John10s' Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Mazatzal Divide Trail #23

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Barnhardt - Mazzy - Rock Creek Waterfall Loop, AZ

Hiking		Oct 15 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	21.18 Miles	5,158 AEG

Hiking	21.18 Miles	8 Hrs 2 Mns	2.86 mph
	5,158 ft AEG	38 Mns Break

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Barnhardt Trail #43

Rock Creek Trail #42 - Mazatzals

Half Moon Trail #288

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I headed out to see some of the ephemeral waterfalls after the big storms the past few weeks before the drought takes over again. I considered a few options but decided to visit Sandy Saddle/Deadman Falls since I'd only seen them trickling in the past, and a big loop that included Rock Creek would make for a fun day and should have plenty of water.

I set out from Barnhardt at 7AM, and the trail was moist to downright wet right off the bat, a good sign for flow at the falls later. There was lots of water flowing down in Barnhardt Canyon, Hawaiian Mist had more water than I'd ever seen, and Big Kahuna was also flowing nicely. [ youtube video ]

As soon as I left Barnhardt and connected with Mazatzal Divide, the trail was a muddy swamp past Chilson Spring, with standing water and algae in places. That continued on and off to varying degrees for most of the loop. There were a few smaller falls in the drainages on the way to Sandy Saddle/Deadman, and the creek bed that feeds Sandy Saddle was full of water [ youtube video ] . I made my way to an overlook where I could see both falls and took my first food/water break there. That spot was about as good as it gets, with the sound of flowing water and incredible views of both falls and down into Deadman Canyon. [ youtube video ]

I wandered upstream a little toward Horse Camp Seep and then got back on Mazatzal Divide, which remained nicely cleared in most places but was occasionally soggy. Rock Creek Trail was very wet and muddy, especially below Hopi Spring. I'd never hiked that part of the trail, and it was steeper and rockier than I expected. The brush was cleared reasonably well...a few overgrown areas and more muddy stretches higher up, but not too bad. I debated detouring over to peaks 7559 and 7571 but decided to just stick to the loop. Rock Creek Falls were also flowing better than I'd ever seen them. I took another short break there above the falls, then scrambled down to get the view of the double falls from below.

Rock Creek Upper: [ youtube video ]
Rock Creek Lower: [ youtube video ]

After the steep but scenic descent leaving the falls, I paused again briefly at Rock Creek Trailhead before finishing the loop on Half Moon Trail, the only trail today that was completely new to me. Again, brush wasn't much on an issue, just occasional overgrowth. The trail itself has a little of everything and passes through manzanita/catclaw, briefly follows a two-track, traverses narrow ridgeline for a while, drops into forest and crosses a creek, then leads through open desert/grazing land, then a final crossing at Barnhardt Creek just before the trailhead.

I finished at 3PM...there were two other vehicles it the lot, but I hadn't seen anyone all day. Not much wildlife, either--a few deer and a tarantula. The forecast said clear today, but clouds hung around all day--never too threatening, but they did provide some sporadic shade, and the temperature was comfortable from start to finish. Nice day to be out enjoying the effects of those rare tropical storm remnants--this choice certainly didn't disappoint.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Tarantula

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Jasper

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Barnhardt Creek at Half Moon Trail Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Chilson Spring Deadman Canyon Falls - North Fork Hawaiian Mist Hopi Spring Mazatzal Peak Rock Creek at Half Moon Trail Rock Creek Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness Sandy Saddle Falls

	Barnhardt Creek at Half Moon Trail	Medium flow	Medium flow

	Big Kahuna Falls - Mazatzal Wilderness	Medium flow	Medium flow

	Chilson Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Full spring box, stagnant water

	Deadman Canyon Falls - North Fork	Medium flow	Medium flow

	Garden Seep	Gallon per minute	Gallon per minute
	Steady flow

	Hawaiian Mist	Light flow	Light flow

	Hopi Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	Spring box full and overflowing

	Rock Creek at Half Moon Trail	Medium flow	Medium flow

1 archive

Oct 04 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Wahweap Hoodoos

Wahweap Hoodoos

Southwest, UT

Hiking		Oct 04 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	9.35 Miles	656 AEG

Hiking	9.35 Miles	3 Hrs 48 Mns	2.81 mph
	656 ft AEG	28 Mns Break

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no linked trail guides

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TboneKathy

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

We had a few hours to fit in one more hike before driving back to Phoenix. We'd looked at some options around Cottonwood Canyon, but the road into that area was closed, so we went with Wahweap...I'd been here ~6 years ago, but I'd enjoyed it and was ready to return. The road to the trailhead was a little rougher than I remembered...I was in a passenger car last time, and the last wash crossing before the parking lot had some water and bumps that would've been challenging without high clearance.

The parking lot was empty, and the four-ish mile hike through the wash was every bit as uninteresting as I remembered, but the miles pass quickly with flat, easy hiking. There was a slow trickle of water throughout the wash, and we had to dodge some mud and pools before we reached the hoodoos. We spent some time wandering amongst the geological giants and took a food break in the shade. I explored some areas I missed last time, farther back in the canyon and into the next canyon to the north, which had some taller hoodoos, before we hiked the wash back to the trailhead. Nice to visit this area again, and we didn't see anyone during the hike.

