9 Marvelous Miles of Trail Running Escalante Utah

Powell Point can be seen on Highway 12

Under the icon of Powell Point or "Pink Mountain" in Escalante Utah, lies a single track that leads 4 and 1/2 miles down to Henderson Canyon. Pink hillsides, strayed arches, and endless vistas distracted me from the grueling inclines. The Ponderosas kept the morning heat at bay and a few steep ravines slowed our heart rates down.  9+ miles round-trip trail running was finished in a couple of hours verses 4 hours at least for hiking. Choose how you want visit this beautiful, easily navigable Forest Service trail in Escalante, Utah.

Single track along edge

Harris Wash Escalante Utah

The beauty of hiking in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is you never know what you may discover. We found this grove of Hoodoos off Harris Wash road in Escalante Utah by spying a lone spiral rock in the distance.

Watch this short video on our hike to the Harris Hoodoos:
Harris Wash Hoodoos Video

When visiting Escalante National Monument, keep your eyes open for the unexpected rock formations. They are waiting for you to take their photo. 

Scenic Byway 12 Escalante Utah

The drive on Scenic Byway 12 is worth the trip to Escalante, Utah alone. Experience 124 miles of diverse, remote, and wildly sculptured landscape you'll ever find in the world.

 
 See why Scenic Highway 12 was voted #2 as the most beautiful highway in the world:
                                                  Most Beautiful Highway

Better yet, explore the red rock country, hoodoos, high alpine forests and open sagebrush flats on your road bike. Whatever your transportation mode, Byway 12 will add to your spectacular Southern Utah journey.

25 Mile Wash Escalante Utah

25 Mile Wash canyon can be a long day hike or 

multi-night journey. Drying mud patterns

are most attracting to the eyes as rock layers on 

canyon walls change down river.

The first three miles in 25 Mile Wash, from "Egypt" road,

 decisions were made to get muddy or plow-thru Willows.

See Lower 25 Mile Wash to Fox Canyon and our choices of steps. 

Escalante Canyon Utah Sounds of Spring

We spent two nights, March 15 & 16, backpacking 15 miles down the Escalante Canyon, Utah. The birds called, we navigated over thick ice banks along Escalante's river banks and caught some warm rays and few rain showers. Escalante Partners Program, piled downed Russian Olive trees in clumps (on land) for easy traveling through the Canyon. Great camping at the confluence of Dead Hollow creek, where we pumped sediment-free water. Large fish darted up and down Dead Hollow creek. The second night we camped at Sand Creek where a clean spring gave us our drinking water, no filtration needed. Cache ruins still sit near Escalante's Natural Bridge. 

Listen to the sounds of Escalante Canyon and watch the springtime changes.

                                 Escalante Canyon Sounds of Spring

4-Wheel Driving Smokey Mtn Road Escalante, Utah

As of 1pm today, 78 miles of Smokey Mountain Road is open with some sections needing high-clearance vehicles. Its not everyday you can drive this dirt road along the Kaiparowitz Plateau to Page, Arizona. Rain, wind & snow play havoc on this slow winding remote road. You'll want to go slow because you can miss this cache along side of the road or other ruins on the way to Lake Powell. The rugged desert landscape had long shadows as we descended into Big Water, Utah.
After spending the night in Page, Az, we headed back in search of an interesting hike. There are countless old ranch roads that go no where and that was fine with us. We walked a double-track ATV road that seem to connect with Last Chance Canyon for over 2 hours. Perhaps next exploration we'll ride our mountain bikes and find where the ATV track meets Last Chance Canyon.
Closer to Escalante, we had a rare glimpse of the elusive "Fins," tall castle-like fortress, lit up in the late afternoon sun. We recognized our next adventure off Smokey Mountain Road: to find a route to climb these secluded rock fins.

Skywatching

Its been an interesting summer for sky-watching: Lunar eclipice, meteor showers, finding the north star, seeking Uranus moons.
I had a perfect position to view the Perseids meteor shower. We camped on a peak with a 240 degree view of the sky high above tree line to watch the show. My portable chaise lounge supported me along with a minus 15 degree sleeping bag to see the spectacle in the wee hours before sunrise. I counted 53 falling stars. The streaks came from all directions and time intervals. After each falling star I'd make a wish: peace in the middle east, I'd lose five pounds effortlessly, our front road be paved, see more falling stars... Fifty-three was a good number to crawl back into the tent on.
I regret not taking a photo of the Lunar eclipse. The moon looked like an old picture of red Mars. Eerie. Being awake in the dead of night is spooky too. Coyote howls seemed to be only ten feet away. Bushes rattled as if creatures were convening on how to attack me. Paranoid thoughts ruled during the slow, shadow moon show.
Lately I've been using the binoculars to locate Uranus moons in the southeast sky in the early dark evening. Clouds or my forgetfulness has prevented my newest discovery in the heavens.
The persistent north star or Polaris, has been chased by the Big and Little Dipper for centuries. I've only recently noticed there are other worlds to unearth out in the dark skies.