for @Ugly to join he and some of his family members on a three day backpacking trip to Zion. He had drawn a permit along La Verkin Creek and wanted to show me the area.
Now if you know me, I'm an extreme novice when it comes to desert backpacking. As @Bob has said, "A fish out of water." I have been to Zion exactly three times in my life. The first two times were right out of college. On both trips with separate people, we hiked to the top of Angels Landing. The third time, I drove through about 25 years ago with my family on our way to Vegas.
Of course, I had lots of questions for Ugly, mostly about what to take and about water sources. I drink a lot of water! Ryan did his best to calm my nerves, so all I had to do was get permission from my boss and Sheila to take Friday the 11th off and I'd be in. Turns out I didn't have any family business to attend that weekend and my boss was good on the time off, so I guess Scatman is going to the desert.
I met Ugly at his house, me the others that were going, and then we all piled in his vehicle to drive down to Zion. We had originally planned to head into the backcountry at the Lee Pass Trailhead and do and out-and-back for three days. First though, we had to pick up the official permit. We stopped at the Kolob Canyons Visitors Center, but found out that they no longer issue official permits there. This meant we had to drive on to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to pick up the permit. This caused us to change our plans and put in at Hop Valley Trailhead instead.
Now before I start throwing pictures up here, I will need Ugly to correct any mistakes that I may make on my descriptions or locations since I am a desert novice.
Day 1 - Hop Valley Trailhead to Campsite #8 on La Verkin Creek - approximately 9 miles
Info sign at the trailhead
My compadres for the trip - Isaac, Robert, Gunner and Ryan
First junction sign
The view (north) out ahead of us
Wildflowers in bloom
We hiked through both public and private land on our way down to La Verkin Creek
The trail heading down was very sandy. I know, I should have probably expected this.
I found myself looking up a lot on this trip at the amazing red rocks
The views out ahead were always fantastic
Sorry, it is hard for me to pass up a wildflower
I think we are in Hop Valley proper at this point
Staring to get a little marshy in the center of the valley
I am just going to call this Hop Valley Creek. It is a tributary of Le Verkin Creek.
More wildflowers
Just beautiful rock
Still working our way down Hop Valley and the creek
Some red fall colors and we begin the big descent down to La Verkin Creek
Gregory Butte above. Our campsite is located just below the butte on la Verkin Creek
View dropping down to La Verkin Creek
Reaching the La Verkin Creek Trail
Beatty Spring, our water source for the trip
Looking up at Burnt Mountain
Arriving at camp
My brace was replaced by a wrist widget for this trip. Unfortunately, I'm now back in a brace.
Home for the next two nights
Scat in the desert! Unbelievable!
Ryan did his best to make me feel at home with Tony's Chocolonely and Circus Peanuts.
La Verkin Creek
Day 2 - Day Hike to Kolob Arch and to The Falls in Beat Trap Canyon - unknown mileage
Gregory Butte in some early morning sun
Ice Box Canyon Stream? Help @Ugly! On our way to Kolob Arch
Fall color
Ran into a few tree frogs on this trip
Kolob Arch
View to the south of Burnt Mountain from our Kolob Arch vantage point
In his element
Fleabane
Hornets nest on our way to Bear Trap Canyon
View up the La Verkin Creek drainage
Just beautiful
La Verkin Creek
At the mouth of Bear Trap Canyon
Working our way up the canyon
Stream up Bear Trap Canyon
The falls in Bear Trap Canyon
Views on our way out of the canyon
Spider at the mouth of Bear Trap Canyon
Stunning
A lizard on the La Verkin Creek Trail
Tachinid Fly
Day 3 - Campsite #8 on La Verkin Creek to the Lee Pass Trailhead - approximately 6.3 miles
On our third day, Ugly hiked back up the Hop Valley Trail to get the vehicle, while the rest of us hiked out to the Lee Pass Trailhead and wait to be picked up.
On our way out
West side of Burnt Mountain
Paintbrush along the trail
West end of Gregory Butte
Passed by the first seven campsites in the area on our way out
Views from the trail
Log steps on the climb out of Timber Creek
In my case, Leaving Zion Wilderness
Sure wish I could have seen one of these.
At the Lee Pass Trailhead
Waiting for Ugly to pick us up.
Views at the overlook
We stopped at Kan Kun in Beaver for a late lunch before heading back to Salt Lake City
Mount Nebo on our way home.
Well, I had a great time on this trip. The scenery was outstanding of course, but he trip was a warm one. My thermometer read 92 degrees on our way out on day three. I also had expected to see more fall colors this time of year, particularly yellows, but things were a little late this year with the unseasonably warm weather that we were having. Thanks to Ugly and his family for having me along.
Once home of course, I watched Jeremiah Johnson, some of which was actually filmed in Zion, with my bowl of popcorn in hand, which officially ends my backpacking season for 2024. Now it is time to start thinking about 2025.
The End.
