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| Hiking | 4.00 Miles |
1,641 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.00 Miles | | | |
| 1,641 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | This trail has been on my radar for many years, and in spite of driving right by this location many times, I never had an opportunity to fit it in any plans. I was supposed to hike here a few weeks earlier, but late season blizzard closed all the roads going north from Phoenix and we had to push the visit later.
We started out from Cliff Dwellers Lodge about 6am and made it to the trailhead right at sunrise. There were no other vehicles in the trailhead parking lot as we started up the trail. The weather was very crisp, but not cold.
Reading triplogs and seeing photos of this hike, I kinda knew what to expect and it didn't disappoint. The trail was clear and maintained all the way up. There's a series of switchbacks at the start that gets the elevation up and then some back and forth with gradual elevation gain and then a series of steeper switchbacks going up the ridge. There was quite a bit of care taken with this trail. Lots of stone steps and short ups all along the trail. Some parts were precariously close to the edge, but it was a clear path all the way up.
The views of the Vermilion Cliffs, the River and Echo Peak across the river were outstanding and changed as I made my way up. The early morning colors were very nice, as was the shadows the trail was in.
The views up top were amazing. Looking west and south to the cliffs and river, and to the east towards Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell and Page all presented some outstanding views.
We explored out towards the peninsula along the river and that area was impressive. Very reminiscent of Coyote Buttes, with crazy wave patterns and other geological wonders. There was some discussion about heading toward Horseshoe Bend before we headed back down, but I will save that for another trip.
The weather was not hot, but not cold. It would have been nice to have some clouds as the bright sun made for the absolute worst light for photos. But, even in these conditions, the area was stunning.
Another visit to this area will be required. Dominguez Pass to the Paria River for sure next time and a visit to the Horseshoe Bend peninsula to taunt the touristas gathered at the view area across the river. An excellent day in Marble Canyon! |
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"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."
instagram: @andydilling |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
The trail was pretty sweet for the first 1.6 miles and then at some point the trail turns from compact dirt and rock to sand and still maintains a steady ascent. That’s not fair. That kind of an incline with a sandy trail. 
Luckily, it didn’t last long and there were patches of rock along the way. From the couple of upward glances I afforded myself, I reach the top came quicker than anticipated. No complaints with that and I was given some incredible distant views. There was a wooden stick standing lopsided indicating the end of the trail. I did a little bit of wandering at the top, checking out a large cairn and one of the higher viewpoints. After all that hard work, I would have loved to explore the mesa more, but time always seems to be an issue. Took some shots of the views and headed back.
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