Dinosaur Wash, Arizona

Dinosaur Wash  is a great hike, accessed from Sophie's Flat near Wickenburg (though you can also access it from the other end)

Ocotillo, about the only thing blooming
in mid February after a dry winter

Doesn't that rock formation look like a rabbit?  

The most dangerous wildlife I saw.
You can't see the bees much in the photo,
but they were sure buzzing.  And look at that honeycomb!

Some of the fun dry wash hiking
Almost like mini slot canyons

A mine shaft just past the coolest, rock-scrambliest, part of the wash

This is a very fun trail, first through very pretty Sonoran desert trails that cross washes, climb small rises for good views, and weave past interesting rock formations.  Then you get into the wash, which brings its own interest, especially the mini red slot canyons and bits where you have to scramble up or down rocks.  When calculating distances and times, factor in the extra effort of walking in the sand.

I saw a hawk of some sort on a saguaro, several large beehives, a jackrabbit, lizards, and lots of birds.  

Trailhead:

Take Constellation Road northeast from near McDonalds in Wickenburg.  When the pavement ends, it turns into a good dirt road, suitable for most cars.  Just be careful of the ATVs out and about.  After about three miles, turn left on Blue Tank Road (there are signs for Sophie's Flat).  It's less than two miles on another pretty good dirt road to the trailhead, which has an outhouse, picnic table, and room for dispersed camping.  Hint:  on the way, there's a hairpin turn where a wash beckons at the bottom and where you'll often see people parked with their trailers and ORVs.  Park and walk a bit up the wash.  It's a much more accessible wash with cool rock walls.   

Length:

Somewhere around 8-12 miles, depending on where you start and how far you go in the wash before turning around.  

Difficulty:  

Moderate.  There's not a lot of elevation gain, but it's not boringly flat either.  The trails's fairly well marked.  There is a lot of walking in sand, which simply takes more effort.  And beware of cholla on an around the trail.  Wear good boots and consider sticking a cactus-removing comb in your backpack.  Always be sure to take plenty of water and do not hike this in the heat unless you are a seasoned desert hiker.  There's very little shade.    

Route:

I started where the A trail crosses Blue Tank Road and turns quickly into the C trail connector.  When the C connector gets to the other side of the A loop, I went left.  I took the D spur north to the wash, then followed the wash left (west) for around 1.5 or 2 miles until a little past the mine cave and some slick rock scrambling.  Apparently if you go about a mile further you can get all the way to Box Canyon and Mistake Mine, but I was going to run out of daylight (I got a late start after lunch).  I returned via the trail that appears to be on State Trust Land (permit required) and then part of the A loop back to the C connector, then to the B connector, then to the A loop to the outhouse at the trailhead.  I made it back to  camp just as the sun was setting.  A great hike.       

Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch--A Great Slot Canyon

Buckskin Gulch is one of the longest and deepest slot canyons in the WORLD...but I had never even heard of it until I started researching hikes near Page, Arizona.

The Gulch is in Utah, just north of the Utah/Arizona border, between Kanab and Page, and there are various routes you can take.  One classic is a two-day backpack trip from White House trailhead down Paria Canyon and up Buckskin Gulch to the Wire Pass trailhead or the Buckskin Gulch trailhead.  Intrepid and experienced and well prepared backpackers can follow the gulch all the way to Lee's Ferry.  I took the easy day hike from Wire Pass trailhead down to Buckskin Gulch and then just explored as much of the gulch as a wanted before returning to the trailhead.

DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY OF THESE HIKES DURING MONSOON SEASON OR IN ANY OTHER PERIOD OF REGIONAL RAIN.  A serious flash flood would mean certain death in many stretches of the gulch.   The BLM's Paria Contact Station will have current trail and weather conditions.

I started at Wire Pass trailhead, a bumpy 8.3 miles south of highway 89 on House Rock Road.  You have to pay a day-permit fee here (currently $6 per person, envelopes provided at the fee station, interagency passes not valid).  There's a pit toilet and some informational signage. 

Cross the road and follow the wash left.  After about a mile, it narrows to a wonderful little slot canyon, where you can almost always touch both sides of the wavy smooth red rock walls. 

At one point rock jams create a 5-8 foot drop.  People had set up a rather sketchy-looking "ladder" out of a big old tree branch and some stacked rocks.  Hikers braver than I went down first and helped me down.  It wasn't a big deal with help.  However, the configurations changes after floods, and if you're alone or scared or have mobility problems, you can backtrack out of the slots.  Once it opens up, look for cairns to your left (headed out of the slots) and follow them up the hill to bypass this drop.  However, the bypass trail is no walk in the park, especially the descent on the other side.

About 1.7 miles from the trailhead, you reach the confluence with Buckskin Gulch.  There's a massive stone cliff and alcove with petroglyphs at the base (though I suspect some of these petroglyphs are rather recent.  Shame, vandals! 

