This fun hike covers parts of three canyons, crosses two passes and has a great overlook from which to select from many inviting side trips. Elevation gains are relatively gentle but there are nice intermediate range views and interesting surfaces to walk.
| TIME: | 6-8 hours. |
| ELEVATION GAIN: | 800 feet. |
| DIFFICULTY: | Moderate route finding. Moderate scrambling. |
| MAPS: | Fruita NW, Cathedral Mountain |
| GEOLOGY: | A great look at the variety in the Carmel. |
| PLANTS: | Numerous species and growing environments. |
| CIRCLE TRIP: | Yes. |
| ACCESS: | From the Visitor Center drive 12.0 miles east on Utah Highway 24 to where a dirt road leaves the paved road at an easy angle to the left. The road is hard to see but there is usually a sign saying "River Ford." Cross the river at the lower crossing and drive 13.9 miles to a signed junction saying "Lower South Desert Overlook." Turn left and drive 1.1 miles to Lower South Desert Overlook (S) parking area. |
Leave the parking area and walk west along the old road. The Waterpocket Fold ahead is all chopped up and beckons to be explored while to the northwest Thousand Lake Mountain is on the skyline. The cliffs to the right are composed of four different rock formations. On top, at the high point, is the Morrison Formation which the road was in most of the way to the parking area. The brown layer below that is the Summerville Formation. The gray rock layer the old road goes on and down through is the Curtis Formation. Notice that the top of Jail House Rock (the large Cathedral in front of you as you start the hike.) is Curtis. Look northwest up the valley and notice the smaller cathedral. That one (Temple Rock) has a tiny cap of gray Curtis. Below the Curtis, all the rock in the cliff, most of the rock in the temples, and the rock in the valley around the base of Jailhouse Rock is the Entrada Formation.
The route will turn right (north) and go down through a cattle gate. Stop just before that gate and look west at the Fold. The highest distant point visible to the left (south) of Jailhouse Rock is a rough rocky pointed mass of tan sandstone called Capitol. To the right (north) of that, sticking up and looking about as high, is a bulky mass with a sharp cut dividing it into two parts. Remember these for the near future.
Walk down the road to the bottom and notice the jagged rim running east (left) from the side of Jailhouse Rock. The lowest notch in that wall is well east of Jailhouse Rock. Walk to and through that notch. At the bottom of the slope just below the notch stay right and when possible turn right and follow the cliff for 100 feet to where the sand dune touches the wall. The largest shrub there is Greasewood.
From there walk along the wall for 150 feet to an eight foot boulder that has fallen off the wall. Angle left and walk toward the high mass with the cut in it for 150 feet to where the valley to the west is plainly visible. Look at Capitol then look straight down to valley level. Notice a significantly symmetrical conical hill nearly one half mile ahead. At the base of that hill on the left (south) side there is a pass (B). Walk through that pass.
From the pass look southwest, four fingers at arms length south of Capitol on the horizon, then down to where a "grassy" flat dwindles to a point farthest away (nearly one half mile) at the base of the slope of the Fold.
Walk, across Deep Creek, into that flat but stay to the right (north) edge because the canyon the route goes up is now hidden from view just behind the first ridge.
The wash coming out from behind that first ridge is the one to follow north and the point where you turn north is the return point (D). The loop the trip now embarks on returns to this point by coming down the wash from the west.
Along the first section the main grass is Alkali Sakaton and the main bushes are Greasewood and Rubber Rabbitbrush.
The beginning of the canyon is in the red brown Entrada Sandstone but very soon there is a gray layer at wash level which is the top of the Carmel Formation. It is this formation that is so convoluted and strangely layered and shaped.
Traveling up canyon always take the main fork at junctions. At the first questionable one go right (northeast).
The first surprise in the canyon is a wire anchored in rock on both sides that spans the canyon above head level. It is not even barbed wire but was part of a fence to keep cattle or sheep from going any farther up canyon.
