The character of the scenery along this hike is constantly changing. It starts in an overgrazed, sandy wash, Pinyon/Juniper area then moves into a Navajo Sandstone canyon with inviting side canyons. In one sharp turn of the wash the tan Navajo gives way to the red brown of the Kayenta and Wingate formations and the steep climb begins. Near the top the steep climb ends abruptly and a picturesque gentle wash continues through a Ponderosa grove, Wingate fins, and into a puzzle.
| TIME: | 5-7 hours. Leave some exploring time. |
| ELEVATION GAIN: | 1300 feet |
| DIFFICULTY: | Difficult Scrambling (steep slickrock). Easy route finding. |
| MAPS: | Bitter Creek Divide |
| GEOLOGY: | Interesting erosional features. |
| PLANTS: | Quite a variety. |
| CIRCLE TRIP: | No. |
| ACCESS: | From the Visitor Center drive 9.2 miles east on Utah 24 to the signed Notom Road. Turn right (south) and drive 13.6 miles to the signed Sandy Ranch Junction. Bear right (south) and drive 11.5 miles to Bitter Creek Divide (signed). Park, and from the divide (P) walk back (north) 0.1 miles to the first wash, turn left (west) and walk west up Bitter Creek wash. |
Quick Directions: Once in Bitter Creek wash follow it up as far as possible.
Leave the road and hike generally west, staying in the main wash. The rolling countryside is a result of weathering and erosion of the Morrison Formation. Five minutes up there will be a wash junction: go right (north). A couple minutes later there is another wash junction: go left (west). Twelve minutes from the road there is some blackish rock on the right (east) side of the wash. Most of the black is Entrada Sandstone that has been stained by an igneous dike. The thin dike is on the upstream side of the black stain. A couple of minutes later the rock changes again as the wash cuts through the Carmel Formation. Next, the wash becomes narrower androcky just before breaking out into a layer of light tan rock which is the Navajo Sandstone. Fifty feet after entering the Navajo the wash makes a hard left (south) turn. In that turn, on the left, there are some small trees: Singleleaf Ash. Fifty feet beyond the Ash trees there are some Dwarf Yucca on the right side of the wash. Just before the wash curves hard right(west), the six foot high bush on the left is a Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany. Look straight beyond that bush, rather than right around the curve, and there is a low Manzanita bush with bright green leaves.
After fifteen more minutes the wash turns left (south) and becomes more difficult to walk. It will smooth out but not for long. After a significant bend to the right (west), look ahead and observe the slickrock ramp going up the slope. The route goes up the ramp on the right (north) side. To get there, crawl under the large boulder in the wash if it isn't too wet to do so. The smooth ramp is at the top of the Wingate formation while the bedrock just above the ramp is the Kayenta Formation.
Once on the uninterrupted, red brown slickrock ramp walk up on the right (north) side of the drainage and notice the numerous waterpockets. Climb nearly 200 vertical feet to where there are a number of rocks three feet square or less littering the ramp. The view east should include only the tops of the Henry Mountains sticking up a bit above the Navajo sandstone wall at the base of the canyon. Use the Henry Mountains view as a guide if the rocks get washed off the ramp.
At that point climb off the right (north) side of the ramp where ever possible. At this writing the place where a Juniper tree clings to the edge of the ramp just above a boulder is the best place. Walk a short distance up into the tan rock rubble, then ASAP go back to the left (south) to the slickrock, walking above (+/- 15 feet) the ramp previously used. The main wash forms a steep bowl that can be skirted on the right (north), then at the top of that bowl go into the center of the drainage.
Walk easily above a waterpocket with some willows in it, then cross the water course below the next willow filled pocket and walk up the slickrock on the left (south) side. Where the canyon splits walk up beyond the split to an easy crossing of that left fork. Cross it, then walk around and continue up canyon following the right (north) fork of the canyon.
Do not try to walk the wash bottom, instead stay just above it on the left (south) side. The going will get more difficult but stay above the wash. A significant drainage will come in from the left (south) but ignore that and continue following up the main fork. Two hundred yards above the side drainage the main wash has an angular vertical overhanging pour-over. Stay on the left (south) side, climb just higher than the top of the pour-over, then return to the wash for easy walking. One small pour-over will force a detour (go back and out to the south) but return to the wash for a sandy stroll in some great country.
DIGRESSION:
That is the end (E) of the described hike, however, for those with remaining energy two options are recommended. One, try to find a way to the head of the canyon. Two, climb out either side of the canyon and walk up and west to the edge of the Circle Cliffs. Number two is the easier.
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23June2017
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