Canyonlands is far removed from civilization, and to get to any one of its three districts requires you to travel far from primary highways . As a result the Park receives much less use than Utahs other parks.
Canyonlands NP is divided into 3 separate and unique districts . Needles , the Maze , and Island in the Sky . So you really get three parks for the price of one ….. Four if you include the rivers . Island in the Sky is an enormous , lofty, wedge shaped mesa that juts south into Canyonlands basins towards the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers . There are major views around almost every corner, with turnouts offering far ranging panoramas of literally hundreds of square miles of canyons, drop dead cliffs , desert basins, mesas and isolated buttes …. not to mention some serious mountain ranges for background !
My first hike was the Neck Spring Trail . The Neck is a narrow ( duh ) isthmus from which there are some incredible views . The trail is a 6 mile run in and out of some neat little canyons , washes, seeps, and into the alcoves that form at the heads of the canyons ( grammar ? ) . There are backdrop-views that put the Canyonland system into perspective and even a glimpse into the long-gone days when the springs provided life for ancestral Puebloans …. and more recently sheep and cattle herders . ( The desert is full of life ! )
About a mile in, I met a couple coming the other way who had lost the trail and were headed back . The hubby was definitely tired and the wife was a little spooked . I assured her they were only 20 minutes away ( ok maybe 30 ) and sent them on their way with a happy face . She made a point to tell me I didn't have enough water . I tried not to smirk, but did, politely, defend myself . …. wait … it gets better.
 | |
| one of at least 3 alcoves I came to at the head of the canyons |
 |
| the trip consisted of dropping into canyons , hiking up to the alcove at the head of the canyon, crossing over ... and hiking out the other side !!! |
 |
| water stop |
 |
| Looking down at the last canyon .... after scrambling up the slickrock in the center left potion of picture |
 |
| petrified sand , aka slick rock .... Navajo Sandstone |
 |
| Looking out towards the Colorado |
After about another mile of fun dips, climbs, twists and turns, ( I had picked up the pace a bit ) I started to see 3 hikers ahead of me whenever there was an open stretch . I was only gaining slowly so I figured "lets get this over with" and started running the flats and ez downs . After 5 or 10 minutes I caught up and intros were exchanged . Randy and Tracy had just moved to Colorado from Miami and their best friend Val was giving them tour of Arches and Canyonland . We talked about the couple who had turned around and how I supposedly didn't have enough water ( they all had packs ) . Turns out Val is a trail runner . We laughed it up and decided there was plenty of water at the end ! Val and I ran a bit and waited for the kids to catch up . They were breaking for lunch so before my half bottle of water ran dry I wanted to get going up . They stopped at the shady base of a big slickrock climb-out, and I moved on . AT THE END , with less than a half mile to go, 2 runners , kids , and I mean running down some scary rocky downs , passed me, about a minute apart …. WITH NO WATER BOTTLES ! I saw them in the parking lot drinking up and speaking french . Crazy .
No comments:
Post a Comment