Snake Gulch, located on the Kaibab Plateau on the Arizona Strip, is a choice hiking destination if you are interested in seeing prehistoric American Indian pictographs and petroglyphs. This hike makes a great side excursion when visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, as the gulch lies just north of there. Although the entire 21.5-mile gulch can be hiked, some of the most impressive rock art can be seen only 3 miles from the trailhead.
The hike is not strenuous because the elevation change of about 700 feet is evenly spaced and barely noticeable. And the trailhead elevation is around 5,900 feet, so it will be somewhat cooler than Las Vegas. However, it is an exposed hike with little shade, so to enjoy this trek to its fullest, either start at sunrise on a summer's day or save it for cooler weather.
From the signed trailhead, follow the obvious trail, which skirts a small unnamed wash to the left. After about a quarter-mile, the trail turns west. To the right, in the middle of an open meadow, you will see a metal corral and the remains of a stone house. It's worth taking a few minutes to see the old homestead up close. To reach it, look for the faint spur trail to your right.
The roof is gone, but the fireplace and large parts of the walls are intact. You also will see some remains of a water catchment. After visiting the ruins, continue back to the main path and head west into the wide, yet well-defined canyon. This is Snake Gulch.
About a half-mile after leaving the trailhead, you will pass through a hiker's gate, which marks your entry into the northeast section of the Kanab Creek Wilderness Area. The wilderness area, encompassing the entire gulch, totals 70,460 acres. Established in 1984, it is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.
As you travel along, you will find that the trail occasionally becomes quite narrow and even overgrown with tall grasses, which in some areas obscure the trail. There also are plenty of burrs and needle-sharp stickers that will find their way into your shoes and socks. This is a good trail on which to wear gaiters, which would spare your skin and the tedious task of removing the stickers one by one from your footwear. My socks got so full of such trash, I tossed them.
Because this is such a remote area, don't be surprised if you have the trail to yourself, at least in so far as fellow hikers. But you might share the trail with a snake or two, like I did. Be sure to watch where you step. Although I only saw nonpoisonous reptiles, rattlesnakes do call this area home.
Other wildlife you might see, especially if you are out early in the morning, include the Kaibab mule deer, bobcat and fox. Just about all of Arizona's chukar partridges live in the wilderness area, as well.
About 3 miles from the trailhead, start looking on your right for the first panels. There are well-worn side paths running up to all of them.
Pictographs are painted on rock and petroglyphs are pecked into the surface. The pictographs here are mostly red, but there are some in yellow and black hues. There is a variety of familiar figures, such as desert bighorn sheep and human forms, but you will need to use your imagination to decide what some other drawings represent.
Never touch either kind of rock art, as the oils in our hands will damage them. There are some quite high on the walls, so binoculars will come in handy.
If time allows and the weather cooperates, you can travel about a half-mile farther and find still more rock art. In this part of the canyon, artwork is located on both sides.
Those looking for more adventure can turn this hike into an extended backpack by following the canyon all the way down to Kanab Creek, a major tributary of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. I would recommend against attempting this long hike in summer, not only because of the distance, but also because the elevation loss is about 3,300 feet one way. There are a couple of springs along the way, but you'll need a detailed topographic map to locate them.
Since the gravel roads in the area are extremely confusing to follow, a detailed map is a necessity. I have found the Kaibab National Forest, North Kaibab Ranger District map the most comprehensive. It is available at Jacob Lake and at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Deborah Wall is the author of "Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide," published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.
Archived Editions| Advertising | Contact The Staff
