Red Rock Backcountry Adventures

Exploring The West, Discovering the Past

Western BackCountry

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Bill & Teresa Kettler

Welcome to Western Back Country established to be an informative source for those who enjoy camping, hiking, exploration and appreciate the beauty and history of the west.   This site was established by Red Rock Back Country Adventures to be an information source depicting images, maps and information about this country’s National Parks & Monuments, National Forests & Wilderness Areas,  Ghost Towns & Anasazi Ruins as well as the State Parks and other protected landmarks in Southwestern Utah , Northern Arizona, South Eastern Nevada and the western states for further information on these destinations go HERE.  Please return often as it is our intent to update this on a regular basis as we travel to new locations.  Please note before heading out be prepared, please review the information provided HERE for tips on prepardness and historical information that will assist you in making your trip a safe and enjoyable one.

Thank You For Visiting,

Bill, Teresa & Jack Kettler

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Copyright: Most of the images depicted upon this site are copyrighted and not licensed for use without written permission from myself, historical images are copyrighted to their respective owners.

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Shauntie Ghost Town, UT

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Shauntie Ghost Town, UT

Shauntie was a boom town during the years 1872 to 1877 . There were over 40 houses of various types, several businesses including a hotel, several saloons, a post office, two stores and a smelter. When the mines gave out so did the town.

Shauntie was a mining town west of Milford flat, based in the foothills. The town burned down twice and when the mine was abandoned and people moved..

Early in 1870 prospectors, drifting east from the boom at Pioche, Nevada, and west from the spectacular strike at the Lincoln mine in the Mineral mountains near Minersville, found silver in paying quantities in the Picachio mountains across the valley from Minersville to the west. On July 8, 1870 the Star district was organized. The silver strikes attracted much excitement in both Utah, and Eastern Nevada. By early 1871 the area was so flooded with prospectors, and so many claims were being filed that the district was divided on Nov. 11, 1871 into two districts, the North Star, and the South Star. By 1880 over 1,600 claims had been staked; and the low mountains were swarming with prospectors and mining men. The mines were grouped in five or six different areas, or canyons, each with it’s own mining camp: North Camp or Shenandoah City to the North, Foothills to the East, South Camp to the South, Elephant City or Middle Camp in the middle of the range, and West Camp and Shauntie on the West side of the Mountains.

Shauntie Ghost Town, UT

Because it was located at the only regularly running water in the area, Shauntie became the smelting center for the two districts. In 1873 the Shauntie smelter was built with two stacks. In 1874, this smelter was torn down and the larger Shumar Smelter was built, with one stack, but having a 20 ton per day capacity; and employing as many as a hundred workers hauling and smelting the ore being brought in from the Rebel, Elephant, Miner’s Dream, Burning Moscow, and other mines. During the years 1872 to 1877 Shauntie boomed. Soon Shauntie was vying with Shenandoah City as the leading town in the area. Shauntie had over 40 houses of various types, and several businesses including a hotel, several saloons, it’s own post office, and stores. In June of 1875 the smelter burned to the ground, but it was quickly rebuilt and pouring out even more bullion than before. In 1876 Shauntie, itself was destroyed by fire. This still didn’t stop Shauntie. The town was soon rebuilt and was attracting the attention of mining men from all over the west. The veins in the Star districts proved to be shallow however, and by 1877 many of them were closing as their veins pinched out. Just as depression set in and the miners and prospectors of Shauntie were wondering where to go next, News of new discovery excited the ears of the investors and miners. A fabulous new mine, the “Bonanza” had been discovered just 10 miles to the Northwest in the San Francisco Mountains. As fast as the camps of the Star districts were built, so they were abandoned. As news of the discovery reached the others in the district, they just picked up and left, flocking to the new mine which had just been re-named the “Horn Silver” hoping to find work, or profit at the new diggings. Shauntie and the other camps were left abandoned for thirty three years. In 1910 there was a small resurgence when the Burning Moscow, Cedar-Talisman, and Harrington-Hickory mines were re-opened to mine out the low grade ore that was left behind during the boom period. Shauntie again was the center of activity. The Post Office was changed to Moscow in honor of the Burning Moscow mine, then to Talisman, but the locals still just called it Shauntie. By 1920 the low grade ore was mined out, the few people that stayed to carry on small time mining moved to Milford leaving Shauntie and the other Star District camps deserted and crumbling. Over the years the townspeople and farmers around Milford dismantled and hauled off everything they could use from around the mines leaving just a few shacks and head frames at the mines. Foundations and broken glass scattered through the sagebrush and junipers area all that is left of what was once the thriving camp of Shauntie.

