GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE CANYONS HIKER An Inn to Inn, Hiking Tour
The Grand Staircase - Escalante Canyons National Monument – America’s newest and second largest national monument!Located in southern Utah's Castle Country, the canyons of the Escalante, San Rafael Swell and Capitol Reef National Park make up one of the West's most fascinating geologic wonderlands.Forming a bizarre and surreal landscape, this magnificent wilderness is one of our favourite areas to explore.Join our guides and discover an intricate maze of narrow slot canyons, ancient Anasazi petroglyphs, fiery slickrock palisades, and fantastically eroded red rock monuments and buttes.For five days we hike through this intriguing landscape and spend another day winding through some of the finest slot canyons we have discovered anywhere.This trip is designed for sure-footed hikers and offers a number of challenges for the more advanced adventurer.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 Hike Little Wildhorse to Bell Canyon Loop and Goblin Valley, San Rafael Swell, The Lodge at Red River Ranch We meet in Green River and shuttle to the San Rafael Swell, a seemingly endless expanse of slickrock, deep canyons, arches, pinnacles, towers and mountains.We will enjoy Little Wild Horse Canyon, one of the most fascinating hikes in canyon country. Its high walls and narrow paths twist and turn, creating a photographer's paradise of varying colours textures and shapes. We then enjoy an especially unique hike in Goblin Valley State Park.The park offers intriguing hiking and exploring amidst a surreal fantasyland of wildly sculpted toadstool-shaped rock formations and peculiar hoodoos. Afterwards we travel to Torrey, a quiet ranching community near the impressive Waterpocket Fold.For the first two evenings, we savour the country hospitality of the Lodge at Red River Ranch, one of our favourite western inns.Hike Little Wildhorse Canyon [out and back, 4 miles, 280 feet of elevation gain, then loss] Hike either Carmel Canyon Trail to Molly's Castle [3.1 miles] or Curtis Bench Trail to Henry Mountains Lookout [1.25 miles]
DAY 2 Hike in Capitol Reef National Park, the lodge at Red River Ranch Plenty of terrain awaits our exploration in Capitol Reef National Park, twice the size of Bryce and one of America's natural wonders.Preserving an eroded jumble of colourful cliffs, massive domes, soaring spires, stark monoliths, twisting canyons and graceful arches, the park is spectacular.The cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold, a giant, sinuous wrinkle in the Earth’s crust that stretch for over a 100 miles, slicing through the park’s epicentre.Our ramblings will feature Grand Wash and the amazing Cassidy Arch where Butch Cassidy is said to have hidden. Grand Wash: Cassidy Arch, Frying Pan and Cohab Canyon [8 miles, with some moderate to challenging sections] Easier Option:Grand Wash [4.5 miles]
DAY 3 Hike in Capitol Reef National Park, Boulder Mountain Lodge Bidding the Lodge at Red River Ranch good-bye, we venture back into Capitol Reef National Park to explore the Upper Muley Twist Canyon, steep and narrow enough to “twist a mule pulling a wagon.”This fun-filled backcountry route offers drama in the form of Saddle Arch and narrows within the Waterpocket Fold. For those looking for an easier option, hike to the Rim Overlook for spectacular views of orchards and the Waterpocket Fold. Our home away from home for the next three evenings is the Boulder Mountain Lodge. Located in a quiet mountain valley beside a wetland, the lodge is a birdwatcher's paradise. Upper Muley Twist Canyon [up to 9 miles]
DAY 4 Hike in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Boulder Mountain Lodge The canyons of the Grand Staircase-Escalante,America’s newest and second largest National Monument, is an area of plateaus, sandstone canyons, unique rock formations and precipitous cliffs.And exploring the geologic marvels of Grand-Staircase Escalante will put you in touch with some of the purest wilderness solitude still to be found in the lower 48 states.We will enter the awesome and mysterious Escalante Canyons, as we hike into Phipps Wash.This trail features Anasazi graineries, alcoves, petroglyphs, pictographs and even an arch. Depending on water levels and the weather, we may choose to hike in the Upper Escalante River Canyon featuring Phipps Natural Arch and Escalante Natural Bridge. Phipps Wash [approximately 6 miles]
DAY 5 Hike in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Boulder Mountain Lodge Today, we explore the Upper Gulch, one of the Escalante’s hidden gems. This lush canyon features hanging gardens, cascading waterfalls, fresh springs and ancient petroglyphs.Navajo Sandstone provides us with a dramatic background for autumn colours on our autumn departure, and in the spring, a babbling brook will accompany us. Upper Gulch [up to 10 miles, moderate]
DAY 6 Hike in Capitol Reef National Park, Green River For our final day in this canyon country paradise, we enjoy another extraordinary hike in Capitol Reef National Park.The Chimney Rock loop trail features lofty far-reaching views of the sinuous canyons carved by the Freemont and Escalante Rivers.Our canyon country adventure concludes back in Green River. Chimney Rock [3.5 miles]
TOUR DETAILS
Inn Trip: 6 days/5 nights Trip Level: Moderately Easy to Moderate Gateway City: Salt Lake City, UT or Grand Junction, CO Meeting Time & Place: 8:30 a.m in Green River at the Best Western River Terrace. We recommend that you have brunch prior to our meeting and that you arrive ready to hike. We recommend that you wear comfortable hiking books with ankle support and wool socks coupled with a thin liner sock. Trip Conclusion: 5:00 p.m. in Green River at the Best Western River Terrace. Trip Fees Include: All meals (Lunch Day 1-lunch Day 6) except one dinner, all accommodations (double occupancy), T-shirt, water bottle, park fees, support vehicle, historical information packet, and professional guides.
