31) Summertime Canyon (map disabled)

Please read the Introduction

A relatively short trip here gets to a Wingate canyon where the color of the walls tints and softens the entire scene. There is some scrambling along the way and there may be a pool to play in.

TIME:2-4 hours.
ELEVATION GAIN:300 Feet.
DIFFICULTY:Easy route finding. Moderate scrambling.
MAPS: Bitter Creek Divide
GEOLOGY:The short walk includes seven formations.
PLANTS:Some variety.
CIRCLE TRIP:No.
ACCESS:From the Visitor Center drive 9.2 miles east on Highway 24 to the signed Notom Road. Turn right (south) on the Notom road and drive 13.6 miles to the signed Sandy Creek Junction. Take the right (south) fork and drive 10 miles to the signed Cedar Mesa Campground. Pass the campground and continue 1.2 miles south to a cattle pond beside the road on the left, and park. (S)

From the upstream end of the cattle pond walk across the road and a few yards west to the top of the ridge. Below there is a large wash and off to the left (southwest), some, the slope of the Waterpocket Fold has a large patch of tan Navajo Sandstone. That canyon and slope should be fun to explore, should you choose to. Summertime Canyon is the next canyon south, out of sight behind a close hill. Follow the cattle trail down toward the wash, bearing left (south) as you go. Once close to the wash level, walk the trail upstream to an easy way into the wash. Travel up the wash and five minutes from the road the wash will split with the right (west) fork heading almost straight toward a canyon ahead. Take that right fork and follow (PN) Summertime Canyon to the end.

Near that wash junction the main woody bushes beside the wash are Big Sage.

Eventually the nice smooth wash will come to a rock wall where the scrambling starts. The wall is composed of the redish layer of the Carmel Formation that is so distinctive in the southern half of Capitol Reef National Park. Notice the steep slope of the rock surface. That is the slope of the Waterpocket Fold in this area.

After scrambling up the fifteen feet to the wash above, there is a collection of driftwood on the left (south), and the blue-green leafed shrub at the base of the boulder in that area is Fremont Barberry. On the upstream side of that boulder there is a Singleleaf Ash tree, and above that a Rubber Rabbitbrush.

The wash is quite bouldery for a couple hundred feet, then just before a somewhat narrower area the bushes on both sides of the wash are Squawbush which are covered by a vine called Virgins Bower. A few yards farther up the wash the bush hanging partly over the wash bottom is Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany.

The narrow area here is due to the resistant bottom (greenish) layer of the Carmel Formation. Immediately below (next to) it is the tan Navajo Sandstone. A couple minutes into the Navajo the bush with bright green leaves and red bark is Manzanita.

There is a fork in the wash after leaving the Navajo. The main canyon is up the left (south) fork. For a while the walking is easier in the Wingate section of the canyon. Exploring some of the forks at the head of the canyon (E) will require some scrambling.

Enjoy!


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