Map of Location

Dinosaur Tracksites and Fossil Trails in Utah

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Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trailhead, UT
Use this guide to locate dinosaur tracksites and trails in Utah. This information is not updated regularly; therefore some tracksites may not be on this list.
St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm
2180 East Riverside
St. George, UT 84790
(435) 574-3466
Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm – Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.
Fees: Admission fees required, price varies depending on special exhibits. Please call for prices.
After several years of research and continual discovery, this site has evolved into a world-class dinosaur site that includes the rare combination of fossilized bones and footprints of dinosaurs and many other ancient animals.
When you visit, you will:
Walk through a ‘snapshot’ of a lake ecosystem from Early Jurassic time and observe fish, plants, and animal traces made by invertebrates and vertebrates. See over 2000 tracks made by at least several kinds of dinosaurs, ancient crocodylians, fish, and many other animals. See one of only two fossil tracks in the entire world made by a sitting theropod dinosaur.
See the largest single track block in any museum in the world. This block, weighing 52,000 lbs., has fourteen dinosaur trackways across its surface.
Moab Area Tracks and Trails
Moab Field Office
Bureau of Land Management
82 East Dogwood
Moab, UT 84532
435-259-6111
Hours: Spring, Summer, Fall, as weather permits
Fees: None
Along this nature trail, which requires a moderate 1/2-mile hike, Morrison Formation dinosaur fossils and petrified wood may be seen in a natural setting. This outdoor museum is a bold experiment, where you, the visitor, are the protector of this valuable resource; collecting is not allowed. Only you assure that this fragile legacy is preserved so those who follow may see, learn, and enjoy. The trailhead is in Mill Canyon on a dirt road, accessible by passenger vehicle, off U.S. Highway 191, 13 miles north of Moab, Utah (near mile marker 141). For a brochure and map, contact the Moab BLM office listed above.
Sauropod Dinosaur Tracksite
Hours: Spring, Summer, Fall, as weather permits
Fees: None
This tracksite includes the first sauropod tracks reported in Utah. It is located in an exposure of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation north of Moab, Utah. The sauropod tracks are seen making a sharp turn to the right, a phenomenon rarely observed in fossil trackways. They are associated with theropod tracks. There are no guards or fences here. You, the visitor, are the protector of this valuable resource. The site may be reached by a 2-wheel drive dirt road off U.S. Highway 191, 23 miles north of Moab. For more information contact the Moab BLM office listed above.
Potash Road Dinosaur Tracks
Hours: Year-round access
Fees: None
Dinosaur tracks may be seen along the Potash Road Scenic Byway, State Highway 279, which follows the Colorado River south of Moab. The tracks are located approximately 4.5 miles along the road from its junction with Highway 191, which is 4 miles north of Moab. The tracks are visible from the road and a spotting scope is available. For better viewing, binoculars are useful, or you may hike directly up to the tracksite.
Red Fleet Dinosaur Trackways
Red Fleet State Park
8750 North Hwy. 191
Vernal, Utah 84078-7801
435-789-4432
Hours: Park open daily, year round
Fees: Yes
Move than 200 tracks of two different types of dinosaurs are exposed along the shoreline of Red Fleet Reservoir, 10 miles north of Vernal, Utah, just off U.S. Highway 191. The tracksite may be reached by boat, or by a two mile round-trip hike. The tracks could be covered by snow in the winter or covered by water during spring runoff.
Washington County Tracksites
c/o St. George Field Office
Bureau of Land Management
345 East Riverside Drive
St. George, Utah 84790
435.688.3200
435.688.3252 fax
utsgmail@blm.gov
Hours: Monday – Friday 7:45 a.m. to 5:00p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Warner Valley Dinosaur Tracks, UT
Hours: Year round as weather permits (road impassable when wet)
Fees: Suggested donation of $1.00
The trackways from two different types of dinosaurs may be seen at this site in Warner Valley, southwest of St. George, Utah. This dirt road also takes the traveler to the historic site of Fort Pearce. The route is signed, but for specific directions, contact the BLM St. George Field Office. A short trail leads to the trackways and an information sign.
Washington City Tracksite
Hours: Year round as weather permits
Fees: Suggested donation of $1.00
Dinosaur tracks from the Moenave Formation are also found near Washington City north of St. George. They are exposed in the wash below a new city water tank. The pink water tank is visible from the freeway in the hills north of town, but exact directions are also available at the St. George BLM office listed above.
710 North Reservoir Road
Escalante, UT 84726
435-826-4466
Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (summer) 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (winter) open year-round, closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Fees: Yes
A 1.5-mile long trail at this state park takes the visitor past a colorful array of petrified wood. A Visitors Center and “petrified rock garden” have fine examples of the Morrison Formation’s dinosaur bones, petrified wood, and other fossils. The park also features a reservoir and overnight camping.