Oct 04 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Beehive Trail

Beehive Trail

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 04 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	1.86 Miles	231 AEG

Hiking	1.86 Miles	41 Mns	2.86 mph
	231 ft AEG	2 Mns Break

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no linked trail guides

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TboneKathy

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

Last stop on the drive back to Phoenix...I didn't know anything about the hike but had noticed "New Wave" on Google Maps and figured it was worth a look since it was right along the road. I knew that would mean crowds, and that quickly proved to be the case...lots of people, and the wind was annoyingly strong.

We started out heading toward some formations south of the New Wave area. I wasn't sure if that would eventually connect with the formations farther north, so I gave up and just cut directly over there. TBK had had enough of the wind at that point and headed back to the parking lot while I did a quick lap of the northern formations. Not sure if I ever actually saw the New Wave...whatever it is, I'm sure it can't live up to the Old Wave. Cool geology and nice way to break up a drive, but not a place I would probably stop again with so many people around.

Oct 03 2025

Paria Movie Set to Starlight Arch

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Starlight Arch and Calico No-Go, UT

Hiking		Oct 03 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	14.66 Miles	2,827 AEG

Hiking	14.66 Miles	6 Hrs 11 Mns	2.59 mph
	2,827 ft AEG	31 Mns Break

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Calico Peak

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

The plan for the day was to hike up to Starlight Arch and at least check out the route to Calico Peak nearby. I didn't have much detail on either one--there were a few triplogs for Starlight Arch, but no one had actually completed the hike up to the arch, and HAZ didn't have anything on Calico Peak, but I found a route on another site. I wasn't sure how far I'd get on either--a big chunk of the hike is through a wash that stays muddy after rain, and with the amount of water at The Wave a few days ago, I figured it might be impassably wet.

I got a later start than usual, and a group of two had signed in at the trailhead register earlier that morning headed for Starlight. I hiked west a short distance on the dirt roads and immediately got a boot covered in mud a few inches deep...not a good sign. I entered the wash as it zig-zags to the northwest and saw fresh footprints, presumably from the pair headed for Starlight. I did some slipping and sliding in the mud and had to stop occasionally to scrape off my boots, but it wasn't too bad, and I took it as a good sign that the prints continued.

There were a couple of forks in the narrow canyon that could be confusing without a GPS route, but it was generally easy to follow, and as the walls opened up a little more, the formation with the arch came into view. Just as I saw the big cairn marking exit from the wash to start up the ridge, I saw the two people who'd been ahead of me and passed them on the way up.

It was a steep, loose climb, then leveled off a little as I hiked north toward the steepest part of the route, heading up to a ridge east of the arch and gaining ~1,000' over a mile--rocky and very steep, but not too brushy. On top, I passed the unremarkable Peak 6216, then headed south of the arch first. Views on that side weren't great, so I went around to the north, where they were much better, and it reminded me of Secret Canyon arch in Sedona [ photo ] . There are a few rock outcroppings on that side with nice views of the arch, plus more unobstructed views of the beautiful surroundings. [ youtube video ]

As I headed down, I crossed paths with the couple I'd seen earlier, and we chatted briefly. They were from Seattle and were surprised, like I was, that anyone else was hiking to the arch today. I went down the same way, and about a mile from the trailhead turned north into another drainage/canyon going N/NW toward Calico. Very similar approach to Starlight--a narrow, muddy canyon with twists and turns and a few forks, then a very steep climb on loose, unstable ground up to a ridge. From there, more rocky terrain as I approached the south side of the mountain, which had bands of multi-colored layers down low, red cliffs, and some lighter rock near the summit.

I ended up turning around ~1/2 a mile and ~400 vertical feet short of the peak. There were afternoon storm chances in the forecast, the wind was picking up, and darker clouds were starting to gather. I didn't know how long that last half mile would take--the toughest part was still ahead--and I didn't want to end up hiking out through a slot canyon in a storm, so I called it there. The route I was following curved around the west side of the mountain to climb up to the ridgeline, then traversed to the peak on the east side...it had some Battleship Mountain vibes. Disappointing, but with the late start and the forecast, I knew reaching the peak might be a long shot.

I returned the same way and saw two other people along the road on my back to the rainbow mountains near the trailhead. Fun day...the AEG was nothing extreme, but there's not a lot of in-between with this hike--it's either completely flat and easy or steep, loose, rocky off-trail. The arch was cool and Calico Peak is one I'd gladly come back to finish.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cairn Route - finding Labels

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Calico Peak Mollies Nipple Starlight Arch

Oct 02 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Coyote Buttes South

Coyote Buttes South

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 02 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	16.00 Miles	2,726 AEG

Hiking	16.00 Miles	9 Hrs 29 Mns	2.10 mph
	2,726 ft AEG	1 Hour 52 Mns Break

no routes

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TboneKathy

We drove about a half mile up Paw Hole Road from Lone Tree Trailhead and parked in a pullout before the road got too sandy, then hiked the road the rest of the way to Paw Hole Trailhead, starting a little after 6AM. We were here four years ago and generally followed our previous route today, but having a defined route and a plan in advance made it more efficient and cut down on backtracking.

From the trailhead, we hiked north through Paw Hole Buttes and went straight to Yellow Stripe, which was still in shadows, and then onto Southern Alcove. The hike northeast from there toward all the interesting features around the Southern Wave isn't very scenic or exciting...a few miles of flattish hiking across relatively open high desert, with some views of White Pocket in the distance.

