Kane Creek Canyon
It had been awhile since we had done Kane Creek Canyon so it was time to run it again. It's always such a fun trail with lots of different things -- it has sand, cliffs, water crossings, rocky sections, and lots of beautiful scenery. We got started at a decent time well before lunch.
It wasn't long before we were playing on the optional rock ledges next to the trail. Everyone had a good time there, and Cheryl almost made it up the biggest ledge.
The ditch was next, and this time there was a big bypass to get around it (that wasn't there before). No one took the bypass, though, and no one had any troubles getting through the ditch. A few people even got a good wheel stand on their way out. Everyone tried to get the wheel stand but some people ended up on a better line that didn't put a rear tire in a hole.
When we got to the big hill we were disappointed to find that it is now closed. The signs weren't easy to see, but they indicate that it is closed for restoration. It was always a fun, steep hill so we were unhappy to see it no longer available.
We kept going, working our way to the canyon. Soon we were on the edge, slowing down considerably. There were some narrow spots, but no one had any issues.
When we came to the first wide spot it was time for lunch so we stopped. We set up chairs next to the edge and enjoyed the sun, even though it was pretty hot already. The rock that looks like a horse or a dog laying down is still there, too.
There was a group behind us, so we packed up and continued on our way. We started down into the trees and brush at the bottom, and found that the first few water crossings were already dried up for the season. We were starting to think there may not be any water crossings at all, but soon we found the water we were hoping for.
It wasn't very deep, but it really cooled things down. A couple places were about a foot deep, but most places were pretty shallow.
We kept weaving our way through the brush, then the other group caught up with us. We planned on stopping in the wide, shady area, but when we stopped the other group was no longer behind us. We waited for awhile, but they never showed up. We enjoyed cooling down in the shade for awhile, but then it was time to go again.
The water crossings were so nice in the heat. At one point, we stopped and waded around in the shallow water, pointing out small fish.
We came around one of the corners and found ourselves at the bottom of the big, rocky hill. It looked like fun, so we started right up. Everyone had a good time trying different lines, though many of them didn't work. A lot of people tried the line on the left that gave you a steep wall with loose dirt at the bottom, but no one had any luck with it. It turned out that the best line was on the right, and you had to bump it a little to get through it.
The other group caught up with us just as we were finishing, and we left them to it. We could see a very narrow trail down at the bottom of the canyon, but it didn't look wide enough for vehicles. If it was, it would be a good bypass for the rock hill.
The other trail soon joined back up with our trail, and at that point we decided to take this other trail for a few yards so we could go explore. There was plenty of room to park, so we stopped for awhile. Everyone took their shoes off and waded in the water, enjoying the parts that were in the shade. Though it was usually only about six inches deep, it was often up to our knees.
A few of us went for a walk down the creek, and we found a part where the water got deep very suddenly. We stood in about a foot of water as Don waded out a bit further, and suddenly he was up to his neck in the water. He walked in it for a bit and soon came out on the other side where it was shallow again. Who knew you could swim a little in the creek?
We spent quite a bit of time there, and really had a nice afternoon. The other group had passed us long before we finally left the water and got back in our vehicles to head out.
The next part was the ravine, and we all had fun with it. Almost everyone slid around on the way up, having to work on it a little bit to get up the hill.
On the way out, there was a section of rock ledges where we played for a little bit. At the top of the ledges, Andrew got some mud in the bead of his tire and it was quickly flat. He changed it right away, and we were off again.
We ended up off the trail in record time, and we headed back to the condo. Don grilled some burgers and brats and we ate until we were stuffed, then we enjoyed watching some pictures and wheeling movies. It was a great day! Kane Creek Canyon is definitely a fantastic break from the Moab heat.
Reports from Other Days: 4
Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Kane Creek Canyon. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.