Blanding, UT – Anasazi Indian Ruins

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Image Pending

Ancient Pueblo People, or Ancestral Puebloans is a preferred term for the cultural group of people often known as Anasazi who are the ancestors of the modern Pueblo peoples. The ancestral Puebloans were a prehistoric Native American civilization centered around the present-day Four Corners area of the Southwest United States.

The civilization is perhaps best-known for the jacal, adobe and sandstone dwellings that they built along cliff walls, particularly during the Pueblo II and Pueblo III eras. An excellent location to appreciate the history of these people can be found at this un-named location of classic ruins

County roads leading to this location is partially gravel and sandstone, this drive may not be a good idea in wet weather.    Although a 4WD is not necessary but opens up many possibilities for further exploration of the area.

 

This un-named location is  littered with old anasazi Indian ruins, cliff dwellings and petroglyphs just about everywhere you look.
The GPS coordinates supplied will find you near an old cliff dwelling and close to a cliff face with lots of writing on it.
Remember: take nothing but pictures!
“Just a reminder that the cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and any
artifacts in the area are federally protected. Tampering with them, or removing any artifacts can net you a hefty fine and jail time”

GPS location: N 37° 32.396 W 109° 14.486

Google Map

Written by Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com

November 12, 2009 at 4:51 pm

Natural Bridges National Monument – Dinosaur Petroglyph’s

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Images Pending
Natural Bridges National Monument is located in a desolate area in southeastern Utah, where the White River Canyon cuts entrenched runs through the sandstone rock. Three natural bridges have been formed here some of the largest in the world.
Sipapu Bridge is the first natural bridge you encounter as you travel the counterclockwise one-way drive into the Monument. It is the second largest natural bridge in the world.
Kachina Bridge is the second bridge, and is the least eroded of the three, with a sizeable, thick span. The third bridge, Owachomo Bridge, is considered the “oldest” in terms of the amount of erosion underneath the span. The bridge across the top is quite thin in comparison to the other two.
within this park is believed to be an Indian petroglyph’s depicting various dinosaurs at the bottom of the bridge.
In addition there were three more that we believe are depictions of dinosaurs. Two of the petroglyph’s are believed to be  sauropod dinosaurs, and the other two it could be argued that they look like the Monoclonius or Triceratops with a nose horn and skull frill.
It is believed that the second sauropod dinosaur petroglyph to be immediately to the right of the first, with its head turned back and its tail going underneath the neck of the first.
HOW TO FIND THE PETROGLYPHS

The trail to Kachina Bridge is 1.5 miles round trip and a descent of 500 feet into the canyon. You will approach the natural bridge and notice a guest book directly underneath the bridge to the right of the span. When we were there, the river was dry except for a few puddles. The two sauropod petroglyphs were on the right hand side of the bridge about ten feet up and twenty feet to the left of the guest book. BRING LOTS OF WATER.

