Belly of the Dragon to Elkhart Cliffs Slot Cyn • Hike • Utah • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Oct 21 2024

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,627
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,762

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Dragon Belly and Sand Caves, UT

Hiking		Oct 21 2024
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	5.48 Miles	450 AEG

Hiking	5.48 Miles	2 Hrs 2 Mns	2.70 mph
	450 ft AEG

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Sand Caves

Belly of the Dragon to Elkhart Cliffs Slot Cyn

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johnlp

trekkin_gecko

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Day 5 of 5 in Utah

It’s a long drive back, so we decided to break it up with a couple of short hikes off SR89.

The Belly of the Dragon

I had no idea what to expect with this one, but I liked the name. You reach the "Belly" right off the bat by crossing under SR89. It’s a natural tunnel formed by flowing water. We hiked in 2 miles before turning around. Most people turn around at either 0.3 or 1.3 miles, where there are easy bypasses past dryfalls.

I later read that 4 miles in, the trail reaches Elkhart Cliffs Slot Canyon, which might be a worthy destination.

Sand Caves

This is another touristy destination, best avoided on weekends. It’s a neat area to explore, but unfortunately, modern carvings in the sandstone outnumber the ancient etchings.

[ youtube video ]

All-in-all a great first trip to hike in Utah for me. anxious to go back.

Thanks to Kelly for arranging for our accommodations and to John for all his driving.

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

2 archives

Oct 21 2024

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 673
Photos 7,281
Triplogs 4,660

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Dragon Belly and Sand Caves, UT

Hiking		Oct 21 2024
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660

Hiking	5.48 Miles	450 AEG

Hiking	5.48 Miles
	450 ft AEG

no routes

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Sand Caves

Belly of the Dragon to Elkhart Cliffs Slot Cyn

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johnlp

The_Eagle

bruce picked out a couple of hikes to break up the drive back to phoenix
first was belly of the dragon
we went through a long tunnel, then walked along a creek bed for a couple miles
picked an arbitrary point to turn around
next we went up to the sand caves
cool feature
fun to check out the caves and the views from them
the sandstone getting up there was covered in sand, which made for less than secure footing
i used the rope going back down
safety first
lunch at jacob lake and a smooth ride home
had a great time with john and bruce
enjoyed hiking a few new things and revisiting some i've done
thanks, guys

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hazhole

Oct 21 2024

johnlp

Guides 1
Routes 14
Photos 7,202
Triplogs 5,208

68 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
chandler,az

Dragon Belly and Sand Caves, UT

Hiking		Oct 21 2024
		johnlp • Triplogs 5,208

Hiking	5.48 Miles	450 AEG

Hiking	5.48 Miles
	450 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

linked

Sand Caves

Belly of the Dragon to Elkhart Cliffs Slot Cyn

Partners

partners

The_Eagle

trekkin_gecko

Day 5, last day of our Utah hiking trip. A couple short hikes on the drive home.
Awesome trip. Thanks Bruce and Kelly!

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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