Near the next bunch of landmarks (Olympic Torch, Hydra, etc.), we approached a herd of ~15 bighorns and captured some good pictures before they ran off and observed us from a distance. That whole area around the Southern Wave is packed with colors, swirls, and interesting, otherworldly geology. There were some large pools around, not surprising given the amount of water at The Wave two days prior.

We took a break near Half and Half, then explored the features around Witch's Hat and the Control Tower before descending toward the Sothern Wave. We passed a group of six people (and two dogs) coming up our way, but those were the only people we saw all day. After locating the dinosaur tracks [ youtube video ] , I went up to a spot overlooking Red Cave, then we took another short break at the Southern Wave--nice to have that to ourselves this time. [ youtube video ]

We headed southwest, and partway through the boring part, TBK waited while I went to check out Rainbow Cove. I had the coordinates but no route, and it took a little wandering to find a way down, but I eventually got there. Or at least right above it...srambling down the drainage there looked a little iffy. If I come back again, the area around Cottonwood Cove W/SW of Southern Wave has a lot more features I'd like to see. [ youtube video ]

I rejoined TBK and resumed the hike back toward Paw Hole, with a final stop at the Southern Alcove for lunch before walking the road back to our parking spot. Driving out, we made a quick stop along House Rock Road to visit the Maze Petroglyph site. Great to be back here again...the unique landscape rivals Coyote Buttes North, there are fewer people, and it's a lot easier to get permits.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bighorn Sheep

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Paw Hole White Pocket

Oct 02 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

The Maze Rock Art Site

The Maze Rock Art Site

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 02 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	1.40 Miles	208 AEG

Hiking	1.40 Miles	39 Mns	2.55 mph
	208 ft AEG	6 Mns Break

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TboneKathy

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

I'd driven past the trailhead for this site a few times over the years and didn't have time to stop until now, after we'd hiked at Coyote Buttes South earlier in the day. There were two other people getting on the trail just behind us as we set out. The hike it short and easy, less than three-quarters of a mile each way and mostly flat other than some switchbacks at the beginning and end.

The petroglyphs are impressive and stand out great on the flat, dark rock. This is another site where ladders must've come into play--the maze and higher drawings on the panel are 10+ feet off the ground. Looking at the older photo sets, the wooden fences and signs keeping people a few feet away from the panels are a new addition in recent years. Worth the quick stop, and we had some nice afternoon clouds overhead for the hike.

1 archive

Oct 01 2025

Snake Gulch to Table Rock

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

[ checklist ] Informational/Interpretive Sign Inscriptions Summit Register Log

Snake Gulch to Table Rock

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 01 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	14.90 Miles	750 AEG

Hiking	14.90 Miles	7 Hrs 32 Mns	2.24 mph
	750 ft AEG	53 Mns Break

no routes

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Snake Gulch Trail #59

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TboneKathy

I'd had this one on my list for a few years, so it was nice to finally check it out. The final approach to the trailhead on FR 642 was relatively flat but narrow, a two-track surrounded by brush on both sides. Passenger cars wouldn't have much problem driving it other than the tall brush in the middle of the two-track that would cause a lot of undercarriage scraping.

For such a remote location, the trailhead was more substantial than I expected and had several informational signs about the rock art, a map, and a sign-in register. Interesting side note: a group that visited last month wrote in the register that they believe their great-great grandfather, John Conrad Naegle (Naile), ranched in the canyon and built the rock house near Naile Canyon, not far from the trailhead.

We set out just after sunrise, and it was fun to see the sun slowly light up the canyon as we hiked west. The trail wasn't nearly as overgrown as I expected given the lack of foot traffic it must get--the first few miles, especially, were very easy to follow and not very brushy. We reached the first rock art panel in a small alcove just over two miles in. That site had one of the highest quantities of drawings and a mix of petroglyphs and pictographs that we didn't see at the other sites. [ youtube video ]

We continued west, stopping frequently at additional pictograph panels along the way, including one with a red devil figure high up on a wall, a site with several V-shaped drawings, and a variety of unique figures painted in reds and yellows. The middle of the canyon between the trailhead and Table Rock was light on rock art--there were long stretches where we passed pristine, flat panels of rock with nothing drawn.

We started to see more panels again as we approached Table Rock, and the big alcove eventually came into view with small ruin walls visible. I went up for a closer look...the walls were very small and looked more like storage areas than old dwellings, but it was hard to tell with the level of deterioration in there. The alcove also had a few more red pictographs high on the wall. [ youtube video ]

From there, we explored a short distance down Table Rock Canyon toward the spring, and I saw one stray pictograph in that area before we headed back to the Big Panel. It was interesting that all the other panels we'd seen throughout Snake Gulch were on south-facing walls, but the biggest here was on the other side of the canyon. It was an impressive site, with big pictographs high on the walls that were visible from far away and more illustrations extending down the wall. [ youtube video ]

We signed the register and took a break in the shade before starting back down the canyon. We noticed a few more panels and an inscription that we'd missed on the way in and made good time back to the trailhead--Snake Gulch is a very flat canyon, and this was about as easy as it gets for a ~15-mile hike. We didn't see anyone all day; if not for the rock art, I'm sure even fewer people would visit...it's a pleasant hike but not overwhelmingly beautiful. But the quantity and variety of art throughout the canyon is impressive. The artists took advantage of ledges to draw high on the walls and must've used ladders in some spots.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Common Mullein

