Route Editor
Route Scout
Canyons are inherently risky. Flash floods occur without notice on sunny days. Technical skills & surrounding topography knowledge required yet does not eliminate risk.
Is There Really a Good Reason to Do This Canyon!? by imike This Canyon is overgrown, with some major obstacles blocking the canyon bottom!! That said, if you are of a mind for something a bit different, go for it! Pig Canyon flows from the 8,000' mark above West Side Road, down into Dry Canyon. If you are hiking it from the bottom up you will be gifted from the very beginning with views of the largest waterfall cutting off the access in the canyon bottom. Your hike begins from the Dry Canyon Trailhead off Highway 82. Follow Dry Canyon Trail to the second jeep track coming in from you left... about 30 minutes into your hike. This will also be the second canyon cutting up into the Dry Canyon Buttes. You will have passed the first jeep track at Rock House Canyon. You will not have any trouble spotting your route... the huge waterfall formation stands out in clear sight from the bottom of Dry Canyon. Turn up the jeep track and follow it up and around to the water tank/cattle trough. Check out the active spring above that, encased in a small rockwall basin. Here begins the real hike. Cattle and lost hikers have cleared out the bottom of the canyon up to the first bedrock formation. From there you could find the upward scramble to be a bit overgrown. You'll catch glimpses of the waterfall as you wind your way up. Once at the Falls, look back to your right... there is a clear scramble route along the south wall. The under cut caves at the base of the falls harbors a herd of mountain sheep, and they have pawed out the route to the top, which includes a narrow path along the edge of the cliffs over to the lip of the waterfall formation. Exercise extreme caution if you decide to follow their route. Above the Falls, you will continue to enjoy minor bouldering... until you reach a series of three 12-20 foot waterfalls. These are composed of very rotten rock. I suggest bypassing them, probably on the left. This would not be a good place to get beat up or buried in a pile of rubble. Once above the triple falls, you will enjoy some very nice rock, and you will have the option of exiting the canyon on your left. An easy route follows above the cliff edges up to the old forest road 90J... or, continue on up the canyon all the way to West Side Road... and beyond. It may be easier to enjoy this canyon as the end of a connecting loop, descending instead of climbing. Be aware of the obstacles and dangers. Check out the Triplog. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your canyon trip to support this local community.
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