Hitr

[DevinB]

BAt some point my GPS logs of each trail will be available on my website

Hurry the hell up, will ya?

 

[Cory]

I camped one time right near the chute. I cannot remember which side, but it was close. There were only two vehicles and we found some sandy spots to put up two tents, one of them was pretty big. We could have squeezed in a few more vehicles and tents. There were not a lot of spots through that area, but if you look hard enough you can find spots if you don't have a large group.

How fast you complete the trail is mostly a matter of how many people are in your group. With 2 vehicles, we left the airport at 12 noon. Made it to the end of the trail around 5 pm and explored for a while. We then traveled back out and camped near the chute stopping around 7 pm. Left next morning and were at Halls crossing by 11 am. We then went and did Arch Canyon and got to the end of Arch Canyon by 6pm and camped. Next day finished Arch Canyon and did Hotel Rock. We were done by 3pm and the other jeep had time to make it home in Utah County (I stopped in Moab). Three days, two nights, 3 trails, 2 vehicles, lots of miles and I didn't feel rushed, excpet next time I want to do the Rincon. If we had wanted to hike from the trail end (Cheese camp???) down to the lake it would have taken a lot more time, but the lake was really low and it looked like a several mile hike to the lake, so I wasn't tempted to try.

 

[Brett]

We wern't really looking for a spot at that point so I'm not sure how suitable any of the sites are. There is a spot just as you climb up (and down) from Grey Mesa, I think Cody camped there??

Yep, there is a nice little amphitheatre area where we camped, just watch for the cow skull sitting on the tree.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Yep, there is a nice little amphitheatre area where we camped, just watch for the cow skull sitting on the tree.

Thats the one I was referring too... we stopped by there for just a quick minute... One of the guys in our group picked up some carpet & charcoal left behind there. Looked like a nice place to camp.

 

[greenjeep]

Last year a group of 5ish vehicles camped right at the end, the view with the sun setting over the lake and the actual Hole in the Rock was awesome. We had a nice fire with wood we brought in. 2 days, 1 night, including to and from Moab.

 

[locomigo]

Last year a group of 5ish vehicles camped right at the end, the view with the sun setting over the lake and the actual Hole in the Rock was awesome. We had a nice fire with wood we brought in. 2 days, 1 night, including to and from Moab.

Excellent. This is about what we figured. Did you just keep things moving on the trail and make time?
Im assuming you didnt have a lot of photobugs with you?
You got to the end ~7ish to set up and catch the sunset?
But that was with the drive from Moab. Since we will be starting from the Fort the first morning (Sun), Im thinking we can get in and to the end, check it out, and if time allows head for the amphitheater for camp. Then head out the next morning (Mon).

I have two options for what to do once we are off the trail:
A) Head up through Cottonwood Wash/Beef Basin/Bobby's Hole as far as we can until daylight wanes and setup camp.
B) Check out Natural Bridges and do that loop (I understand that is 1.5-2hrs), then take highway around Blanding and Monticello and find somewhere to camp.

Tue is planned to run Elephant Hill. Whether that is entered from the park (I will be able to meet up with some others that plan to run the trail that day) with option B
Option A enters the trail from the west on the SW corner of the loop. This misses the first half of the trail, but allows to see some of it, perhaps meet up with the rest of the folks we know running the trail.
Either way we plan on getting to Moab Tue eve.

So, I will ask of some expertise and knowledge.
Which option is better? I am torn, and never been through these areas.

Fri/Sat is spent exploring Capital Reef and Notom-Bullfrog road for the 3p ferry.
Regardless, the first five days of the trip should be killer.
My wife's comments/wants for this trip are:
* See something different. - Check
* Have it nice and relaxing. - Check?
* Ability to take pics. - Check
* Not spend all day, every day in the rig - Check (some are, some arent)

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[greenjeep]

Excellent. This is about what we figured. Did you just keep things moving on the trail and make time?
Im assuming you didnt have a lot of photobugs with you?
You got to the end ~7ish to set up and catch the sunset?
But that was with the drive from Moab. Since we will be starting from the Fort the first morning (Sun), Im thinking we can get in and to the end, check it out, and if time allows head for the amphitheater for camp. Then head out the next morning (Mon).

We had a good group of experianced drivers and we kept things moving pretty well. I think we reached the end earlier than 7, we still had quite a bit of sunlight left. I think your plan sounds totally feasable. Go have fun and enjoy yourself!!

 

[Alex]

It sounds like you have the right idea by not trying to do HITR and the Rincon in 2 days although you could easily find room for 12 or more vehicles to camp down in the Rincon. Be aware that the Rincon spur is not shown on the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area map and is therefore CLOSED. I realize a lot of people still do it and it is a very worthwhile trail, just don't drive anywhere that you will be visible from the lake. We met a group coming out of the Rincon that had been chased out by park rangers in a boat who took down all of their license plates.

I included a zipped file for Garmin's Mapsource program with a track and waypoints. Click on this photo for a hi-res map to print out.



There is a good campsite just outside the south entrance of Canyonlands National Park that is well protected from the wind at N38* 03 23.7 W109* 55 21.8. It looks like this...

BTW, this is the most crowded I have seen the Ferry:

We had the motorcycles that trip so we weren't sweating it.

 

[iceaxe]

It sounds like you have the right idea by not trying to do HITR and the Rincon in 2 days although you could easily find room for 12 or more vehicles to camp down in the Rincon. Be aware that the Rincon spur is not shown on the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area map and is therefore CLOSED. I realize a lot of people still do it and it is a very worthwhile trail, just don't drive anywhere that you will be visible from the lake. We met a group coming out of the Rincon that had been chased out by park rangers in a boat who took down all of their license plates.

Nice map Alex, brings back memories. Now I need to learn to make these maps with that old GPS you gave me.

I remember that goup in the Rincon, waiting for them on the switchbacks due to a snapped leaf spring for like an hour or more.