The Monoclonius petroglyphs were on the other side of the bridge about six feet up from the rock ledge in front. The two petroglyphs in question are connected by a wavy line. Petroglyphs and pictographs were very numerous, and to the left side of the bridge was a small ruin.
INTERPRETATION OF PETROGLYPHS
One should be careful not to consider these petroglyphs as being more than class B evidence. Certainly we creationists can come the conclusion that the Indians were depicting animals they were familiar with and knew first-hand. Others might say that these are creatures of an Indian’s imagination, drawn while he was high on peyote, or, like what some evolutionists suggest about dragon legends, that they are vestigial rememberances passed down from our tree shrew ancestors. The horned dinosaur petroglyph could be interpreted as rhinoceros. These petroglyphs were fun to find and look at. We could suggest a more serious study of them that would analyze the patina of the artwork to see if the amount of weathering corresponded to similar petroglyphs in the area. But we could see that by visual inspection. According to several books we found on the subject, many such depictions of extinct animals like these exist in Southwest Indian art.  Some believe that the horned dinosaurs Triceratops and Monoclonius were the biblical Rheem, often translated as unicorn or wild ox. He speculates that these creatures may have been mammal-like and related to the rhinoceros. We hope that by calling attention to these petroglyphs that we are not risking the possibility that someone might attempt to destroy them. Please keep in mind that these are valuable antiquities, and the National Park Service has stiff fines in place for those who might deface these petroglyphs.
HOW TO GET TO NATURAL BRIDGES NATIONAL MONUMENT

The Monument is about 40 miles west of Blanding, Utah on state road 95, and about 40 miles north of Mexican Hat, Utah. If you approach from Mexican Hat, be aware that state road 261 turns to dirt and climbs a thousand foot cliff in a series of precarious switchbacks. It is not recommended for large trucks or RV’s in either direction.

 

 

Written by Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com

November 11, 2009 at 6:20 pm

South Camp 1800s Mining Ruins, UT

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South Camp 1800s Mining Ruins, UT

 

South Camp 1800s Mining Ruins – The remains of these rock cabins are some of the last vestiges of “South Camp”, one of the leading mining camps in the Star Range, which was active in the late 1800s. More than a hundred years ago this was a bustling town. With an active stagecoach line from Milford which led west through South Camp to Nevada. Homes, stores, and saloons once stood here. The mines in the area are are open yet dangerous, although some of them still hold priceless ore for those who are up for the adventure.

South Camp 1800s Mining Ruins, UT

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Locating Fossilized trilobites In Nevada

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Fossilized trilobites

located in the Pioche Hills located in eastern Lincoln County, Nevada near the historic mining town of Pioche is a formation known which creates The Lower-Middle Cambrian boundary interval within the southern Great Basin and Mojave Desert region.  Here in the  long outcrop a belt occurs within a mountain chain which trends southward along the west side of the Bristol, Highland, Chief, and Burnt Springs Ranges to Lime Mountain in the Delamar Mountains. With in the shale of these ranges especially the Middle Cambrian Pioche Shale occurs which in the Pioche Hills located in eastern Lincoln County, Nevada. These areas are rich in fossilized trilobites within the prehistoric Cambrian shelf a transect would associated with depth changes across the shelf a prehistoric ocean.

