Wow! I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that places like this still exist. Do not go here, or better yet, go here and do not tell anyone. Tucked away just outside the touristland of Zion, is the little sister of the world-famous Zion Narrows known as Parunuweap Canyon, or the Barracks. On the same day the Narrows can receive over a thousand visitors a day, the Barracks could have not a single soul. Because of the lack of visitors, the wildlife is astounding and the canyon's vegetation untrampled. The side canyons are more numerous and varied than the Narrows. It is one of the best places I know to see a canyon's evolution from wide, sandy valley to rapid-filled slot canyon. From start to finish it is about 19 miles, but there are so many spectacular side canyons to explore, it is possible to easily add another 10 miles of worthwhile diversions. This trip has been on my list for years and was the highlight of the whole road trip for me.
We left our car at Checkerboard Mesa and in very little time managed to hitch a ride with a nice Bostonian couple headed to Bryce Canyon. They dropped us off at Mount Carmel Junction and we set off on the side of the highway past the gas station and golf course. We turned off the highway and followed the rutted ranch road as it crossed and re-crossed the silt-laden East Fork of the Virgin River, here usually only ankle deep and warm. Here the valley was wide and spacious with steep cliffs of yellow Navajo Sandstone (uppermost part of the unit) towering on all sides. Several colors of flowers were in bloom in some of the grassy areas. We found a nice swimming hole and lunch was declared.
After hiking for several hours in the wide valley, the canyon cut into red iron-stained Navajo Sandstone (lower in the unit) and evolved into a meandering shallow 20-30ft high slot. Here the river is confined to a narrow channel, typically with flats on both sides making for easy travel. The flats would eventually end at a cliff forcing us to switch over to the other side of the river. In places the river extended wall-to-wall. The riverbed was deep with fine sediment, and we encountered quite a bit of quicksand in this stretch of the canyon. Sara got genuinely stuck and I had to drop our packs and spend five minutes digging her out. Springs seeping out of the canyon walls became more abundant, which also had a tendency to create quicksand where they entered the river. After a while we both got good at avoiding the quicksand, and kept moving when we did have to cross it.
We past several nice camp spots, but stayed on the lookout for one near a good spring (the water in the river is undrinkable and too silt-laden to pump). We found two really nice campsites that met our criteria and eventually settled on a cliff-lined little nook just above the river. We filtered water from a beautiful spring a couple minutes walk upstream- wonderfully fresh and cold water. We set up the hammock using a natural arch and a couple trees and made it our home for the night. The air temperature next to the river was perfect that night. Bats circled all night; the moon cast a silver glow. It was quiet apart from the frogs and the babbling of the river.
Camp I
The next morning we continued downriver to the mouth of Mineral Gulch, the first side canyon with flowing water. We dropped our packs and wandered up the canyon, which switched between open canyon and colorful slots. The sandstone here was a pleasing bright red-orange and white with some mid-morning golden light penetrating some of the turns in the slots. We made it to the top of the third slot (darkest, narrowest, most beautiful) before turning around for our packs.
Mineral Gulch (next two photos as well)
Further down the Virgin we encountered a local scout group who had just entered the canyon from the Poverty Trail, one of two groups we would see the whole trip. A little further below the trail the signs of cattle decreased and the canyon evolved yet again; along this stretch the river cut meanders under big red-orange cliffs with lush banks of Cottonwood and grasses. This is the same portion of the Navajo Sandstone that forms the biggest red-orange cliffs in Zion Canyon. The air and water temperature in these shady alcoves could not have been more pleasing.
We found an impressive panel of pictographs near Rock Canyon. They were a dense and choatic collection of snakes, deer, bear prints, humanoids, patterns and motifs all networked together- kind of like a "Where's Waldo?" painting. I have never seen any like it before. We dropped packs at the mouth of Rock Canyon to explore. I could not believe how lush this canyon was! With vegetation everywhere but the clear, sandy-bottomed stream, it was a true oasis! The sand in the stream was hard-packed and the stream shallow, which made this stretch of canyon some of the most pleasant walking on the entire trip. Abundant birdsong echoed. A hawk screeched worriedly as we past underneath its nest. About a mile up the canyon turned to a slot. I climbed up a short distance to the base of an obstacle, which marked a reasonable place to turn around.
