Sunday, May 25, 2014

May 25 – Devil’s Garden and Upper Calf Creek Falls

Friday we got the rain we had been anticipating.

Friday evening / Saturday morning there was supposed a be a new meteor shower from the dust of the tail of a comet we have not passed through before. All the predictions said that there should be a lot of meteors. The peak time was supposed to be around 1 am our time. Luckily the skies cleared up enough that I had a pretty good view. Unluckily the predictions were wrong and there were almost no meteors. I saw one that came from the right direction. I stayed up until about 2 am hoping to see something but finally gave up.

Saturday was kind of grey when we finally got up (very late). There were dark clouds all around us most of the day but it never did rain here. We stayed in anyway for another rest day.

Today I wanted to drive the rest of Scenic Highway 12 starting at this end and meeting up with the spot that we had driven down to from Capital Reef National Park.

It was a mix of sun and cloud today. Some very puffy white clouds and some dark ominous ones that sprinkled rain on us a few times. The clouds do make for a more dramatic sky though.

IMG_1013232

We stopped at the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument visitor’s centers in Cannonville and Escalante to get some brochures and ask questions.

We also stopped at all the viewpoints. The first was called Powell Point for the point that is the top stair in the Grand Staircase.

IMG_1013262h

We went through some more wide open sagebrush country.

IMG_1013266

And followed this wall for a while.

IMG_1013276

IMG_8973

The next viewpoint was called the Upper Valley Granaries that had some storage containers constructed by the Ancient Puebloans.

IMG_1013282

They are in the alcove over Jennie’s head.

IMG_1013280

The skies are still sunny.

IMG_1013305

I had read about a place called Devil’s Garden that had a large collection of strangely shaped rocks and pillars. It is 10 miles off the highway on a dirt road called Hole in the Rock Road.

Off we go. The clouds are getting darker.

IMG_1013307

The road was very washboardy. The CR got a good shake. It was also very dusty when car went by. It was a long 10 miles.

IMG_8997

Some views on the way in.

IMG_1013310h

One of the busy trailheads

IMG_1013325h

I was a bit worried that Devil’s Garden would be a let down. I had not read about it in any blogs and any info I got just showed a few pictures and said it was a good picnic spot. It turned out to be great with so many wild shapes that once again we have a huge number of pictures.

We first had lunch. When we got there, there were two other cars having lunch. They soon left and we had the place to ourselves for almost an hour. Then more and more people came. By the time we left there were about 7 cars in the parking lot.

IMG_1013327

Some ominous clouds were coming our way. We got a few drops over the time of our visit but never enough to get wet.

IMG_1013333h

Here is our path amongst the rocks. We did a lot of wandering. From the scale you can see that it is a fairy small area.

25-05-14_21-33-03

Here comes the onslaught of pictures.

IMG_9039

IMG_9048

IMG_1013357h

IMG_1013366h

IMG_9100

IMG_1013381

IMG_1013408h

IMG_1013418

IMG_1013414h

IMG_9018

IMG_9024

IMG_9048

p3

p2

IMG_1013429

p4

This one looked like it had a bunch of people holding it up.

IMG_1013433

IMG_1013446

We climbed up on top of some of them and the view was completely different.

IMG_9064

IMG_9069

IMG_1013460h

IMG_1013469h

We had some company.

IMG_1013476

IMG_1013487h

IMG_1013490h

I can’t stop. So many interesting shapes.

IMG_1013503

IMG_1013497

IMG_1013531

IMG_1013508

IMG_9078

IMG_9091

We followed a path that did a wide loop out to the riverbed and back.

IMG_9085

IMG_1013535

IMG_1013545

IMG_1013546

IMG_1013568

IMG_1013570

 IMG_9107

IMG_9037

IMG_9115

Then of course we went back in for another look.

 IMG_1013573

IMG_1013576

IMG_1013583

We finally tore ourselves away and headed the bouncy way back to the highway.

IMG_1013604

The next viewpoint was called Head of the Rocks.

IMG_1013622

You could see the highway snake down the ridge.

IMG_1013613

And head off to the horizon.

IMG_1013618

The next viewpoint was called Boynton Overlook. The view is down into the Escalante River Canyon and a trailhead.

IMG_1013637h

We headed back up the Hog’s Back section that we had travelled when we came from the north.

IMG_9153

 IMG_9174

When we were here last time we did the hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls. This time we did the hike to Upper Calf Creek Falls. The turnoff is unmarked but if you know to ask you can get a sheet with instructions at the visitor’s center.

The hike is only 4 km out and back but it is a 600 foot elevation change and it is very steep. By now it was 3:30 pm so we had second thoughts about going, especially after looking down at the steepness of the trail. But we were here so we decided to give it a go.

25-05-14_21-30-59

You can see you it goes almost straight down the elevation contour lines. The GPS said that the max slope was 33%.

elev

On the topo map you can see that the trail forks. One goes to the top of the falls and the other to the bottom.

Down we go. Most of it was down a rock face which was steep but not too slippery.

IMG_1013641

IMG_1013642

IMG_1013649

We came from the top of the ridge straight over Jennie’s head.

IMG_1013652

We did the section to the top of the falls first.

IMG_1013661

IMG_1013681

IMG_1013664

The view over the lip.

IMG_1013667h

You can see two people at the bottom.

IMG_1013680h

The pool beside Jennie was probably 10 feet deep and I guess is used as a swimming hole in the summer.

IMG_1013674

Heading down to the bottom.

IMG_1013747h

The first good view is near this overhang. I found out later, from the people at the bottom, that all the greenery here is poison ivy.

IMG_1013729h

IMG_1013713

I am pretty sure I didn’t touch any.

IMG_1013720h

Down as close as you can get.

p7

IMG_1013696h

Heading back. The top of the ridge looked a long way away.

IMG_1013754

IMG_1013766

We took lots of breaks.

IMG_1013762h

IMG_1013784

IMG_1013791

Finally, flat ground.

IMG_1013794

Over the Hog’s Back again.

IMG_1013795

We got hit with a bit of hard rain as we drove the 60 miles back to the RV. Once we got back close to Bryce we had bright sunshine.

IMG_1013796

It was after 7 pm when we finally made it back. Another long but great day.

No comments:

Post a Comment