Locating Fossils

The most efficient way to locate fossilized trilobites is to examine the shale formations both above and below the surface is to dig into the slabby-weathering siliceous shales, exposing fresh sedimentary strata below the surface. Fortunately, most of the shales within a few inches of the surface are severely fractured; hence, little splitting of them is necessary, since they tend to separate from the outcrops in thin sheet-like plates. Watch for the fossil compressions and impressions along the bedding planes of every shale fragment you remove from the hillside exposures. The deeper you dig, though, the more thickly bedded the opaline shales become, until at last it will become necessary to begin splitting the extremely dense, concrete-like rocks. When doing this, always remember to wear safety goggles, or at least some kind of eye protection such as sunglasses. The denser, thick-bedded opaline strata crack apart only with the greatest of applied brute force, thus increasing the likelihood that sharp fragments might launch off the matrix into your eyes. Stand slabs of shale on end, then give them a sure whack with the blunt end of a geology hammer. If you’re fortunate, the sedimentary layers will break apart along their original planes of deposition, revealing perfect carbonized leaf and seed impressions and compressions to their first light of day in approximately 16 million years.

Written by Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com

October 28, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Locating Fossilized Plants In Nevada

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Fossil leaf specimen from Middlegate
Perhaps the richest producer of Miocene-age (22-to-5-million-year-old) fossilized plants in the entire state of Nevada is a geologic rock deposit known as the Middlegate Formation located in the Middlegate Hills in west-central Nevada. It is exposed primarily in the Middlegate Hills a number of miles from Fallon. In this area some 64 species of fossil plants have been described, including such diverse types as evergreen live oak, giant sequoia, willow, fir, maple and spruce. The fossil specimens, which consist of leaves, winged seeds (called samaras in technical botanical terminology), acorn cups, seed pods and branchlets, occur as pale to dark brown carbonized impressions on a cream-white to pale-brownish matrix of opaline shale–many of them exhibiting such an exceptional degree of preservation that the original delicate venation on the leaves is clearly visible.
All of the remains are Middle Miocene in geologic age, dated by radiometric methods at some 16 million years old. They occur in the uppermost (the youngest layers of deposition) 30 feet of the Middlegate Formation, just below the overlying Middle Miocene Monarch Mill Formation, whose basal sedimentary conglomerates have yielded to paleontologists a large vertebrate fauna, including the silicified bones of moles, rabbits, squirrels, beavers, mountain beavers, mice, weasels, martins, rhinocetotids, oreodonts, camels, llamas and pronghorns

Perhaps the richest producer of Miocene-age (22-to-5-million-year-old) plants in the entire state of Nevada is a geologic rock deposit known as the Middlegate Formation. It is exposed primarily in the Middlegate Hills a number of miles from Fallon. In this area some 64 species of fossil plants have been described, including such diverse types as evergreen live oak, giant sequoia, willow, fir, maple and spruce. The fossil specimens, which consist of leaves, winged seeds (called samaras in technical botanical terminology), acorn cups, seed pods and branchlets, occur as pale to dark brown carbonized impressions on a cream-white to pale-brownish matrix of opaline shale–many of them exhibiting such an exceptional degree of preservation that the original delicate venation on the leaves is clearly visible.
All of the remains are Middle Miocene in geologic age, dated by radiometric methods at some 16 million years old. They occur in the uppermost (the youngest layers of deposition) 30 feet of the Middlegate Formation, just below the overlying Middle Miocene Monarch Mill Formation, whose basal sedimentary conglomerates have yielded to paleontologists a large vertebrate fauna, including the silicified bones of moles, rabbits, squirrels, beavers, mountain beavers, mice, weasels, martins, rhinocetotids, oreodonts, camels, llamas and pronghorns

Such scientifically invaluable fossil vertebrate material on Public Lands is of course off limits to all collectors who do not possess a special use permit issued by the Bureau of Land Management, a formal collecting status that is perhaps well understood by most amateurs and professional paleontologists alike. At present, there is no such legal restriction on the hobby gathering of leaves, winged seeds, and other paleobotanical remains at Middlegate–but that, too, could change.