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Kanab Creek Wilderness Table Rock Table Rock Canyon

	Naile Canyon	Dry	Dry

	Table Rock Canyon	Dry	Dry

	Toothpick Canyon	Dry	Dry

2 archives

Sep 30 2025

Coyote Buttes North - Wire Pass TH

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Coyote Buttes North - Wire Pass TH

Southwest, UT

Hiking		Sep 30 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	14.46 Miles	3,553 AEG

Hiking	14.46 Miles	10 Hrs 25 Mns	1.77 mph
	3,553 ft AEG	2 Hrs 15 Mns Break

no routes

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TboneKathy

Third trip to The Wave and first time back in ~4 years. The prior visit got short because of thunderstorms, and we had to rush out as the washes started to flood that day. The forecast today had a chance for storms starting late morning, so we were hoping to avoid a repeat. We left the empty parking lot at Wire Pass with headlamps on a little before sunrise with fingers crossed.

The most noticeable difference from prior visits was the amount of water--the washes were moist, and as we turned south and got onto the rockier areas, there were pools everywhere, which I hoped meant that we'd see water at The Wave. On the way there, we looked for a set of dinosaur tracks we hadn't seen before but didn't find them.

Surprisingly, a group of four got to The Wave before us, and even more surprising was the amount of water. One of the guys in their group said he'd learned the hard way that the pool on the north side was thigh-deep. I took my boots off and started wading in before it occurred to me that I should check out the west entrance first. Yep, that was a lot easier--no wading on that side, and it was cool to see that area with so much water. The group had set up tripods and didn't look like they were going anywhere, so we took some pictures and moved on quickly.

The area above The Wave had even more pools as we headed toward Second Wave. Our main goal was seeing the features to the west that we missed last time, and I tried to drop down a steep slope directly toward Sand Cove, but TBoneKathy didn't like the route, so we backtracked and went over to a second dinosaur tracks site, then continued on to the impressive lace rocks at The Boneyard.

The wind picked up and darker clouds started to gather around 10AM, and it looked like we might be headed for a short day and a repeat of our last visit. We hiked down to Sand Cove and took a break there. The clouds weren't getting worse, so we decided to try going up the slope TBK didn't want to go down earlier and circle back up toward The Wave via that route. Sure enough, despite her protestations, she made it

.

More people had gathered around The Wave, and I looked for a route up to Top Rock Arch while TBK waited below. Great views looking down on The Wave from up there, especially with all the water [ youtube video ] . I hiked back down, and with the weather still cooperating, we decided to circle around to the east side.

Our next stop was the Big Mac, then we went up to Melody Arch and The Grotto [ youtube video ] , then on to The Alcove [ youtube video ] . Once again, lots of pools that gave everything a different look than the last visit. Before starting back around, I detoured over to Hourglass Arch, one I hadn't seen before, in an area with a colorful alcove. [ youtube video ]

The weather continued to hold, and we went back to The Wave one more time [ youtube video ] , where the crowds had thinned out, then started the hike out after a stop at Mini Wave. On the way down, we saw a herd of ~15 bighorns run off and gather on a low cliff nearby. We searched one more time for the dinosaur tracks at the first site and had luck this time--a nice trackway in the rocks with multiple prints.

It was a great day...the weather held up, and the crowds were lighter than the previous visits--we didn't really see anyone around any of the features besides The Wave. Our route was circuitous and all over the place over the course of the day as we kept adding stops when the rain didn't materialize: Wire Pass TH → dino tracks site #1 (fail) → The Wave → Second Wave → dino tracks site #2 → Boneyard → Sand Cove → Top Rock Arch → Big Mac → Melody Arch/Grotto → Alcove → Hour Glass Arch → back to The Wave → Mini Wave → dino tracks site #1 (success) → Wire Pass TH. We ended up hitting 13 destinations, including a few new ones for me, and the bighorns were a nice bonus.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bighorn Sheep

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Chevron Folds Natural Arch

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Aircraft

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Sand Cove Top Rock

Sep 29 2025

Buck Tank Draw to Birthday Arch

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Buck Tank Draw to Birthday Arch

Southwest, UT

Hiking		Sep 29 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	5.19 Miles	726 AEG

Hiking	5.19 Miles	2 Hrs 29 Mns	2.40 mph
	726 ft AEG	19 Mns Break

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no linked trail guides

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TboneKathy

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

We picked this one as short hike for a break on a drive up to southern Utah. I'd hiked to Birthday Arch ~6 years ago and remembered it as a short, easy hike worthy of another visit. We parked along the south side of Highway 89 and passed through a gate in the barbed wire fence, then it was easy hiking in Buck Tank Draw.

