Hackberry Canyon worth the trip

Deborah Wall/special to ViewA perennial stream flows in the lower 10 miles of Hackberry Canyon, located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah. Advertisement

You will have to make an effort to get to Hackberry Canyon, but the rewards are great. If you like overnight backpacking, the entire 20-mile canyon is scenic; but its first few miles are the most stunning, so it also makes an ideal destination for day hikers.

In these first few miles you will find one of the most colorful narrows in the region, an old homesteaders' cabin, and if you travel up one side canyon, there is even an arch.

The canyon is located in the southwestern section of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, and accessed by a remote gravel road found between Kanab, Utah, and Page, Ariz.

If you are just going for a day hike, it is an easy one with minimal elevation gain and suitable for children because lower Hackberry Canyon has no obstacles. The best times to visit are right now and again in late spring, because temperatures are likely to be ideal. The trailhead lies at about 5,000 feet in elevation.

From the trailhead, pick up the well-worn path that will take you down the tree-lined bench and into Cottonwood Wash. This is usually dry, except after heavy rains, but still supports a lovely riparian habitat of mature cottonwood trees. This area is often frequented by free-roaming cattle seeking some shade, so watch your step.

Once in the drainage, go right and then head west away from Cottonwood Wash, which will bring you into the mouth of Hackberry Canyon. As you head upstream, the drainage is broad and flat in, so it is easy to walk in. For the first quarter-mile, it will most likely be dry, but soon you will find a thin ribbon flowing down the middle of the canyon.

As you travel farther upstream, the water level increases but usually remains only a couple of inches in depth. Of course, after heavy rains, which create run-off from the upper reaches, there could be quite a lot of water.

Once you reach the narrows, you will have to get your feet wet, but sometimes that's half the fun of canyon hiking. If you are only traveling up a couple of miles, you can get away with wearing water shoes as long as you stay in the main drainage, but if you plan to explore the benches or side canyons, you will want to bring along hiking boots, as well.

The narrows consist of walls of Navajo and Kayenta sandstone, only about 20 feet apart at the canyon floor but towering some 100 feet above. The buff-colored streambed flanked by a lush green riparian habitat between red-and-pink sandstone walls, the latter framing a slice of cloudless blue sky, make up one of the signature sights of Southern Utah.

If you have the better part of the day to spend in the canyon, there are a few other highlights well worth your time. One is Watson's Cabin, about 2.5 miles upstream from the trailhead. Built in the early 1900s, it is still in surprisingly good shape, complete with a fireplace. It is a bit hard to locate, as it is not visible from the main route itself. Keep an eye out to your left for a big boulder, perhaps 10 feet in diameter, and pick up the obvious spur trail next to it. This will bring you up onto the bench and to the cabin about 25 yards beyond.

While in Hackberry, be sure to stay on paths or in the drainage itself so you don't step on the fragile cryptobiotic soil -- the crusty, bumpy soil commonly seen in the southwest. Breaking the crust leads to erosion, and just one footstep might take the better part of a century to repair itself.

Returning to the main drainage, continue upstream about a half-mile farther and you will come to the mouth of Sam Pollack Canyon on your left. This is a good one to explore and there is even an arch worth seeing. To reach the arch, you will have to do some rock scrambling for about a half-mile up a boulder-filled drainage. Here you will find a dry fall, where all progress appears to be blocked. Just backtrack about 100 yards or so and you will find an easy way up and above, on the right. Once on the flat area, follow the faint path that takes you past the dry fall, then drop back in the drainage. From here the walking becomes easier and about one mile farther is Sam Pollack Arch, located on the right.

Backpackers who have several days can travel the entire 20 miles length of the canyon up to Round Valley Draw. You can either return the way you came or, if you have technical skills, make your way up another mile or so through a narrow slot canyon where you can meet a pre-arranged pick-up to take you back to your vehicle. There is no perennial flowing water for the last 10 miles upstream.

This is a remote area, so be sure to take supplies for emergencies -- first aid kit, flashlight, space blanket and more food and water than you expect to need -- and always get a weather update before traveling on Cottonwood Road. If rain is predicted, expect flash floods and avoid not only the canyon but also the access road, which becomes impassable even in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Even in good weather, the road is only for high-clearance vehicles.

The trailhead is unsigned from the road, so it is imperative to pick up a map with trailhead driving directions at one of the monument's visitor centers. The closest, if you are coming from Las Vegas, is at 745 E. Highway 89 in Kanab.

For a day hike in Hackberry Canyon there is no need for a permit, but it is required for backpacking or if you plan to car camp in this area. Permits are available at the visitor center or you can self-permit at the trailhead register.

Deborah Wall is the author of "Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide," published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.