Hop Valley and La Verkin Creek - Zion National Park - October 11, 2024

scatman

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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! :D 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

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Info sign at the trailhead

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My compadres for the trip - Isaac, Robert, Gunner and Ryan

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First junction sign

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The view (north) out ahead of us

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Wildflowers in bloom

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We hiked through both public and private land on our way down to La Verkin Creek

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The trail heading down was very sandy. I know, I should have probably expected this.

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I found myself looking up a lot on this trip at the amazing red rocks

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The views out ahead were always fantastic

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Sorry, it is hard for me to pass up a wildflower

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I think we are in Hop Valley proper at this point

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Staring to get a little marshy in the center of the valley

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I am just going to call this Hop Valley Creek. It is a tributary of Le Verkin Creek.

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More wildflowers

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Just beautiful rock

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Still working our way down Hop Valley and the creek

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Some red fall colors and we begin the big descent down to La Verkin Creek

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Gregory Butte above. Our campsite is located just below the butte on la Verkin Creek

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View dropping down to La Verkin Creek

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Reaching the La Verkin Creek Trail

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Beatty Spring, our water source for the trip

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Looking up at Burnt Mountain

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Arriving at camp

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My brace was replaced by a wrist widget for this trip. Unfortunately, I'm now back in a brace. :(

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Home for the next two nights

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Scat in the desert! Unbelievable! :D

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Ryan did his best to make me feel at home with Tony's Chocolonely and Circus Peanuts.

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La Verkin Creek


Day 2 - Day Hike to Kolob Arch and to The Falls in Beat Trap Canyon - unknown mileage

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Gregory Butte in some early morning sun

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Ice Box Canyon Stream? Help @Ugly! On our way to Kolob Arch

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Fall color

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Ran into a few tree frogs on this trip

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Kolob Arch

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View to the south of Burnt Mountain from our Kolob Arch vantage point

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In his element

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Fleabane

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Hornets nest on our way to Bear Trap Canyon

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View up the La Verkin Creek drainage

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Just beautiful

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La Verkin Creek

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At the mouth of Bear Trap Canyon

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Working our way up the canyon

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Stream up Bear Trap Canyon

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The falls in Bear Trap Canyon

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Views on our way out of the canyon

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Spider at the mouth of Bear Trap Canyon

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Stunning

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A lizard on the La Verkin Creek Trail

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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.

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On our way out

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West side of Burnt Mountain

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Paintbrush along the trail

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West end of Gregory Butte

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Passed by the first seven campsites in the area on our way out

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Views from the trail

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Log steps on the climb out of Timber Creek

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In my case, Leaving Zion Wilderness

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Sure wish I could have seen one of these. :thumbsup:

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At the Lee Pass Trailhead

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Waiting for Ugly to pick us up.

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Views at the overlook

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We stopped at Kan Kun in Beaver for a late lunch before heading back to Salt Lake City

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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.
 
Nice @scatman - you made it down to the desert, woohoo ! It was unusually warm/hot this fall.
How about feline tracks, did you see any? We do on occasion see mountain lion and bobcat tracks in the desert.
Actually @Ugly knows an area in the desert with both bear and mtn lion tracks :) Circus peanuts are 100% guaranteed on a trip with @Ugly ;)
 
Great Trip Report! Love It! Have done this hike a multiple of times. Such a Great Place!
 
That looks like a very nice hike! Maybe someday I'll make it down to that corner of Uath... seem to always get stuck exploring other places. This time of year I can't help but start thinking of hiking in the desert again, ready to go back.
 
So glad you enjoyed the trip. I had previously noticed that your trips were mountains vs desert/canyons, and I had wondered if you had tried that and didn't like it or just loved the mountains so much you didn't want to spend time elsewhere. Curious - do you think you'll explore canyon country again?
 
That looks like a very nice hike! Maybe someday I'll make it down to that corner of Uath... seem to always get stuck exploring other places. This time of year I can't help but start thinking of hiking in the desert again, ready to go back.

If you came out west, we could get @scatman to hike some of the other more adventurous route-finding desert places.
I am always willing, the only issue is the soccer schedule. We could bring along a crew of others too.
 
Nice @scatman - you made it down to the desert, woohoo ! It was unusually warm/hot this fall.
How about feline tracks, did you see any? We do on occasion see mountain lion and bobcat tracks in the desert.
Actually @Ugly knows an area in the desert with both bear and mtn lion tracks :) Circus peanuts are 100% guaranteed on a trip with @Ugly ;)

Didn't see any feline tracks. :(
 
So glad you enjoyed the trip. I had previously noticed that your trips were mountains vs desert/canyons, and I had wondered if you had tried that and didn't like it or just loved the mountains so much you didn't want to spend time elsewhere. Curious - do you think you'll explore canyon country again?

No, I'd never done a backpacking trip in the desert before this one. My vacation time is at a premium, so I tend to spend almost all of it in the GYE. I need bears (grizzlies), bison, elk, moose, etc.. Once I retire, I could see myself doing a few more desert trips.
 
If you came out west, we could get @scatman to hike some of the other more adventurous route-finding desert places.
I am always willing, the only issue is the soccer schedule. We could bring along a crew of others too.

What's the water situation on these more adventurous places? :D
 
What's the water situation on these more adventurous places? :D

Varied...
But for some of them, we can go places where the water gurgles from the stone like a fountain, or drips straight into either of your three nalgenes! :roflmao:
 
Varied...
But for some of them, we can go places where the water gurgles from the stone like a fountain, or drips straight into either of your three nalgenes! :roflmao:
I think Scat needs the pothole sipping and sand digging experiences........or maybe one where the only water tastes like drinking epsom salts, maybe where its 100+ and no shade ........ !!! Now these are REAL desert experiences
 
I think Scat needs the pothole sipping and sand digging experiences........or maybe one where the only water tastes like drinking epsom salts, maybe where its 100+ and no shade ........ !!! Now these are REAL desert experiences

All in good time.
If only to appreciate the desert more. I mean there is also the times the water tastes like sulphur, or is dyed from the tannins in the decomposing leaves? :)
 
When I first met Hugh a couple years ago, we were sitting around eating breakfast or dinner and I asked him about the desert why he never posted any trip reports from southern Utah. He said basically what he said above, "if there aren't grizzlies, I'm not interested" :) I'm glad someone was able to drag him away from the GYE.
 
When I first met Hugh a couple years ago, we were sitting around eating breakfast or dinner and I asked him about the desert why he never posted any trip reports from southern Utah. He said basically what he said above, "if there aren't grizzlies, I'm not interested" :) I'm glad someone was able to drag him away from the GYE.

I think there was a smile of satisfaction when the wilderness desk ranger said that we should hang our food from bears.
 
If you came out west, we could get @scatman to hike some of the other more adventurous route-finding desert places.
I am always willing, the only issue is the soccer schedule. We could bring along a crew of others too.

I'd be interested in a trip. Scatman or no scatman even. Though I'm usually out that way in April/May.

Who gets to carry all the circus peanuts required to lead scat into the desert? That's the real question.
 
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