There are a few small ledges/pour-offs that we had to climb up or navigate around, but nothing too strenuous. The wash was dry with the exception of a one muddy area under the largest pour-off that we went around. We eventually left the draw for the short climb over to the canyon wall under the arch and took a break in the shade there. [ youtube video ]

I didn't go up to the top of the arch last time and wanted to check that out, so I followed a fairly obvious use trail around the southwest side and up to the top of the cliffs. There were a few potholes with some water on the way over to the arch, and the views were even better views up there. [ youtube video ]

We had the arch to ourselves but did see two people hiking up the draw on the way out. They seemed concerned about the difficulty and mentioned having to climb up the ledges on the way in, but the worst was behind them at that point. Nice to get back to this one again and see the arch from a different angle this time.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Sacred Datura

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Natural Arch

Sep 22 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

West Cove Arch and the Nautilus, UT

Hiking		Sep 22 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	2.37 Miles	394 AEG

Hiking	2.37 Miles	1 Hour 7 Mns	2.29 mph
	394 ft AEG	5 Mns Break

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linked

West Cove Arch

The Nautilus

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partners

TboneKathy

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

We made two short stops in the Kanab area to break up the drive back to Arizona.

West Cove Arch
We parked near the gate just off Highway 89. The road was good enough that we could've driven further past the gate, but the whole point was to get out and walk around a little. The arch was easy to spot from the highway with sunlight shining through, and I thought I could see a second arch in the cliffs.

We followed the road for about a third of a mile, then cut directly over to the area below the arch and scrambled around on the rocks there, but it's tough to get directly underneath it because of the soft/unstable ground. On the way back, I followed the cliffs a short distance to the south to see if there was another arch but didn't find anything interesting.

[ youtube video ]

The Nautilus
The next stop was a few miles down the road and south of 89. There was one other vehicle at the parking area that took off just as we arrived. That area has a lot of colorful rocks and unique formations reminiscent of a subtler version of Coyote Buttes. The Nautilus itself was a cool formation to see up close and walk up through. Overall, both were interesting, short stops perfect for stretching the legs and breaking up the drive.

[ youtube video ]

1 archive

Sep 21 2025

[ checklist ] Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Inspiration Point Mount Washburn Silver Cord Cascade Yellowstone River

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Inspiration Point and Seven Mile Hole, WY

Hiking		Sep 21 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	5.08 Miles	695 AEG

Hiking	5.08 Miles	2 Hrs 2 Mns	2.58 mph
	695 ft AEG	4 Mns Break

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Seven Mile Hole

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TboneKathy

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

We had a half day of driving ahead, so we picked a short hike for the morning, our last one in Yellowstone. We hadn't seen the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone up close, so the plan was to hike Seven Mile Hole, though we knew we wouldn't have time to hike down to the river at the end. Glacier Boulder Trailhead is just up the road from Inspiration Point, so we made a quick stop at the overlook before going back and starting toward Seven Mile Hole.

There's a little bit of up and down early on the trail, but it flattens out pretty quickly and generally follows the north rim of the canyon. We smelled the sulfuric odor of geysers early in the hike but didn't see any nearby, just steam rising on the opposite side of the canyon in a few places. There are a several spots where the trail is close to the edge and provides access to some viewpoints looking down to the river, but much of the trail is through dense forest with obstructed views. There's one unsigned viewpoint just over a mile into the hike that looks across at Silver Cord Cascade, a tall, narrow waterfall on the far side of the canyon that was impressive but a little hard to see in the shadows.

We hit our turnaround time about halfway to Seven Mile Hole, so we didn't get close the interesting part, but we could see the lookout tower on Mt. Washburn through the trees. Just before turning around, we passed three backpackers hiking out and saw two more people hiking in soon after that, and those were the only five people we saw during the hike. Back at the trailhead, we checked out the giant glacial boulder, complete with NPS sign, that gives the trailhead its name...then the long drive south began.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

	Silver Cord Cascade	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Steady flow viewed from across the canyon

Sep 20 2025

[ checklist ] Excelsior Geyser Crater Fairy Falls Firehole River Grand Prismatic Spring

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Grand Prismatic Spring and Fairy Falls, WY

Hiking		Sep 20 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	6.53 Miles	502 AEG

Hiking	6.53 Miles	2 Hrs 30 Mns	2.72 mph
	502 ft AEG	6 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Midway Geyser Basin

Fairy Falls

Fairy Creek Trail

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

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

After failing to find parking at Midway Geyser Basin the day before, we returned early this morning to check out Grand Prismatic Spring. Good news: plenty of parking. Bad news: with early morning temps in the 20s, the thermal springs/geysers were steaming so aggressively that it was hard to see much of anything. But that in itself was kind of a cool effect...it looked like being in the middle of a wildfire without the risk of flames.

We hung around for quite a while and walked some laps on the one-way boardwalk to kill time and let the temperature warm up a little so the steam would let up. We overheard a ranger telling people about a bison that wandered inside the boardwalk a few months ago and got stuck in the thermal springs. NPS staff couldn't safely rescue it, so it died and decomposed there. We also saw some grizzly bear prints inside the boardwalk, but apparently it made it out.

The steam lessened a little, but we weren't going to wait around long enough to really see too much more and decided to go up to Grand Prismatic Overlook to the southwest, and we drove to Fairy Falls Trailhead. There are some nice thermal pools along the trail, and it's a short hike up too the overlook. The steam situation had improved some, but it remained thick enough that Grand Prismatic Spring was still nowhere near as colorful as the photos I'd seen...but better than nothing.

