Scarpa crux is a great sticky rubber friction shoe that comes in a quick drying canvas. Take a pair of crocs for camp so you don't have to wear wet sneaks.
Someone else may have a better idea, but if you did SFC/CC clockwise (to have a shorter day 3) then driving to one side of the BMT THs would maybe give enough time to hike back in. and stay high for views.
Upper Muley is a great option for views. Probably OK to camp at Strike Valley Overlook.
View camps are most likely dry so you just have to take what you want to be comfortable for dinner and breakfast (depending on 1st water when you return to canyons.) For 1 night carrying it all is not a big deal that time of year.
Or do the whole trip in SFC/CC, head into Neon, find rock art, head up Fence for a view, start finding your eye for the Allen exits. No consequence if you are not required to continue in one direction. Sand slides can be pretty easy to identify. Study Google Earth along side of topos to get an idea of what to expect.
You'll be hooked! Have wonderful discoveries. When I started the Park Service put the fear of angry gods into me that I would surely die of thirst. Reaching water once per day, and accepting occasional dry camps, is all that is necessary to not carry crazy weights and really enjoy the hiking. Then you'll start to realize, oh, I can go 1.5 days w/o reaching water, then maybe two (heavy, admittedly). March really helps.
If you are used to steep vertical in the northern Appalachians then you'll probably find S. UT hiking less strenuous because (deep sand excepted) you're not noticing vertical when walking on mesas and canyon floors and the transition between the two is rarely even 1500 vert, Grand Canyon excepted.
Everything you said here is really awesome, welcome to the desert!:
I bought Canyoneering 3, which is part of why I was a bit reluctant to plan my own loops from a topo map, to be honest! For example, his C/L loop says it is a strenuous route for experienced canyoneers only that involves 5.4 climbing and requires a 50-foot rope. I'm from the east coast and have literally never set foot into a desert or canyon. So while I am interested in having some privacy, it's not to the point of wanting to put myself into a dangerous situation that I am not prepared for.
Looking at that book, I was also considering SFC/CC (#35) or LDH/WC (#33) off of Burr Trail or maybe some of the HW hikes off of H.I.R. (#11-14)? Those look slightly less busy on Strava (except Golden Cathedral), assuming there isn't too much normalization. Any thoughts on those for someone in my situation?
Thank you for your help with this! Even though I'm a novice/spring breaker, I want to be responsible and respectful (and I use WAG bags and don't use Instagram!).
It reminded me that I was challenged by C/L and I wasn't even thinking about that. Mesa crossings down there can be confusing. Time eases memories. It is good you mentioned it.
I don't remember any real challenges in LDH/WC, and though crowded potentially, the color and shapes of the narrows are quite beautiful for non-technical hiking. Getting around the remains of a dead cow was my greatest challenge by memory.
