February 2021
This is a classic Utah hike (which crosses into Arizona). The nice thing about this hike is that you can go as far as you want. There is also a possibility for a side trip up Buckskin Gulch (the longest slot canyon in the world). If you stuck to Paria River, it would take 37 miles to arrive at Lee’s Ferry where you could stage a shuttle car. This is a great option for you if you are looking for lots of miles.
On a warm February weekend, my dog and I secured a permit to hike the Paria river. The permit was easy to obtain. I drove down on a Friday night after work and after ranger station hours. The ranger was nice enough to arrange it so that he left me my permit outside the building. After picking up my permit, I proceeded to the white house campground. Here I spent the night in my car. This is also the location of where the trail would start in the morning.
We started walking down the trail to the river. The hike starts out with dry feet but that will soon change as you proceed. The wide wash allows you to avoid the water initially, but sooner or later you’ll need to tromp through the water making your first of several crossings. After a few miles, I pass under the power lines and a mile or so after that is when the fun begins. The canyon walls rise around you as you walk and soon you enter the narrows section. It’s an enjoyable section of hiking, though a little dark, cold, and wet this time of year. Neoprene socks would have been a good choice on this hike. The next major milestone is the confluence with buckskin gulch. I’ve hiked buckskin from wire pass a few times before, this time I decide to stick on the paria river route. Between the narrows and buckskin confluence, I encounter 3 or 4 hiking parties. Beyond the buckskin confluence, I encounter no one. The canyon continues with its many twists and turns. Towering canyon walls shade this dark river tromp. I push on as far as I can manage. Eventually, around mile 14 or 15 I start feeling fatigued. I’m disappointed in my lack of endurance. It’s February and I need to get my body back in hiking shape for the spring season. My pack weight is heavy with the extra layers and warm sleeping bag I packed for this winter hike. I have an idea. I find a nice place to set up camp. In one of the twists and turns, shielded from the wind. I make a nice warm bed of tall dormant grass and pitch my tent. I have a snack and drink some water. I then leave my pack here and continue “day hiking” for another three to four miles down the river and then turn back and return to camp. I didn’t quite make it to wrather arch on this trek but pretty close to the 18 mile marker. This is the halfway point to lees ferry. That means I can come back and do a similar out and back hike from Lee’s ferry to have completed the entire canyon. I would have rather to seen the arch on this trip, but that’s ok. I’ll catch it next time.
The next morning. I pack up camp and begin the cold slog back to the car. The twists and turns seem endless and nothing looks familiar. But eventually I return to the buckskin confluence and I know it’s only 7 or miles back to my car. As I get closer, In encounter a pair of day hikers. They find themselves on the top of a sand bar with the brief trail they had followed dead ending at the river. They ask me for my assistance not sure where the trail goes next. I try to explain to them there is no trail really and you just kind of walk through the river occasionally finding short trails on the banks. I don’t think this is the right hike for them and they will probably turn around soon. But I hope they at least pressed on a little further to see the narrows.
My car is always a welcome sight at the end of these long hikes. I pop a seltzer water and begin the long drive back. Someday I’ll return and finish the Paria.
Western Compass 