), or the portrayal of the Native Americans in the show I was hooked. When my family moved from western North Carolina to Utah a few years later I realized that I was in the country that the movie tried to portray. Long story short, this movie had a profound effect on my life, and once I graduated from college I set out to see some of the wild lands that this country has to offer. I've probably told this story before here so forgive me for repeating myself.So after coming home from my Specimen Creek trip in Yellowstone, I had planned to watch Jeremiah Johnson on the following weekend when I got an invitation for @Ugly to join he and some of his family members on a three day backpacking trip to Zion. He had drawn a permit along La Verkin Creek and wanted to show me the area.
Now if you know me, I'm an extreme novice when it comes to desert backpacking. As @Bob has said, "A fish out of water." I have been to Zion exactly three times in my life. The first two times were right out of college. On both trips with separate people, we hiked to the top of Angels Landing. The third time, I drove through about 25 years ago with my family on our way to Vegas.
Of course, I had lots of questions for Ugly, mostly about what to take and about water sources. I drink a lot of water!
Ryan did his best to calm my nerves, so all I had to do was get permission from my boss and Sheila to take Friday the 11th off and I'd be in. Turns out I didn't have any family business to attend that weekend and my boss was good on the time off, so I guess Scatman is going to the desert.I met Ugly at his house, me the others that were going, and then we all piled in his vehicle to drive down to Zion. We had originally planned to head into the backcountry at the Lee Pass Trailhead and do and out-and-back for three days. First though, we had to pick up the official permit. We stopped at the Kolob Canyons Visitors Center, but found out that they no longer issue official permits there. This meant we had to drive on to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to pick up the permit. This caused us to change our plans and put in at Hop Valley Trailhead instead.
Now before I start throwing pictures up here, I will need Ugly to correct any mistakes that I may make on my descriptions or locations since I am a desert novice.
Day 1 - Hop Valley Trailhead to Campsite #8 on La Verkin Creek - approximately 9 miles
Info sign at the trailhead
My compadres for the trip - Isaac, Robert, Gunner and Ryan
First junction sign
The view (north) out ahead of us
Wildflowers in bloom
We hiked through both public and private land on our way down to La Verkin Creek
The trail heading down was very sandy. I know, I should have probably expected this.
I found myself looking up a lot on this trip at the amazing red rocks
The views out ahead were always fantastic
Sorry, it is hard for me to pass up a wildflower
I think we are in Hop Valley proper at this point
Staring to get a little marshy in the center of the valley
I am just going to call this Hop Valley Creek. It is a tributary of Le Verkin Creek.
More wildflowers
Just beautiful rock
Still working our way down Hop Valley and the creek
Some red fall colors and we begin the big descent down to La Verkin Creek
Gregory Butte above. Our campsite is located just below the butte on la Verkin Creek
View dropping down to La Verkin Creek
Reaching the La Verkin Creek Trail
Beatty Spring, our water source for the trip
Looking up at Burnt Mountain
Arriving at camp
My brace was replaced by a wrist widget for this trip. Unfortunately, I'm now back in a brace.
Home for the next two nights
Scat in the desert! Unbelievable!
Ryan did his best to make me feel at home with Tony's Chocolonely and Circus Peanuts.
La Verkin Creek
Day 2 - Day Hike to Kolob Arch and to The Falls in Beat Trap Canyon - unknown mileage
Gregory Butte in some early morning sun
Ice Box Canyon Stream? Help @Ugly! On our way to Kolob Arch
Fall color
Ran into a few tree frogs on this trip
Kolob Arch
View to the south of Burnt Mountain from our Kolob Arch vantage point
In his element
Fleabane
Hornets nest on our way to Bear Trap Canyon
View up the La Verkin Creek drainage
Just beautiful
La Verkin Creek
At the mouth of Bear Trap Canyon
Working our way up the canyon
Stream up Bear Trap Canyon
The falls in Bear Trap Canyon
Views on our way out of the canyon
Spider at the mouth of Bear Trap Canyon
Stunning
A lizard on the La Verkin Creek Trail
Tachinid Fly
Day 3 - Campsite #8 on La Verkin Creek to the Lee Pass Trailhead - approximately 6.3 miles
On our third day, Ugly hiked back up the Hop Valley Trail to get the vehicle, while the rest of us hiked out to the Lee Pass Trailhead and wait to be picked up.
On our way out
West side of Burnt Mountain
Paintbrush along the trail
West end of Gregory Butte
Passed by the first seven campsites in the area on our way out
Views from the trail
Log steps on the climb out of Timber Creek
In my case, Leaving Zion Wilderness
Sure wish I could have seen one of these.
At the Lee Pass Trailhead
Waiting for Ugly to pick us up.
Views at the overlook
We stopped at Kan Kun in Beaver for a late lunch before heading back to Salt Lake City
Mount Nebo on our way home.
Well, I had a great time on this trip. The scenery was outstanding of course, but he trip was a warm one. My thermometer read 92 degrees on our way out on day three. I also had expected to see more fall colors this time of year, particularly yellows, but things were a little late this year with the unseasonably warm weather that we were having. Thanks to Ugly and his family for having me along.
Once home of course, I watched Jeremiah Johnson, some of which was actually filmed in Zion, with my bowl of popcorn in hand, which officially ends my backpacking season for 2024. Now it is time to start thinking about 2025.
The End.
