Escalante Area Hikes

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Boulder Mountain aspen. On our numerous spring trips, we've noted the extensive aspen here, but this is the first time we've seen them in their fall colors.

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We stopped at the Anasazi State Park in Boulder. The park has an excellent small museum, with quite a bit of pottery and spear points, including artifacts from the adjacent Coombs excavation.

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Partially reconstructed pit house at Anasazi state park

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A replica of dwellings found at the Coombs site. In addition, some of the excavated ruins can be visited. This site is interesting due to it's relationship to the Kayenta Puebloans, but with a Fremont culture admixture.

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OK, on to the hiking. This one is off of Hole-in-the-Rock road, not far from Harris Wash, and ended up being about 6.5 miles.

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After a short hike, the cliffs along the wash became more imposing.

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Lots of beautiful slick rock.

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Typical views down canyon, with patches of fall color on the shrubs.

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Sandstone bedding patterns

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This slot canyon (Zebra) was our destination. But the pools left by rain from Hurricane Norbert in September were much more extensive and deeper than we wanted to deal with.

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Sue, exploring another short slot canyon nearby.

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Snag along the slick rock.

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Sandstone layers

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The next morning we drove north from Escalante, stopping to admire some morning views of the undulating Navaho sandstone domes.

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Hiking along the trail to Lower Calf Creek falls. Though very popular, we saw only 4 other people until our way out after lunch.

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Large Fremont pictographs on the canyon walls above Calf Creek

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The cottonwoods were showing peak color.

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A large alcove along the canyon.

Lower Calf Creek Falls

Lower Calf Creek Falls, 126 feet high.

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Calf Creek falls detail

Lower Calf Creek Falls, Detail

Note the cottonwood near the top of the falls.