The Great Traverse

[hatchcanyon]

The Great Traverse

Part 5:

On the eastern end of North Hatch Canyon the Big Ridge Cliffs are the main obstacle for any traffic. The road winds over a - as far as we know - nameless pass into South Hatch Canyon. The elevation difference is less that 400 feet but the road is in Chinle and that makes it sometimes difficult. Deep ruts occasionally with more than 3 feet depth run down the track. On other days ona might find a large boulder on the road - mainly Wingate from above. Every now and then one falls or tumbles down or slides over the surface when wet.

Looking back to the west on eastern end of North Hatch Canyon.

The picture was taken from the northern flank of the pass.

Yellow Sego Lilys are uncommon

Wingate boulders coming down

South Hatch Canyon and Sunset Pass with Gunsight Butte

Gunsight Butte is a well known landmark. The road over the pass goes through the northern - in the picture left - opening eventually reaching Waterhole Flat. Years ago Tim Martin flew us through the right gap - through, not over.

South Hatch Canyon

20 years ago another trail was running down South Hatch Canyon towards Fiddler Butte. The trail was more or less the wash. We made it down the trail for several miles. Nowadays it is closed. Might be that the western part is accessible via another trail branching off North Hatch Canyon Road at 12S 0560175 4217156. This must be the other end of the trail in South Hatch Wash.

Telephoto lense picture down South Hatch Canyon

Camping area on Sunset Pass

Looking down South Hatch to Fiddler Butte

Orange Cliffs

Two miles east of Sunset Pass is Waterhole Flat, the place where Hite Road, Hatch Road, the road from Flint Trail and the trail to Doll House cross.

Roads crossing on Waterhole Flat

Hite Road

At the crossroad we turn left and travel along the Orange Cliffs. To our right we see the large and wild Maze Area.

Orange Cliffs

Teapot Rock

Road towards Flint Trail

Chinle Formation below Wingate Sandstone

800 feet below: Trail to the Doll House

in 1994 on the trail to the Doll House

Chinle Deposits

Chinle comes in different hues

Flint Trail is well known for it's sometimes difficult trail on which two vehicles cannot pass each other. Elevation difference: some 600 feet.
12 miles from the upper end of Flint Trail to Hans Flat Ranger Station, the only "civilized" place on the 130 mile distance.

also in 1994: Hans Flat Ranger Station.

The road from Hans Flat to Green River does not have that much points of interest. Sometimes it is pretty sandy, sometimes you can drive nearly like on a paved highway.

To be continued....

 

[Rob in MT]

This is excellent information. I've been planning a hike off of the Poison Springs Canyon road but am unsure of road conditions. I've read the road can be difficult or driven by a sedan. I'm planning on driving the first 10 or 11 miles from Route 95, are there any issues the first 11 miles? I'll be driving a Nissan Frontier 4wd with an ATC camper. Thanks for your help.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Most excellent. Thank you for sharing. Is it possible to stop and camp along here?

.
Take a look at the Maze District map here:
.
http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/maze_web-2.pdf
.
If you are inside the Park boundary or the GCNRA boundary, you can only camp at designated (Paid) campsites. Outside of the Park and GCNRA, I'm pretty sure BLM rules apply.

 

[hatchcanyon]

This is excellent information. I've been planning a hike off of the Poison Springs Canyon road but am unsure of road conditions. I've read the road can be difficult or driven by a sedan. I'm planning on driving the first 10 or 11 miles from Route 95, are there any issues the first 11 miles? I'll be driving a Nissan Frontier 4wd with an ATC camper. Thanks for your help.

After 5-6 miles down the canyon where the springs are it is becoming difficult most of the time. (shortly before the place where we freed the green Grand Cherokee) I do never recommend something like a sedan except für the first mile from UT95. From UT 95 to the river is about 15 miles.

Sorry, I don't know enough about the capabilities of your vehicle but on pictures it looks nice. It should have a good chance!

 

[SmoothLC]

Spectacular. Love to learn about the geology and rock formations along with the wildlife and fauna.

Thanks for another good one "atchee atchee"canyon!

This has been on my list for a while, so am hoping to make a dent some time this year.

 

[hatchcanyon]

The Great Traverse

Supplement

Found this picture from the beginning of Poison Spring Road not far away from the UT 95 pavement.Date: mid June 2015.

Sign on Poison Spring Road

The sign reads "Poison Springs" but the USGS Topo Quads have the name "Poison Spring". And wow - road no 15000! The number sign must be relatively new.

 

[hatchcanyon]

The Great Traverse

Part 6

Sure, the road from Hans Flat Ranger Station to Green River is not a highlight by its own. The same is true if you prefer to take the other route to UT 24 where this road ends not far away from the beginning of the Road to Goblin Valley.

We take this one to the north and Green River. Be warned - in the dusk or dark sometimes Pronghors run across the road! Cattle is also there in open range.

11 and a half Mile from Hans Flat lies Granary Spring, a starting point for Blue John Canyon, the slot where Aron Ralston lost his arm (Movie: 127 hours). We didn't visit this Canyon. The same is true for Horseshoe Canyon with it's Great Gallery of Rock Paintings. For some people a must but we don't know much about these things.

At 12S 0573720 4268105 an interesting side trail goes east passes by Keg Knoll - some kind of a landmark - and ends on top of a slickrock field. A foot trail in northeastern direction bringy you to the brink of Two Canyon and a very special Arch. It is called Collonade Arch or 5 Opening Arch. Some older pictures:

End of the 4WD Trail - Keg Knoll behind

Two Canyon and Green River in Labyrinth Canyon

Potholes

You have to find your own way

A first glimpse

How to go to the arch? This way!

5 Opening Arch: Three in front, two on the backside

Another Point of interest is Entrada Gap, a 4 WD route mostly on slickrock. Not easy to find. The trail starts at the Bull Bottom Trail (12S 0575375, 4287525). This are also older pictures.

Entrada Cliffs

Bull Bottom ant the old cattle trail

Between the Entrada Cliffs and the Green River

There is a lot of chert in the area.

Slickrock and Entrada

To find the way stay always on slickrock but nearby the red rocks above it.

Trin Alcove Bend

"Half Dome" on the eastern side of the Bend

Back on Green River Road

To be continued....

 

[hatchcanyon]

The Great Traverse

Part 7

Two and a half mile north of Bull Bottom Road crosses the road San Rafael River. North of the river bridge runs a trail east to the old Chaffin Ranch. Once there was a (drilled) cold water geyser but it is said that there are noc longer any acivities.

Here the road runs through an old nameless rincon of the Green River but it is a pretty flat one. After climbing up the western rim the road reaches the next old ringon within less than one and a half mile. This one has a name: Dry Lake.

six and a half mile further the road crosses the dam of Horse Bench Reservoir build by the CCC in the early 1940ies. It is not the reservoir - most times dry - that looks interesting it is the small badland around it. Color banded Morrison formation!

Horse Bench Reservoir and Horse Bench Cliffs

An evening picture

Even if the soil looks not very fertile there are some plants blooming.

Astragalus ????

Astragalus coltonii

Desert's Mule Ear

Simply a wonderland of colors.

The last leg to Green River is not that attractive, simply gray soil and soft hills. Bad in wet weather. Even there we found some flowers:

Astragalus newberryi variety newberryi (Halogeton glomerus left)

Halogeton glomerus is poisonous, at least for sheep.

Desert Trumpets

The yellow hue comes from the tiny flowers of the Desert Tumpet.

Now we are through after 130 miles!