After stepping under the wire, the first spiny little shrub on the right is Shadscale.
Two minutes above the wire there is a band of black rock crossing the wash, after which the wash will bend left and follow the band for a while. The rock is an igneous dike.
Beyond the dike a large piece of the canyon wall broke off and blocked the wash some years ago but there is an eye opening (on the other side) game trail up and over the block.
Ten minutes later a second dike crosses the wash requiring a two step climb. At the wash junction 200 feet beyond that two step climb, do not follow the dike, go right (north).
A couple minutes later at the next junction go left (south). Just after turning left, turn right and cross the long loop the wash makes. Just after reentering the wash there are some delicate Tamarisk trees. Among, or just beyond the Tamarisk are some tall (5-6 feet) stalks of Common Reed. Both of these plants require lots of water.
After the Tamarisk and some walking in gray rock the canyon will dig into and narrow some in brown looking rock that is really white in newly exposed places. This is a thick massive bed of gypsum.
Follow the wash, always taking the main fork, until there is a seemingly equal junction where the left fork heads into a wall. Go right (west). Not far after that the canyon narrows and there is a pour-over. Just before the pour-over, midden from a packrat nest runs down the left bank into the wash. There, turn around, and go back down the wash to the first small drainage coming in from the right (west).
Go up the little drainage and at the top of it bear right (north) around the bowl and continue up to the ridge top. Walk west to a game trail and from here follow game trails where ever possible. The route goes generally up to the west but often bears right (north). Follow the trails or just walk west (without crossing any washes) to the top of the rim where there is a great view to the west (E).
From the rim "The mass with the cut in it" dominates the view to the west and a great route toward it is along the long ridge that starts at the big bend in the main wash below. Try it. It is worthwhile.
The view includes many game trails near and far and a colorful mosaic of ridges, slopes, canyons, bumps and peaks that a picture just can not do justice to.
The next goal of the hike is to get down to the main wash (W) below and it really is quite easy. Walk northeast following the rim down to a red brown and gray canyon that goes down to the west.
Turn left (west), go down the canyon and where the red brown and gray layer ends and a brown gypsum layer begins, the canyon widens out. At that point leave the drainage and go left (southwest) up and across the gypsum to a gray shaley surface. Continue to the right (west) to a cut in the gray and go easily down it to the wash.
Once in the wash turn left, downstream, or take any side trips planned from the rim above.
The trip down this canyon will take nearly two hours but is not at all dull. Enjoy the rock walls and cliffs which are almost a geology text book of gypsum beds, shale beds, thin sandstone beds, minor faults, folding, gray shales, brown shales, ripplemarked bedding planes and so much more.
When headed downstream there is a pour-over in the wash just around the big bend but it can be down climbed (then slid) a short distance to the left of the main water route.
When it seems Tunnel canyon junction should be near keep an eye out for a group of trees (mostly Tamerisk) on the left and a low undercut in a high cliff wall on the right. About five minutes below that is the junction.
Tunnel Canyon (PN) is a small drainage coming in from the left. Across the main wash is the mouth of another small drainage that is mostly blocked by a rock fall (that is a neat canyon to explore.) Turn left (north) up Tunnel Canyon and the name will soon become obvious.
Beyond the tunnel there is a small pour-over to climb and there is some shiny rock in it. It is all gypsum in a crystalline form called Selenite. The mineral is usually clear but impurities stain it many colors including the pretty green seen here.
Walk up the wash through the gray, green and red brown layer cake and twelve minutes up from the tunnel the wash splits with the main wash going left (west) through the scattered black boulders while the route goes right (north) up the smaller wash. Near the top the wash becomes choked with black boulders. Because of the convenient size of the boulders it is not necessary to scramble, just mix in some oxygen.
At the top of that drainage there is a large open area. Once on top, turn right (east) and walk to the edge looking east. Enjoy the view, then study the terrain and pick out the "return point" and the best cattle trail below to use to get there.
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23June2017
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