It was only ~1.5 miles farther to Fairy Falls, so we decided to check that out while we there. It was flat, fast, easy hiking with surprisingly few people. Apparently most people in the park are deterred if a hike's distance doesn't start with zero-point-something. The falls were a worthwhile stop--I hadn't seen pictures and knew nothing about them, so I was expecting 15-20 foot falls and was pleasantly surprised that it was a massive ~200 foot waterfall. There were a few people around when we arrived, but they cleared out and we had the falls to ourselves for a while--a nice break after all the crowded stops yesterday and this morning.

[ youtube video ]

Our timing had worked out well, because there were a lot of people hiking in on our way back to the trailhead. From there, we headed north for a longer hike at Mt. Washburn.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

	Grand Prismatic Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	First time I’ve written “hot and colorful” in a water report

	Rabbit Creek	Medium flow	Medium flow

Sep 20 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Mount Washburn

[ checklist ] Dunraven Pass Dunraven Peak Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Mount Washburn

Mount Washburn

Yellowstone, WY

Hiking		Sep 20 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	7.36 Miles	1,447 AEG

Hiking	7.36 Miles	3 Hrs 4 Mns	2.55 mph
	1,447 ft AEG	11 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

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

After a stop at Midway Geyser Basin in the morning, we drove north and got one of the last available parking spots at Dunraven Pass Trailhead, where some hipsters had a six-person game of hacky sack going near their vintage Chevy van while we packed up. The trail is a steady climb most of the way and follows an old road with patches of asphalt, but it's a beautiful hike with improving views along the way.

About two-thirds of a mile in, the trail makes a sharp turn, and the lookout tower on Washburn comes into view. We started to see occasional groups on the trail beyond that point, but it wasn't overly crowded. Higher up are a series of long switchbacks that climb up through some darker rock, then it's a straight shot a little over a mile to the peak before the trail curves around the back side. Along that straight stretch of trail, we had nice views to south toward the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake.

The peak had a spacious open area with 270° views to the west/east/north, and the south-facing lookout tower has an indoor observation area with a telescope and signs labeling the many landmarks visible in three directions. It was clear enough that we could (barely) see Grand Teton off in the distance, 75 miles away. There was a second-level outdoor observation deck in the lookout, but the door was locked.

[ youtube video ]

Back near the trailhead, a group of four tourists asked me in broken English, "Are there bears?" I told them I hadn't seen any, but it didn't seem like they really understand how wildlife works...just because you haven't seen any doesn't mean you won't see any. It didn't look like they were carrying bear spray (or much of anything, for that matter), and Washburn is a popular area for bears, so hopefully that turned out well for them

.

Overall, I enjoyed this one more than I expected. Through the trail itself wasn't particularly exciting, the summit had better views than anticipated thanks to the observation deck, the weather was very comfortable again with some nice clouds, and it wasn't terribly crowded.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Reference Mark Summit Register Log

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Sep 20 2025

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Gibbon Falls Overlook

Gibbon Falls Overlook

Yellowstone, WY

Hiking		Sep 20 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	0.62 Miles	68 AEG

Hiking	0.62 Miles	14 Mns	3.10 mph
	68 ft AEG	2 Mns Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

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

On the way out of the park after hiking Mt. Washburn, we made a quick stop at Gibbon Falls and hiked the short, paved overlook trail to the three different viewpoints. This being later in the day, crowds were pretty light, so we were back on the road after ~15 minutes.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Gibbon Falls

Gibbon Falls

Medium flow

Sep 19 2025

Signal Mountain - Grand Teton NP

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Yellowstone Tourist Spots, WY

Hiking		Sep 19 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	4.37 Miles	634 AEG

Hiking	4.37 Miles
	634 ft AEG

Linked

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Old Faithful and Observation Point

Lower Geyser Basin

Artists Paintpots Trail

Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trails

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

We spent most of the day visiting some of the popular tourist spots in Yellowstone. I had mixed feelings...lots of great stops that feel like must-see destinations when visiting the park, but it's hard to get too excited about that when everything is swarming with people, and this wasn't even peak season. Lots of waiting around and dealing with parking and traffic, both vehicle and pedestrian. But, when in Yellowstone...

Signal Mountain (0.53 miles)
Before heading north into Yellowstone, we drove up to the top of Signal Mountain and checked out the viewpoint on top, along with Jackson Point Overlook. The views to the east toward the Tetons were virtually non-existent from the summit because of trees. Jackson Point was a little better, but I still wasn't terribly impressed with the partially-obstructed views from up there.

Old Faithful (0.4 miles)
The first stop in Yellowstone was Old Faithful, the king of the tourist attractions. We got there ~10:50AM, and the next forecasted eruption was at 11:08AM +/- 10 minutes, so the timing looked pretty good. A few bison grazed in the middle of the boardwalk while we waited and the benches filled in. Old Faithful wasn't very faithful today, and we ended up waiting almost an hour for the geyser to finally erupt. The buildup had all the excitement of watching water boil on a giant stove. The eruption was cool to see, but if I'd known I'd be sitting there in the crowd for that long, I'm not sure I would've waited for it. [ youtube video ]

Midway Geyser Basin (0 miles)
The next planned stop was Midway Geyer Basin to see Grand Prismatic Spring, but we were stuck in a long line of unmoving cars in a turning lane, waiting to turn into another line of unmoving cars filling the drive into the parking lot. After a few stationary minutes, we bailed on that plan and decided to give it another try earlier in the morning tomorrow.

