Spring 2025 Utah, 4.16.25 - 5.14.25, Part 3, Escalante/Calf Creek Falls, Big Horn Canyon, Devil’s Garden
Escalante is only about a forty minute drive from Cannonville but man is it ever a pretty drive. We have stayed in Escalante before so this time we only allotted two days to get three things done. Since it was such a short drive, we got to Escalante hours before we could check in. We parked the Navibahn behind the grocery store and drove the Jeep about twenty minutes east of town to the trailhead for Lower Calf Creek Falls. This is a very popular hike and I’d been warned about what a zoo the trail would be. However, it had sounded like a nice hike and I’ve been wanting to do it since the last time we were here so I figured we would just put up with the crowds and enjoy the scenery. As it turned out, we had no trouble finding a parking spot and though there were people on the trail in both directions, it wasn’t nearly as chaotic as had been reported.
We hit the trail at ten-thirty and it was finally nice and warm. The trail gently climbed as we made our way up Lower Calf Creek. Impressive cliffs flanked both sides of the creek with desert varnish dripping down the walls and bright green cottonwoods lining the creek. We passed some native American granaries and pictographs but they were all pretty far away.
Rock walls along Lower Calf Creek
Big rock alcove along Lower Calf Creek
Large pictographs on the far side of Lower Calf Creek
Beautiful black desert varnish above bright green cottonwoods
The trail winds around and up that canyon to get to the falls
After three easy miles the walls closed up a bit, the trail wound through some woods and we began to get our first views of Lower Calf Creek Falls. As we got even closer, the mist from the falls cooled us down and then the trail ended at an oasis in the desert. The falls tumbled one hundred twenty-six feet into a lush pool surrounded by a sandy beach dotted with brilliant green-leafed cottonwood trees. It was hard to believe we were in the desert. We dropped our day packs, sat around for an hour and had lunch before heading back.
First view of the falls
Almost there!
Lower Calf Creek Falls
Lower Calf Creek Falls
Lower Calf Creek Falls
We loved Lower Calf Creek Falls! It was taller and even more beautiful than what we had expected.
The following morning Bridgit took the day off from hiking. I met up with Mike, Greg and Brinley to do a hike recommended by my friend Gary. I didn’t even know about this hike the last time we were here because it’s not even listed as a hike on the maps. We drove four and a half miles down the Hole In The Rock Road to an unmarked spot just over the hill from where most people start the hike. Across from where we parked we followed an old cow trail across the sage for about a half mile and then dropped roughly two hundred feet down into Alvey Wash. The wash itself had a lot of twists and turns so we basically followed a trail that cut across all these turns and shaved some mileage off our day. This led us to where Alvey Wash spills into Harris Wash. Turning left, we followed Harris Wash just a short way to a major junction. To the right was Big Horn Canyon. To the left was the west fork of Big Horn Canyon. Gary had said it would be worth our while to follow it in a short way until it simply gets too narrow to proceed. And who were we to argue with Gary so to the left we went. The west fork was a gigantic bonus! For being only about a third of a mile, it packed in a whole bunch of beautiful stripey rock and deep narrows. It was unlike anything else in Big Horn Canyon so if you ever go there, don’t leave out the West Fork!
The junction of the West Fork (left) and Big Horn Canyon (right)
Amazing striped walls near the entrance to the West Fork
Fun narrows section in the West Fork
Narrower narrows in the West Fork
Detail of stripey rock in the West Fork
Once we had reached the point where we could go no further, we backtracked to the mouth of the West Fork. Instead of going around the corner into Big Horn Canyon, Gary had said to stay high above the canyon and then return in the canyon. Again, we weren’t about to argue with Gary so we climbed up a slickrock hill and once on top we were looking up a wonderful plateau of slickrock. Along the right side, a deep crack in the earth showed where Big Horn Canyon was. We really loved this part of the hike. We just wandered all over this lovely multi-colored slickrock as we slowly made our way up canyon. The sheer amount of different colors in the rock was incredible. This whole section reminded me a lot of the hike Mike and I did to Edmaiers Secret near Kanab last year. Apparently you can hike Big Horn Canyon all the way up to Spencer Flat Road but I’ve read that the upper portion isn’t as great as the lower portion. We continued to follow the plateau until the slickrock ended and changed over to typical desert sage and sand. At that point we dropped down into Big Horn Canyon and followed it back inside the canyon to the junction with the West Fork and back out to where we had parked. Altogether, the hike ended up being 6.84 miles.
Crossing the hill between the West Fork and Big Horn Canyon
Looking back down Harris Wash from above the junction of the West Fork and Big Horn Canyon
Looking up our route from the gap between canyons. You can see the crack where Big Horn Canyon runs.
Golden rock above Big Horn Canyon
Mike above Big Horn Canyon
Out of this world colors in Big Horn Canyon
I climbed around the top of this mound for a different perspective
Greg and Brinley enjoying the slickrock
Looking back down canyon where we had hiked up
In Big Horn Canyon. The walls never got too high but the colors were great.
Mike in Big Horn Canyon
Big Horn Canyon
Wildlife in Big Horn Canyon
Our track up Big Horn Canyon from Gaia
Once we completed our trek through Big Horn Canyon, we still had plenty of daylight. Greg had never been to Devil’s Garden which is just down the road apiece so we drove down there and wandered around a bit before heading back to Escalante.
Devil’s Garden
Devil’s Garden
Metate Arch/Devil’s Garden
So a big thank you to Gary for recommending Big Horn Canyon. We all really enjoyed this hike. You’re batting a thousand with your suggestions! Keep up the good work!