Jessica at the base of the descent into Coyote Gulch.
As we looked down into the canyon, we could hear the rustle of trees and the chirp of birds down below. It was time to evaluate our options for the most challenging part of the whole trip—the 800-foot drop into the gulch. Most day-hikers and runners can climb and descend the steep, class 3 scramble on all-fours, but with our heavy overnight packs it proved to be a unique challenge for us. With the help of a rope and some fancy footwork, we were able to slowly and surely complete our descent.
Jessica crossing the stream underneath Coyote Natural Bridge.
Checking out the map of the gulch beneath Coyote Natural Bridge.
Just a quick side note: There are three main routes down into Coyote Gulch, all of which depend on your experience as a hiker and the capability of your vehicle. If you’d like to visit but are nervous about climbing canyon walls, worry not! The most popular route starts at Hurricane Wash and gently descends into the gulch via a natural tributary stream. This route is by far the longest (~10 mi) but does not require any scrambling or rappelling. Moreover this trailhead can be accessed by most vehicles. The other two routes offer a more direct approach into the gulch but require steep climbing and rappelling and are only accessible from Fortymile Ridge Road, an unmaintained road. High Clearance 4WD is highly recommended for this road as most vehicles can get stuck, damaged, or stranded if unprepared.
We descended into a time capsule. Looking up at the bright orange walls gently lit by the morning sun and seeing fresh the moss-lined springs seeping from the rock brought about a moment of awe. I couldn’t help but to stop and stare at the environment all around me as it contrasted so greatly from the arid scenery above. It was hard to believe we were living in the 21st century with the only remaining signs of the time were the occasional footprint in the sand or airplane crossing the sky.
Walking upstream towards Jacob Hamblin Arch.
The hike along the bottom of Coyote Gulch can be made in two ways: the “dry” route or the “wet” route. The dry route skirts the stream for the most part but includes some ascent and descent close to the canyon walls. We took the “wet” route most of the way, walking through the stream with minimal elevation change. The stream is incredibly refreshing in the summer months and offers some little water features like this tiny waterfall along the way.
A long day of climbing, descending, and exploring the Canyon left us ready for a nap. We set up camp in the shadow of Jacob Hamblin Arch, ate a quick meal, and turned in for the afternoon. The choice to explore the gulch during the week proved to be a power play, as we had the most popular spot in the whole canyon all to ourselves.
Setting up camp in the shadow of the Jacob Hamblin Arch.
I have never underestimated the shear size of a place so much. While the walls and arches in the gulch are not the biggest in the US, walking along the stream and recognizing that these massive walls are the product of thousands of years of erosion certainly make them some of the most impressive features I’ve ever seen. Rock and dirt framing the sky and hanging in the air like a giant rooftop keeping us cool and shaded was a welcome and astonishing feature of this other-worldly canyon. We explored the Jacob Hamblin some more in the evening and walked up and down the stream near camp as we waited for night to fall. Little did we expect for the real show to begin once the sun went down.
Stay Tuned for the third and final part of the adventure coming next week!
Checking out the “popular” photo spot underneath Jacob Hamblin Arch.
Dinner time! Prepping some of the Backpacker’s Pantry mac & cheese.