This hike was very convenient when I had mechanical problems with the truck. The trailhead is only 1.5 miles from the RV so I just added a few miles of road walking to the actual hike.

I was warned beforehand to wear (or at least take) water shoes since the trail crossed back and forth over the Escalante river numerous times. Turns out it was a very dry winter in UT with very little snowpack to melt so getting my feet wet was not an issue. The low river level was actually kind of helpful. In these parts they don’t do a real good job of marking trails. Back east, if I saw a tree trunk down across a path, it would mean I needed to turn left, right or back the way I came. Around here it just means that’s where the tree fell. With the low river level, my most reliable indicator of the trail was frequently the stone bridges built by other hikers to cross the river. And of course, looking at the boulders strewn through the river, my inner kayaker came out and thought it would be a great river to paddle at higher water levels.

The goal for today’s hike was about 3 miles in, some petroglyphs on a rock wall. Fortunately, when I arrived there were was a couple there who agreed to take my pic standing next to the petroglyphs. As an added bonus, they were in a giant, natural amphitheater. And just walking along the river I had to wonder why there were no rock climbers here. It looked like a paradise for them.

Enjoy the pics!