I headed downstream (right) in Buckskin Gulch, but was soon blocked by a pool of water.  The ranger at the Paria Contact Station had warned that some of the pools were currently waist or chest deep (the beginning of April, with good rain a couple of weeks previous).  I hung around, wondering if anyone would try going through.  The four guys who'd helped me at the rock jam arrived and decided to try it.  I put on my river shoes and went with them.  The water was icy but not even to our knees, so we forged ahead.  One pool after another blocked our way. 

The canyon walls soared high, straight above us, yet sometimes I could touch both sides, and it was rarely more than about ten feet wide.  Amazing place. 

The pools started getting deeper, our feet were getting pretty cold, and a group hiking the opposite way told us that it just keeps going this way.  My new friends decided to turn around, but right then a Utah family arrived (mom, dad, young adult daughter, teenage son).  I wasn't quite ready to turn back, so they kindly accepted me as part of their group.  We went on, past an invisible bird squawking at us from on high, through pools that were up to mid thigh, some with mud sticky enough to almost steal our shoes.  The family was looking for a sunny lunch spot, but the canyon walls blocked out the sun.  Finally, our toes so numb we couldn't feel where we were stepping very well, we turned back. 

All told, we crossed about 14 major pools and a few little ones.  I've heard that water can be neck high here sometimes, and you have to swim, but that by summer it's mostly dried out.  This section goes for miles, but we probably only explored about a mile and a half of it.   

If you look hard here, you can see me in one of the iced-chocolate-milk pools. 

Once back at the Wire Pass junction, I headed upstream along Buckskin Gulch.  If the lower narrows are too wet for you, try these.  Though not as narrow or deep or long, they're still awesome, with fewer and shallower pools. 

Going upstream, once you get out of the narrows, keep following the wash.  You'll soon get up close and personal with some magnificent sandstone mountains, buttes, dunes, and fin rock, much of it striped red and white, a bit like a less-showy cousin of the famous Wave (which is just south of here).  It feels like you're on another planet.

The ranger called this area Edmaier's Secret, but it's hard to know exactly where it starts and ends.  I think this is just the edge of it.  If you explore any part, be VERY careful where you step.  You don't want to break any of the delicate sandstone fins and ridges.  Preserve it for all the future hikers.

         

It was an amazing trip.  I'd go back in a heartbeat. 



 
 

 

Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Fantastic.  Surreal.  Magical.  

I could go on and on...as evidenced by the photos below, just a fraction of the ones I actually took.  But I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  

  

Antelope Canyon has been on my bucket list for years.  Back when it first appeared on my radar, every German traveler I met was like, "Yeah, I've been to Antelope Canyon" and all my Arizona friends were like, "What's Antelope Canyon?"  Its fame seems to have spread a bit.  And now, I finally made it.  So worth it.

If you go:

-Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons are separate tours of separate parts of the canyon.  Many sources say that if you're only going to one, go to Lower.  I have not been to Upper, so I can't personally compare.  

-You have to go with a tour.  Currently, two companies do tours at Lower Antelope Canyon:  Ken's Tours and Dixie Ellis' Tours.  I went with Ken's Tours and was satisfied.

-Reserve ahead.  You may luck into a spot if you just show up, but it will likely involve long lines, waiting around, and chance.  Reservations can be made online, but you'll only pay when you get there. 

-Tours are on the expensive side  Mine was $50 including tax and the $8 Navaho Park Permit Fee, which must be paid in cash.  You may also want to tip the guide.

-According to the rules, you can't take in purses, other bags, or backpacks (except small camelbaks).  Just take a bottle of water and your camera (tripods not allowed).  In reality, they let some people in with small bags.

-Your tour may be cancelled due to flash flood danger during monsoon season (roughly July-August).  Don't protest.  Flash floods here mean death.  

-Tour and check-in times are in Arizona time, though your cell phone may be confused and give you Utah time.  Set your phone manually to Phoenix, Arizona time.  Or use an actual watch.  

-Read the tour website for other important information.         

-Enjoy this wonderful experience!

EXTRA TIP:

After you do this tour, if you're hungering for more slot canyons, bring your kayak or other small watercraft or rent one from Antelope Point Marina (reasonable rates) and paddle up Antelope Canyon as far as you can go.  I have no pictures of this because I didn't want to risk my camera getting tipped into the lake (we have a tippy old canoe and I'm rather attached to my camera), but it's beautiful:  twisty narrowing passage, tall, sheer walls, beautiful reflections.  

At the end, beach your kayak and hike further up.  You may have to brave some truly serious mud at first, but it's worth it.  The canyon narrows into something not as impressive as your Lower Antelope Canyon tour but still very cool.  And you may have it almost to yourself.  Take your time and really soak it in.  Again, do not attempt this in monsoon season or if it's been raining in the surrounding area.  Flash floods can be deadly.  And take your camera.  I certainly will next time.