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Couldn't get excited about Colorado, too short for California, so from the 18th to the 22nd, I'm headed back to Tucson. I know, I know, move there already.

Anyway, I'm looking for some hike suggestions. Believe it or not, I prefer the desert areas. I will probably tackle one of the hikes in the Pusch Ridge area. Not really interested in the upper Lemmon area, I think that is best when dry in spring and fall. Would Pima Canyon be a good bet, or way too hot? I don't know, I may just enjoy a short desert hike and do Ventana or something. Got 4 nights at the Sheraton on Grant by the Hospital, if that is good or bad. I was hoping for the extended stay, but oh well.


Also, the following weekend and into August, I want ti start going to SE Utah. Not Arches or Moab. Anyone have any good hikes or canyons to share? I was thinking of not telling anyone where I was going, loosing an arm, and then cashing in BIG TIME!

Pima Canyon will be warm, but there's a good amount of shade along the lower reaches. I remember less shade in Ventana and Esperero canyons, but those hikes gain elevation more rapidly. Tanque Verde Ridge is also cool, but shade is almost nonexistent until one reaches the high country.

I've never been to either, but Mt. Peale and the Abajo Mountains look interesting enough for UT.

Lots of good canyons to hike around in and cliffs to scale in SE Utah. Where, specifically, are you planning to head. SE Utah is big.

Somewhere not too far over the state line, say within an hour of MV. An interesting Canyon would be fun. I know someone who runs cattle up Tsegi Canyon west of me. I might just go out there someday soon. Our dex has limited options for the San Juan County area in Utah, but I feel I should extract what I can from the area before it is no longer a day trip.

One big caveat is I don't want dirt road access, or very short, relatively smooth dirt road access. My car is getting up there.

As surprising as it may be, for the time being, I am not interested in MT Peale, the La Sals, the Abajos, or the Henry Mountains. I expect they're like the Peaks, and therefore storm magnets. Unless a strong El Nino emerges and the season turns to a dud, the Monsoon usually peaks in August, and I am not a fan of being cold and wet on a high mountain in summer. If I was into that, I'd go back to Colorado.

I may be asking too much, since I know the area is real rural and under populated.

Mule Canyon on Cedar Mesa is easy car access - we drove to the THs in our Jetta. All the Natural Bridges hikes are paved THs - again, easy to get to. Kane Gulch has a paved road and parking lot. Bullet Canyon has a short easy dirt stretch to the parking lot - again, done in the Jetta. You could go up Butler Wash to the Wolfman TH (about a mile or so, easily done in a car), see Wolfman, then hike up to the crest of Comb Ridge. Park off the highway west of Butler Wash on the south side and hike down Butler Wash to the San Juan and see lots of neat rock art along the way.
I think those all meet your critera. If you go to the Cedar Mesa area, though, the shortest way to those hikes is up the Moki Dugway, which is 3 miles long and unpaved. Did this with our Jetta many times (including in a snowstorm once) as well as the Mustang when I used to own that.

Utah resources-
http://www.bogley.com/ Shane Burrows runs that Utah based info site, goes under "Iceaxe", lots of info all over the state. I did canyoneering light; the black hole ( a paved access hike) a few years back with some of the members and they were friendly and fun.

Scott Patterson on SP is a great resource although he lives in Col.

Mike Kelsey the guidebook writer is a good resource -- mkelsey@kelseyquidebooks.com

Besides what Rob wrote several non tech and tech canyons off North Wash as you drive up 95 north of Lake Powell. Park right off the road and start hiking. Butler, Marinus and Stair canyon are a few. Hog Springs right out of the rest area. Some really technical canyons but some you can at least walk up the lower parts
Grand Gulch is really a pretty canyon complex even if you aren't "into" ruins.
Probably too far away but the Boulder Mail Trail from Boulder to Escalante I consider a really nice pavement access hike for that area that doesn't see a ton of traffic unlike Calf Creek Falls, etc. You can probably get someone in Escalante to drop you off or do it as an in and out. Death Hollow, which you cross is very nice. That hike has great views, great slickrock hiking, variety of terrain, can be a day hike or overnighter.

Just in case someone sees this in the next half hour before I leave:

It looks like the Red Ridge Trail and the area on the north side of Lemmon is not burned over, so if I want an open forest or areas that have expansive views, I'll need to do the Mt Lemmon Trail and one of the side trails off of that?

You can't go wrong in the Cedar Mesa area. There are countless canyons to explore. Fry Canyon, Long Canyon, Gravel Canyon, and the the Black Hole of White Canyon to name a few. If you need any inspiration then check out my Dark Canyon pictures, http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=15678 and http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=15677 .

Dark Canyon is a good call, yeah. A little further and it is going to be more dirt roads, but beautiful as well. The trailheads are up in the forest, for the most part, so you're a little cooler than some of the lower canyons.

Are any of these places any closer? According to google, the photo set's hikes are over 3 hours from where I live.

Natural Bridges plots out at 2 hours:
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=kayen ... mra=ls&z=9
Grand Gulch would be about 20 minutes closer. Dark Canyon would be 30-50 minutes further, depending on which trailhead.

Sorry I didn't see this sooner, Jim; I would have had suggestions. Where did you go?