The troubling circumstance is that commercial collecting interests have recently begun to concentrate on a select number of fossil leaf-yielding fields in Nevada–obviously those sites which happen to provide them with the greatest numbers of well-preserved specimens. This is patently illegal activity, since no fossil remains collected on Public Lands may be either sold or bartered. And while there is certainly nothing criminal about selling fossil specimens collected on private lands (with the land owner’s unambiguous permission, of course), any desecration of a fossil horizon on Public Lands in an attempt to secure as many saleable remains as possible is without question an offense punishable by law. Also, such behavior is with sure consequence horribly counterproductive, since it only invites officials with the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service to close down popular fossil areas, preventing conscientious amateurs from sampling places of significant paleontological interest.

Locating Fossils

The most efficient way to locate fossil plants in the Middlegate Hills is to dig into the slabby-weathering siliceous shales, exposing fresh sedimentary strata below the surface. Fortunately, most of the shales within a few inches of the surface are severely fractured; hence, little splitting of them is necessary, since they tend to separate from the outcrops in thin sheet-like plates. Watch for the fossil plant compressions and impressions along the bedding planes of every shale fragment you remove from the hillside exposures. The deeper you dig, though, the more thickly bedded the opaline shales become, until at last it will become necessary to begin splitting the extremely dense, concrete-like rocks. When doing this, always remember to wear safety goggles, or at least some kind of eye protection such as sunglasses. The denser, thick-bedded opaline strata crack apart only with the greatest of applied brute force, thus increasing the likelihood that sharp fragments might launch off the matrix into your eyes. Stand slabs of shale on end, then give them a sure whack with the blunt end of a geology hammer. If you’re fortunate, the sedimentary layers will break apart along their original planes of deposition, revealing perfect carbonized leaf and seed impressions and compressions to their first light of day in approximately 16 million years.

 

 

Written by Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com

October 28, 2009 at 3:25 pm

Nampaweap Petroglyphs, AZ

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This is an isolated drive take it very serious, BE PREPARED
The Nampaweap Petroglyphs are etched into black basalt rock along what is believed to be a route the Anasazi and their predecessors took to travel in and out of the Grand Canyon. In Paiute, Nampaweap means “foot canyon.”
The petroglyphs are not inside the park, but they are a short jaunt off the road on the way to Tuweep.  Peck marks are visible on many of the rocks leading researchers to believe the Indians used the method known as pecking to carve the petroglyphs.
Nampaweap Petroglyphs, AZ
Before venturing into the Monument, be sure you are well prepared to deal with the rough roads and isolated conditions.

There is a great diversity of habitat types in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, from the 2000 ft elevation hot Mohave Desert creosote bush and Joshua trees, to the Great Basin pinyon-juniper and sagebrush, to the Colorado Plateau grasslands, shrubby red rock desert, and ponderosa pine, gambel oak, and aspen communities on the 8000 ft peaks.
Containing thousands of rock art elements on hundreds of boulders along a basalt rim 1/2 mile long, Nampaweap is worth the bumpy road and the 1/2 mile walk to the site from the parking area.
Directions from St George, Utah: Take Quail Hill Road (BLM Road 1069) to Main Street Valley Road (County Road 5), drive past Mt. Trumbull to the Arkansas Ranch Road (BLM 1028), turn right and drive south about 1 mile to the signed parking area. Park and follow the trail signs to the east.
Seasonal Information:
Normally Open: Year-round .

Strawberry Point. UT

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Strawberry Point. UT
Strawberry Point Drive for spectacular views of forested land and red rock formations. Strawberry Point is located just past Duck Creek Village once passing Duck Pond Strawberry Point Drive is 9 miles from the turnoff.
Strawberry Point is a mountain cliff in Iron County in the state of Utah (UT).
Strawberry Point climbs to 8,373 feet (2,552.09 meters) above sea level. Strawberry Point is located at latitude – longitude coordinates (also called lat – long coordinates or GPS coordinates) of N 37.751088 and W -112.943001.
Anyone attempting to climb Strawberry Point and reach the summit should look for detailed information on the Strawberry Point area in the topographic map (topo map) and the Summit USGS quad.
Strawberry Point. UT
Peak Type: Cliff
Latitude: 37.751088
Longitue: -112.943001
Peak Elevation: 8,373 feet (2,552.09 m)
Nearest City: Summit (3.2 miles away)

