Hildale – A wee walk

For the last section of our Hayduke hike we headed north from the Utah Arizona border to Zion National Park. Typically for us, we deviated from the actual Hayduke route to instead cross an area to the west called Caanan Mountain. Although to be fair to us, the final route used by the Hayduke in Zion NP (Weeping Wall) is currently closed due to rockfall so variants are pretty valid.

We hiked north through the streets of the town of Hildale from the Utah-Arizona state line into Water Canyon and the Caanan Mountain area.

*We soon left the town for a steep ascent up Water Canyon*

*Into higher ground over beautiful cross-bedded sandstone*

*The scenery just got better and better – Zion National Park in the background*

*Colourful campsite on flat ‘slickrock’*

In the morning we did a side hike up to the high rim of Water Canyon to see its arch…

*We can’t afford to be choosy when it comes to water! We carried this with us but thankfully later found a better supply*

*Amidst surreal black iron accretions on top of cream coloured sandstone*

*Looking south across the ‘Arizona Strip’ to the edge of Grand Canyon*

*An old winch or ‘Windlass’ used to lower timber down the 1000ft cliff to the plains below*

*2nd night camp with grand views to Zion National Park*

*Looking towards Zion before descending*

*Slow going with hot energy sapping sand, cross country and rubbly descents*

*Back into town to pick up a rental car!*

Many thanks for all the help we have received with planning and logistics for this hike from Charlie Neumann, Joe Mitchell, Li Brannfors, Monica Stapleton and Jamal Green; and for support, inspiration and shared enthusiasm from fellow Hayduke hikers Heather K, Nathan K, Mike Tyler, Ryan, Peter, Race, Not Guilty, Sprinkler and ‘Butcha; also the numerous wonderfully generous Americans (and two Danes) who gave us lifts in their cars to town and those we met who gave us fruit, water and kind words of encouragement!

Hiker Notes

Our route as mentioned above deviated from the Hayduke to cross Canaan Mountain from Hildale to Rockville. You can click on the overview map below to enlarge it. (Our route in purple, Hayduke in red and some other alts in black).

This is a marvelous hike has a real Hayduke flavor to it with a mix of trails, cross country, route finding and superb scenery. Its downside is that it misses out the ‘Barracks’ on the Hayduke which is also top class.

We did this hike in the opposite direction in Autumn 2018.

This site ‘Favorite Hikes in and around Zion National Park‘ gave us the original idea and the book is worthwhile purchasing too.

Water is available in the well named Water Canyon, then there are some big potholes in the slickrock wash at the top of Water Canyon. Sawmill Spring had water about 10 minutes downstream from the spring itself and there was some seeps and pools in the slickrock below that.

Tag: Hildale

Grand finale to the edge of Zion National Park