Lower Geyser Basin (0.66 miles)
Next up was Lower Geyser Basin, where we had more luck with parking. Again, crowded, but the thermal features were interesting to see, including Fountain Paint Pots and various geysers, fumaroles, springs, etc. I suppose boardwalks work well for preventing burns, but they're terrible for moving oblivious, slack-jawed tourists through an area efficiently...the NPS boardwalks need designated stopping zones and/or lanes for slow/unmoving traffic.

Artists' Paint Pots (1.09 miles)
It was a short drive over to the next stop, where we pulled off another parking miracle. This one was similar to Lower Geyser Basin, with boardwalks and a variety of thermal features. [ youtube video ]

Mammoth Hot Springs Terrace Trails (1.7 miles)
For the final stop of the day, we drove north to Mammoth and hiked part of the terrace trails, starting from the middle trailhead. We passed Minerva Terrace, New Blue Spring, and a few other features on the way over to Canary Spring, then came back the same way. Interesting stuff, but crowds were, as always, the main drawback.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bison (American Buffalo)

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Reference Mark

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Artists Paintpots Fountain Paint Pot Mammoth Hot Springs Old Faithful Geyser Signal Mountain

Sep 18 2025

Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude

Yellowstone, WY

Hiking		Sep 18 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	19.45 Miles	3,572 AEG

Hiking	19.45 Miles	10 Hrs 20 Mns	2.21 mph
	3,572 ft AEG	1 Hour 32 Mns Break

Linked

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Jenny Lake

Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point

Cascade Canyon

Lake Solitude

Partners

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TboneKathy

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

We got an early start at Jenny Lake Trailhead and set out for Lake Solitude at ~7:45AM, starting early enough that the parking lot was still mostly empty at the popular trailhead, but it was filling quickly. The vast majority of the tourists take the boat across the lake, so it was blissfully quiet as we hiked around the south/west sides of the lake, and we saw a moose in a pond down below.

Once we hit the west boat dock on the far side of the lake, the crowds really kicked in around Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. We didn't stop by the falls and just paused briefly for some quick pictures near Inspiration Point before continuing into Cascade Canyon, anxious to get away from the swarms of tourists. The crowds thinned out considerably farther into the canyon, but I was surprised at how many people were still on the trail and wondered if Lake Solitude was a purely ironic name.

Still, the hike up Cascade Canyon was very pleasant--the creek was an almost constant presence, closer to the trail at some times than others [ youtube video ] . The canyon had a very gradual uphill grade with a nice mix of shade and open stretches with great views of the surrounding mountains, and there were a few hundred feet of falls cascading down Valhalla Canyon toward the creek.

Beyond the north/south fork intersection, the trail veered to the northwest and eventually left the forest and became much rockier, with a steeper climb over the last mile and a half or two miles toward the lake. That section had some of the best views of the day, looking back at the snowy peaks of the crest behind us, and we passed signs for multiple campsites along the trail as we hiked through the camping zone.

After crossing a final bridge spanning some small falls, we arrived at Lake Solitude, which was a lot quieter than I expected after seeing so many people hiking in through Cascade Canyon. We took a long lunch break and enjoyed the spectacular views and (relative) solitude before starting back.

[ youtube video ]

The hike out was faster since it was downhill just about all the way. About five miles from the trailhead, two hikers were stopped ahead of us and told us they'd just seen two grizzly bears ahead, and they were giving the bears a few minutes to move along before continuing...I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see the grizzlies. A fifth person showed up and waited with the group, and the five of us started slowly up the trail, making noise as we approached the spot where the couple had spotted the bears.

We soon saw the grizzlies up ahead, a mom and a cub. They'd started up a rocky slope but turned around and crossed the trail, heading for Cascade Creek, where they grazed along the banks, aware of our presence but not paying much attention. We continued to wait but were in an awkward position as the bears were slowly moving toward us along the creek--we had thick brush/forest behind us and couldn't really back up or get farther away. Eventually, the five of us made our way around the bears on the trail, ~40-50 feet away. At one point, the cub seemed curious and started approaching us before backing off, and I had the bear spray out and thought I might have to spray something other than myself for a change.

But we passed without incident, and the rest of the hike out was much less eventful, with a few deer sightings and hundreds of tourists back near the boat docks. We took a brief detour over to Hidden Falls [ youtube video ] on the way out, then hiked back around Jenny Lake to finish it off. Crowds aside, this was another fun one--great scenery and perfect weather, plus the added bonus of the grizzly encounter and some other wildlife.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Grizzly Bear Moose Mule Deer

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Boat / Ship

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cascade Canyon Cascade Creek Hidden Falls Inspiration Point Jenny Lake Lake Solitude Valhalla Canyon

Jenny Lake

76-100% full

	Lake Solitude	76-100% full	76-100% full

	South Fork Cascade Canyon	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Steady flow in the canyon south of the trail

	Valhalla Canyon	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Cascading waterfalls on the mountain

Sep 17 2025

Death Canyon to Patrol Cabin

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Death Canyon to Patrol Cabin

Yellowstone, WY

Hiking		Sep 17 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	14.21 Miles	4,022 AEG

Hiking	14.21 Miles	7 Hrs 52 Mns	2.22 mph
	4,022 ft AEG	1 Hour 28 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Phelps Lake

Valley Trail

Alaska Basin Trail

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

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

The plan for the day was to hike up to Static Peak Divide, time/weather permitting. We parked at the end of the paved portion of the road into Death Canyon Trailhead and walked the last mile...signs said 4x4 recommended, but that was unnecessary--other than some rough spots and puddles near the parking area, most cars wouldn't have much trouble getting back there. We got started ~7:30AM, with cool temps in the 30s on the road walk.

