Two days off so made a plan to hike further down Snake Gulch than previously and hopefully find more panels of pictographs and petroglyphs. I figured by camping at Snake Gulch trail head Wednesday night I could get an early start hiking in the morning. This time of year should be cooler than summer when the canyon gets really hot.
I left the Plateau in the afternoon under cloudy skies and drove to Kanab for a few groceries. Figured to be half way there anyway just driving to the trail head.
Plus I could come back on the paved Forest Road 22 most of the way and by then blue sky was showing. The cliff rose, princess plume and mallow were blooming along the way.
The road winds back up onto the Kaibab Plateau through the Juniper and Pinyon woodlands.
Just past the Jacob Lake turn off the road becomes gravel and looked like the Forest Service had recently graded it. Then only a couple miles to the Forest Road 423 turnoff. Because I miss marked my map from the previous drive I continued past the turnoff to Kanab Creek Wilderness and drove 30 minutes out of my way up a narrow, rough and rutted road before realizing my mistake. Finally after about five miles was able to turn around when I got to a another road junction.
Came back to Forest Road 624 and drove the three miles into Snake Gulch to the trail head.
Parked and level before dark but already in the shade of the towering cliffs.
After making dinner it was too late to walk far but I did see the last light glow on the far canyon walls.
And shared the view.
Under a clear cold night full of stars I fell asleep to the coyote’s song. Then woke early in the morning to a gray sky the sun struggled to brighten. The wind kicked in. The Gulch would not be a good place to be in the event of flash flood so I decide not to hike.
Around 10:30 I headed back out of the canyon. I felt a little sad, mad, and disappointed that I came out here and then didn’t hike. Yet I figured to take a nice slow drive back to the North Rim and enjoy this gorgeous canyon on the way.
I stopped in the road to photograph some flowers and another truck drove up towards me. So I backed off the road onto a convenient wide spot.
Also stopped at a small panel of pictographs and petroglyphs that are not in the best of shape due to vandalism. It drives me nuts that people have so little respect. The Mountain Sheep is clearly visible but many others are not. Plus there is a lot of modern graffiti.
Archeologists believe the pictographs are between 2300 and 1200 years old. The rock surface is naturally exfoliating so some of the features are not complete.
By the time I came back across the meadows it began to rain and when I reached the park’s entrance station it started to snow.
By morning the ground was white.
Hopefully I’ll get back to Snake Gulch before the summer temperatures make it unbearable. Yet I think it was a wise choice not to hike this day.
