Southern Utah in mid-April

[Matt Price]

Hi folks,

My wife and I are returning to southern Utah for what is only our second trip. We'll be there in late April (19-27). Lat time we were in the region, we spent 8 days in Dark Canyon, but I am pretty worried about water this year, as we're going a couple of weeks later in the year, and the wtaer situation in southern Utah looks bad from the few sources that I can see.

1. any report yet from Dark Canyon itself?
2. Can people suggest other routes of 5-8 days that might still have water this late in the spring?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Jorey]

Dark Canyon has a perennial stream from at least Youngs all the way to the river, so depending on where you plan to go in there, no problems.

5-8 Day routes with definitive water will be more difficult to say, depending on where you want to go. More parameters make it helpful to make suggestions: Your experience, area of interest, spiciness tolerance, navigational ability, etc.

 

[Matt Price]

5-8 Day routes with definitive water will be more difficult to say, depending on where you want to go. More parameters make it helpful to make suggestions: Your experience, area of interest, spiciness tolerance, navigational ability, etc.

Yes, I'm seeing how vague that request looks now -- thanks for the friendly reply.

• Experience: mid-fifties backpackers w/ a number of trips in the 1-2 week range. Only one in Utah, others in mountainous areas of British Columbia, Newfoundland, California, New Hampshire, Italy.
• Spiciness Tolerance: not high. I have a fair bit of mid-grade climbing experience (nothing above 5.9 for a long time now) and my partner finds exposure challenging, especially on narrow trails that make it hard to turn sideways while wearing a pack. Both of us are pretty steady on our feet so, say, class 3 scrambling is no problem till there's a terrifying exposed section.
• Navigational Ability: pretty good, not as good as the best. Can read topo maps, have a garmin, have gotten lost and found our way out a bunch of times. Didn't have any trouble in Dark Canyon, really, though the navigation there isn't very hard.
• Area of Interest: We're coming for the sandstone walls more than anything, and the sculpted rocks & ephemeral streams.

thansk again for your help, not sure if this clarifies.

 

[Jorey]

If you're looking for canyons that have running water, they're few and far between especially for an itinerary of that length. Certainly you could hike the Escalante river canyon for 5-8 days, but would require a car shuttle or some off trail travel and creativity to create a manageable loop. And maybe a lot ofw wading. Also an option would be to cobble together a loop with Death Hollow/BMT, Slickrock Saddle Bench, Bowington road, Sand Creek, etc. But off trail navigating skills required there.

I would probably try to find something or somethings to string together in Canyoneering 3 if you want something in the 5-8 Day range. Water is low this year in the Escalante area, but you can sift through some of the reports here and compare. That or do two smaller trips in the same area.

Grand Gulch and more off the beaten path the Slickhorn complex are worth a look, more water problems in the latter.

You didn't mention where you went in Dark Canyon. Could do Dark/Lean-To/Airstrip/Youngs and back out the Sundance. Or go from Woodenshoe/Peavine. There's a lot there besides just Dark.

I'm sure others will chime in. More specificity is helpful.

 

[Janice]

Last year in late April, we did a 5 night trip in Coyote Gulch that was magical, combining the basic Coyote Gulch treats with some extensions that we thought were fantastic. Water was never a problem. The scenery was exceptional, the hikes were the right level of spiciness for us, and at that time of year it wasn't too crowded. If you'd like to learn more, here's my trip report and feel free to reach out for more details.

 

[John Morrow]

There are lots of loop hike opportunities in the Escalante from Hwy 12 to Coyote Gulch. Here's a couple that can be extended or even combined:

NWHikers.net - View topic - GS-Escalante Natl Mon. Loop Backpack: Little Death Hollow/Wolverine and Overland April 22-25, 2018

Sorry, no trip report for this one:

GSENM Silver Falls Choprock Loop Backpack April 8-9, 2022 Days 1 and 2

Silver Falls Canyon to Fence Canyon via an Eqypt Bench Overland Route

www.flickr.com

Grand Staircase Escalante Natl Mon Backpack April 10-11, 2022 Days 3 and 4

Up Escalante River to Choprock. Choprock to head of canyon, round Silver Falls Bench back into canyon and Trailhead

www.flickr.com

 

[Matt Price]

ah these are all great, thank you. I will sit down with them tonight1

 

[Matt Price]

If you're looking for canyons that have running water, they're few and far between especially for an itinerary of that length. Certainly you could hike the Escalante river canyon for 5-8 days, but would require a car shuttle or some off trail travel and creativity to create a manageable loop. And maybe a lot ofw wading. Also an option would be to cobble together a loop with Death Hollow/BMT, Slickrock Saddle Bench, Bowington road, Sand Creek, etc. But off trail navigating skills required there.

Of trail navigating is fine, I think; we will look into this.

I would probably try to find something or somethings to string together in Canyoneering 3 if you want something in the 5-8 Day range. Water is low this year in the Escalante area, but you can sift through some of the reports here and compare. That or do two smaller trips in the same area.

I will spend more time looking at Canyoneering 3. I tend to get a little lost in it.

Grand Gulch and more off the beaten path the Slickhorn complex are worth a look, more water problems in the latter.

Grand Gulch looks pretty straightforward and form other posts it sounds like it's not hard to set up a shuttle, so again that sounds good.

You didn't mention where you went in Dark Canyon. Could do Dark/Lean-To/Airstrip/Youngs and back out the Sundance. Or go from Woodenshoe/Peavine. There's a lot there besides just Dark.

we did the loop from Canyoneering 2. After talking we're thinking we would like to go somewhere else, just because there's so much in Utah and our lives are so short.

I'm sure others will chime in. More specificity is helpful.

 

[Janice]

There are lots of loop hike opportunities in the Escalante from Hwy 12 to Coyote Gulch. Here's a couple that can be extended or even combined:

NWHikers.net - View topic - GS-Escalante Natl Mon. Loop Backpack: Little Death Hollow/Wolverine and Overland April 22-25, 2018

Sorry, no trip report for this one:

GSENM Silver Falls Choprock Loop Backpack April 8-9, 2022 Days 1 and 2

Silver Falls Canyon to Fence Canyon via an Eqypt Bench Overland Route

www.flickr.com

Grand Staircase Escalante Natl Mon Backpack April 10-11, 2022 Days 3 and 4

Up Escalante River to Choprock. Choprock to head of canyon, round Silver Falls Bench back into canyon and Trailhead

www.flickr.com

We loved our Little Death Hollow / Wolverine trip with extra stuff up above, including things from John's trip described in this link. And Silver Falls / Choprock / Golden Cathedral, with extra stuff up above including John's overland route, is our Plan B if there's not enough water in Grand Gulch. Thank you, John - I have gotten great ideas from your adventures!