Strawberry Point Drive out to the scenic view point of Strawberry Point for spectacular views of forested land and red rock formations. A high clearance vehicle makes this a nicer drive. Duck Pond is 9 miles from the turnoff to Strawberry Point. Strawberry Point is a mountain cliff in Iron County in the state of Utah (UT). Strawberry Point climbs to 8,373 feet (2,552.09 meters) above sea level. Strawberry Point is located at latitude – longitude coordinates (also called lat – long coordinates or GPS coordinates) of N 37.751088 and W -112.943001.
Anyone attempting to climb Strawberry Point and reach the summit should look for detailed information on the Strawberry Point area in the topographic map (topo map) and the Summit USGS quad. To hike and explore the Utah outdoors near Strawberry Point, check the list of nearby trails.
Read Condition Reports | Add Condition ReportView Locator Map and Local WeatherPeak Type: CliffLatitude: 37.751088Longitue: -112.943001Peak Elevation: 8,373 feet (2,552.09 m)Nearest City: Summit (3.2 miles away)

 

The Pa’rus Trail – Zion National Park, UT

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Biking Zion National Park
The Pa’rus Trail is ideal for those who want to bike, push a stroller or use a wheelchair. One of the many Zion Canyon Shuttle pick-ups is at Canyon Junction but there is a limited amount of parking on both sides of the road. This is not an ideal place to unload bikes, but the parking area just outside the South Campground has a large parking area that could be used for that purpose. Turn off the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway to the South Campground, but continue straight to the parking area instead of entering the camping area.  From the parking area locate the sidewalk and walk past the amphitheater, taking the path to the left. The Pa’rus Trail is behind this path, toward the river.
Pa’rus Trail at a Glance
Photo Album: Pa’rus Trail pictures
Trail Map: Pa’rus Trail Map
Day Hike: Yes
Trail Distance: 3.4 miles round trip. 1.7 miles one-way from the Watchman Campground to Canyon Junction where you can catch a shuttle ride.
Average Hiking Time: 2 hours round trip.
Accessible Trail: Yes, this is a great trail for wheelchairs and strollers.
Bike Trail: Yes. This trail is a paved, car-free alternative for bicyclists. Zion National Park is among the most bike-friendly national parks in the USA.
Pets: Unlike most areas in Zion, pets are allowed on this trail, but only if they are on a leash.
Difficulty: Easy and you can get off the trail at different spots to make it a shorter hike if desired.
Sun Exposure: The low elevation (4000′) and full sun hitting the trail makes this a hot path to take on the mid-days of summer, but the trail is suitable for summer biking. Hikers can go down into the river to cool off.
Permits: Not needed
Trail Conditions: This is a well maintained, wide sidewalk. There are several bridges along the path with old planks. If you are underneath the bridge, at the river, and bikes pass over the top, be aware there will be a lot of noise.
Trailhead: Canyon Junction – The spur where the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and the Zion Canyon Road intersect.
Trailend: This trail can end at the South Campground, the Watchman Campground or even the Zion Human History Museum.
Trail Access: From late March to November, park at the Zion Canyon Visitors Center and ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle. The Pa’rus Trail is the first trail stop after the museum. This is a nice trail for parents to walk while kids are in the Junior Ranger Explorer program.
Best Season: Year-round as long as the trail is free from snow and ice.
Elevation Gain: 50′
Restrooms: Handicap accessible restrooms are at the Zion Human History Museum, but the narrow dirt path (off the main trail) over to the museum is not wide enough for a wheelchair.
Water availability: You can fill up water bottles at the Zion Human History Museum, South Campground or Watchman Campground. This hike is in full sun, do not go without plenty of water.
See our vacation planning section for classic Zion National Park trails or glance at our favorite Zion National Park trails list or choose from a complete Zion National Park hiking guide.
Pa’rus Trail
This is a very easy paved trail, that begins at Canyon Junction and travels past the Zion Human History Museum. (There is a narrow dirt path that spurs off the main trail heading to the museum.) The trail continues behind the South Campground where the Zion Nature Center and Junior Ranger Explorer Program is located and then heads to the Watchman Campground. The trail name, Pa’rus is from a Paiute word meaning “bubbling, tumbling water.” Both Oak Creek and Pine Creek cross this relaxing hike that follows the Virgin River.
The Pa'rus Trail - Zion National Park, UT

