Parunweap Canyon / The Barracks (Utah)

[Jazerrad]

I’m planning a backpack with my son next week, possibly to the Barracks, following EF Virgin River from Mt Carmel Junction to Checkerboard Mesa. I was told there are often log jams and that with the heavy rains this summer that there may be areas where we will get into some waist or chest deep water. I wanted to see if anyone has been there in the past few months and can provide a report on what conditions we might encounter in the canyon. Thanks, Jeff

 

[Bob]

Not last few months .. but ...
Drive in from Mt Carmel as far as you can to the Road end. Hiking that is boring. From there for a while are ATV trails and cow tracks. Didn't have any deep wading years ago but stuff changes yearly. Be sure to go look at the falls past the exit climb, that part of the canyon rivals the narrows. Exit climb is a steep scramble.
One if my favorite canyons.... It's one of the few I've seen rattlesnakes ..

 

[Jazerrad]

Thank you, Bob! Yes, I heard about the ATVs and cow patties. We’re planning to try to avoid all that and start as close to the good part as possible. I’m flying into Utah from Oregon next Friday. My 12 year old son is backpacking with me, so what I’m trying to find out is if the recent conditions will require us to bring wet suits or if we can be ok with just neoprene booties.

 

[Bob]

Another way in is Mineral creek on the north or by elephant buttes on the south.

This late in the year canyons get way less sunlight and get cold.....

 

[fossana]

My neighbors (on the shorter side) were in there a few times over the past 2 months and didn't report any high water, but I don't think they got all the way into the Barracks since they were doing out-and-backs from the bottom. That being said, we've had a few significant periods of rainfall over the past few weeks (including yesterday), so conditions likely have changed. You might try Bogley after the weekend to see if anyone from the canyoneering crowd has been in there after Fat Man's Misery Canyon.