Rock Canyon
Downstream the drama increased as the river cut through several gate-like narrows, flirting with short stretches of the tall narrow slots I find so irresistible. By this time the sun was lower in the sky, such that the wider narrows were lit in golden light. In places the river extended vertical wall to vertical wall. Just upstream of Poverty Wash we dropped packs yet again to check out an unnamed side canyon with flowing water. We found a great little spot to camp on a sandbank next to the small stream in the poorly-named Poverty Wash.
Exploring an unnamed side canyon
Camp II
In the morning we hiked/bushwhacked up the overgrown Poverty Wash, carefully avoiding the overabundant poison ivy. About a mile up we came to the springs that were the source of its stream and a gateway to the narrow slot known as Poverty Grotto. Although not a particularly long slot, its twists and turns were extremely beautiful and well-worth the hike. We climbed up to the base of an unclimbable dryfall and took time to enjoy the beauty of the place before returning.
Poverty Grotto
Downriver the canyon's flirtations increased as long stretches of narrows with wall-to-wall water became the norm. Here cobbles became more abundant. The river was now larger and clearer due to its many contributions from clear spring-fed side-streams. Bedrock started appearing in the riverbed and the river's gradient increased. Deep pools, often thigh-deep, were common. Large room-sized boulders marked tell-tale signs of obstacles to come. We passed through a flooded boulder garden. Further a chockstone boulder spans the canyon creating a small waterfall with a deep pool below. Fortunately, we managed crossing without having to swim with our packs. We had lunch opposite Fat Man's Misery Canyon, featuring a very juicy mango we had saved for two days. We then dropped pack and headed up Fat Man's Misery, one of my very favorite canyons anywhere.
I had canyon-ed down Misery a few years back and it remains one of my favorite technical canyons in Zion. While it has many nice features, the bottom slot is far and away the highlight. Fortunately for us on this trip, the bottom slot is below all the drops requiring technical gear and is easily accessible. Several warm springs flow year round, such that there is always water here. I was all too eager to revisit and share the place with Sara.
Right from the start the canyon involves skirting (or wading) a deep pool of crystal-clear water and then climbing up a couple small natural waterslides. We found a snake perched on the side of one of these, patiently waiting for a minnow to pass by. Next we waded through two deep pools and climbed up a small obstacle using a fixed handline. Once on top we got a fantastic view into the magnificent chamber known as the Misery Grotto- a 100m section of deep, dark and sculpted slot with a milky-blue pool and two spectacular natural bridges (frontispiece). Here my camera and tripod were abandoned. We swam and climbed over several more obstacles to the top of the slot before returning down. We marveled at how fast the light changed in the canyon from the shifting penetrations of the sun. This place was even better than I remembered it.
We continued on through the last few turns in the canyon, some of the best narrows anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. Here a couple waist-pools almost caught me off-guard with my camera around my neck. Before we knew it we reached the steep gut that marks the only possible exit for miles.
Downstream the canyon is within Zion National Park and is officially closed to visitation. But if I did go beyond, I would tell you it is the best half-mile of canyon on the whole trip- like everything previous, but on steroids. Giant boulders, great vertical walls, deep flooded corridors, strong rapids, logjams, tricky downclimbs and a real sense of adventure- all ending in a dramatic, end-of-the-world fashion at Labyrinth Falls. For being relatively sedate its whole length upstream, the river pours spontaneously and intimidatingly over a 40 foot waterfall into darkness below. An incredible place few have seen!
We had one last soak in the river before the hot climb out of the canyon. My clothes tragically dried out in no time at all. Once out, we traversed across wide expanses of slickrock and sand towards the monument-studded skyline. It was hot and we were both pretty tired and sweaty, but we were fueled on by the thought of pizza in Springdale. The hike dragged on, but eventually we made it back to the car. The trip was wonderful. The pizza delicious.
The exit
Across the slickrock expanses
Almost there! Approaching the back side of Checkerboard Mesa.
Thanks to Sara for a very memorable trip.