The Pa'rus Trail - Zion National Park, UT

The Pa’rus Trail is ideal for those who want to bike, push a stroller or use a wheelchair.
One of the many Zion Canyon Shuttle pick-ups is at Canyon Junction but there is a limited amount of parking on both sides of the road. This is not an ideal place to unload bikes, but the parking area just outside the South Campground has a large parking area that could be used for that purpose. Turn off the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway to the South Campground, but continue straight to the parking area instead of entering the camping area.  From the parking area locate the sidewalk and walk past the amphitheater, taking the path to the left. The Pa’rus Trail is behind this path, toward the river.
Pa’rus Trail at a Glance
Trail Distance: 3.4 miles round trip. 1.7 miles one-way from the Watchman Campground to Canyon Junction where you can catch a shuttle ride.
Average Hiking Time: 2 hours round trip.
Accessible Trail: Yes, this is a great trail for wheelchairs and strollers.
Bike Trail: Yes. This trail is a paved, car-free alternative for bicyclists. Zion National Park is among the most bike-friendly national parks in the USA.
Pets: Unlike most areas in Zion, pets are allowed on this trail, but only if they are on a leash.
Difficulty: Easy and you can get off the trail at different spots to make it a shorter hike if desired.
Sun Exposure: The low elevation (4000′) and full sun hitting the trail makes this a hot path to take on the mid-days of summer, but the trail is suitable for summer biking. Hikers can go down into the river to cool off.
The Pa'rus Trail - Zion National Park, UT

The Pa'rus Trail - Zion National Park, UT

Permits: Not needed
Trail Conditions: This is a well maintained, wide sidewalk. There are several bridges along the path with old planks. If you are underneath the bridge, at the river, and bikes pass over the top, be aware there will be a lot of noise.
Trailhead: Canyon Junction – The spur where the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and the Zion Canyon Road intersect.
Trailend: This trail can end at the South Campground, the Watchman Campground or even the Zion Human History Museum.
Trail Access: From late March to November, park at the Zion Canyon Visitors Center and ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle. The Pa’rus Trail is the first trail stop after the museum. This is a nice trail for parents to walk while kids are in the Junior Ranger Explorer program.
Best Season: Year-round as long as the trail is free from snow and ice.
Elevation Gain: 50′
Restrooms: Handicap accessible restrooms are at the Zion Human History Museum, but the narrow dirt path (off the main trail) over to the museum is not wide enough for a wheelchair.
Water availability: You can fill up water bottles at the Zion Human History Museum, South Campground or Watchman Campground. This hike is in full sun, do not go without plenty of water.
The Pa'rus Trail - Zion National Park, UT

The Pa'rus Trail - Zion National Park, UT

Pa’rus Trail
This is a very easy paved trail, that begins at Canyon Junction and travels past the Zion Human History Museum. (There is a narrow dirt path that spurs off the main trail heading to the museum.) The trail continues behind the South Campground where the Zion Nature Center and Junior Ranger Explorer Program is located and then heads to the Watchman Campground. The trail name, Pa’rus is from a Paiute word meaning “bubbling, tumbling water.” Both Oak Creek and Pine Creek cross this relaxing hike that follows the Virgin River.

Written by Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com

October 18, 2009 at 11:20 pm