There were other people on the trails, but it wasn't overly busy, even in the early miles. The route starts on Valley Trail and climbs gently through the trees over the first mile up to Phelps Lake Overlook before dropping down toward the north end of the lake and into heading Death Canyon. We saw a few deer along that stretch and some small waterfalls up on the cliffs on the way to the intersection with Death Canyon Trail.

From there, the trail enters dense forest and starts a steady climb, and we continued to occasionally see other hikers on the way up. That section had some great views looking down into the canyon, Phelps Lake behind us, impressive cliffs on Prospector Mountain, and fall color, especially up higher. I'd read that water can be hit or miss depending on the time of year, but there were plenty of small falls and a steady flow in the creek along the way.

[ youtube video ]

The views opened up more over the last half mile approaching the patrol cabin. After a short break there, we turned onto Alaska Basin Trail to start climbing toward Static Peak Divide. It quickly became clear that weren't going to have time to make it, but we continued up the switchbacks and turned around at a small waterfall, still miles short of the divide. It looked like the fun part was just ahead, with some of the steepest sections of trail below Albright Peak. But the views at our turnaround point were nice, with a narrow ribbon of falls cascading down Prospectors Mountain on the other side of the canyon and more fall colors around us.

[ youtube video ]

On the hike out, we detoured down toward Phelps Lake and explored around there a little, though we didn't get particularly close to the water before turning around. We saw three or four small snakes on the hike out, along with a lot more people between the lake overlook and the trailhead.

Back at our parking spot at the end of the pavement, a guy in a Wildlife Management SUV warned me that I should park "correctly" next time or I might get ticketed...odd in an open area with plenty of space and no lines or markings to designate "correct" parking

. Anyway, it was a really enjoyable hike despite the disappointment of coming up well short of Static Peak Divide. The crowds weren't bad, scenery was top-notch, weather was comfortable, and we saw some wildlife along the way.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mule Deer

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Death Canyon Death Canyon Patrol Cabin Phelps Lake Prospectors Mountain Sheep Mountain

	Death Canyon	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Consistent flow of water along Death Canyon Trail from Phelps Lake up to the patrol cabin, with multiple pools above the cabin

	Phelps Lake	76-100% full	76-100% full

Sep 16 2025

Bradley and Taggart Lakes

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

[ checklist ] Garter Snake Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Bradley and Taggart Lakes

Yellowstone, WY

Hiking		Sep 16 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	7.41 Miles	1,135 AEG

Hiking	7.41 Miles	3 Hrs 4 Mns	2.76 mph
	1,135 ft AEG	23 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

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

We were driving for the first half of the day and were looking for a short/medium hike when we arrived in the Tetons, and this one worked out well. The large parking at Taggart Lake TH was full, but we grabbed a parking spot along the street and started out with some of the higher peaks in clouds on a mostly overcast day, though the forecast didn't show rain.

No surprise that the trail was very crowded--the moments when there were no other people in sight were few and far between over the first few miles. We started clockwise toward Taggart first...the views of the peaks are more obstructed on that section of the hike but start to open up at the lake, and the crowds started to thin out a little as we continued toward Bradley, though we saw some horseback riders and photographers over there.

We circled around to the east side of the Bradley Lake, crossed the bridge, and took a break along the shore on that side before we started back. The second half of the loop on the return to the trailhead provided some of the best views on the route, with early fall colors in the aspens and nice clouds and shadows on the peaks. We spotted a small garter snake on the way out, and the trail had a detour because of bridge work, so the route ended following the bike path near the road to close the loop. Easy and crowded hike, but we had good weather and clouds, and we were happy with this choice to get started in the Tetons.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bradley Lake Grand Teton National Park Taggart Creek Taggart Lake

	Bradley Lake	76-100% full	76-100% full

	Taggart Creek	Light flow	Light flow
	Steady flow of water along the trail from Bradley Lake to Taggart Trailhead

	Taggart Lake	76-100% full	76-100% full

2 archives

Sep 15 2025

Cat Stair Canyon - Car Wash

Guides 25
Routes 400
Photos 6,366
Triplogs 370

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Cat Stair Canyon - Car Wash

Southwest, UT

Hiking		Sep 15 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 370

Hiking	0.81 Miles	127 AEG

Hiking	0.81 Miles	25 Mns	2.03 mph
	127 ft AEG	1 Min Break

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

TboneKathy

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

A quick stop to stretch the legs on a drive north. I parked just off Highway 89 and took the short walk down the wash toward the slot canyon, which never gets too narrow. There were a few pools of water near the stacked cars and some muddy sections of the canyon a little farther down. Surprisingly, there was a group of 5 or 6 guys hiking in there, though they seemed more interested in the old cars than the canyon itself. Short outing, but a nice way to break up the drive.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Automobile Remains/Wreckage

Sep 13 2025