Part 3 of 3 -
Part 1 -
Part 2
Friday, May 3rd (continued)
Remember to click on any photo for a larger version.
North of Cedar Mesa
My intention was to explore up Texas Flat Road north of Mule Canyon. This road is labeled Arch Canyon Road on Google Maps, which shouldn't be confused with the jeep/ATV trail that runs up the bottom of Arch Canyon from Comb Wash. One of my favorite campsites is located just past the bridge across North Mule Canyon, but I'd never ventured farther.
I didn't know what to expect, though I had some vague ideas based on looking at the satellite map. There were many vehicles at the South Mule Canyon Trailhead and many folks camped in the various dispersed sites along the road. The satellite images make this area seem arid, but it is primarily piñon/juniper woodland and was very green; Texas Flat has fewer trees and lots of range land with cattle grazing.
It appeared on the map there was a short road that would lead to the rim of Arch Canyon, maybe with a camping spot. In fact this is so. An amazing sight opened up before me. The canyon is wide and deep (about 2000' wide and more than 1200' deep according to Google Earth). You can walk to the edge and view Cathedral Arch down in the bottom. There is a point of sandstone accessible via steel steps. Watch your step, it's a loooooong way down.
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| First view of Arch Canyon from the overlook site. |
There was one, largish campsite, but it was already taken by a pick-up camper. Rats! After taking photos of the view I noticed that it was a FWC pop-up camper in the campsite, so I walked over to say "hello." I met two interesting ladies from Durango who had their chairs set to overlook the fabulous view. We spoke for a little while. They mentioned hiking up along the canyon rim and returning on the road. I asked if there were any campsites up that way and they said they had not seen any and the road was very washed out. Then they said that they were leaving in the morning ("not too early"), if I wanted to come back and get the site.
On the way up the road I'd noticed a potential site about halfway near a couple of large sandstone outcroppings. I thought that might make an interesting camp, but when I got back there I noticed several tents set up that I'd miss seeing on the way up. My favorite site at North Mule had been taken when I drove up, and I returned just in case they had left, but no. I explored down the 4WD trail that goes from North Mule to Comb Wash. There was a campsite, but I kept exploring.
Dog Tanks Springs
I had noticed a side road about a mile and a half along Texas Flat Road from North Mule, so went back to check that out. That spur dropped down into a little dell next to a creek bed. There were a couple pools of water in the creek and wild flowers. I later learned this is Dog Tanks Spring and was told that "tanks" in this context referred to those pools of water which are fed by the spring. I had only been familiar with the term applied to man-made structures, but looking at my Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 5th Edition (1939), the first definition is "A pond, pool, or small lake."
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| Campsite at Dog Tanks Spring. The creekbed is just behind the camper. |
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| There were wildflowers everywhere. |
This was a pretty enough little spot, but without much of a view. I walked up the creek bed a little ways and admired the many wildflowers. (Upon returning home and looking again at the satellite view, I see now that had I walked approximately 1000' NNE I would have come upon the rim of Arch Canyon. So if you camp here, check it out.)
Saturday, May 4th
I got up in the air above Dog Tanks Spring to look around not realizing that Arch Canyon was so close.
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| Aerial view from above Dog Tanks Spring looking toward Arch Canyon |
Spherical panorama. Click the Full-screen icon (upper right) for a better view:
Arch Canyon
I returned to the Arch Canyon overlook in the morning ("not too early", but I didn't want someone else to come along after the nice ladies had left and take the spot before I could get there) They were in the process of breaking camp. We visited some more and they had lots of questions about my pop-up and the modifications I'd made. They hadn't had theirs very long and had purchased their FWC Hawk, used, only recently. Of course I love to talk about my camper and those things I've done to make it handier and homier, so was happy to oblige their inquiries.
When they left to continue their journey, I backed into the spot they'd just vacated and set up my chair to admire the view.
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| It may be hard to see in this flat photo, but Cathedral Arch can be seen here - look about a third of the way in from the left and a third of the way up |
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| Close up view of Cathedral Arch from a different time of day. |
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| You can walk out onto this sandstone point via steel stairs/bridge, though that's not required for the spectacular view. |
This gorgeous location is not widely known and most everyone who I met there that weekend asked me not to promote it in my travel blog. I sympathize with the desire to keep the secret of this special place and gave it serious consideration. However, my readers are an exclusive group who would appreciate this spot and treat it with respect, so I'm including it here.
About a half-dozen high-clearance vehicles drove out to the overlook this Saturday (only one the next day.) As I was wandering around with my camera I stopped to talk to several of the visitors. Most had been there before. A nice couple from Austin told me about cliff dwellings in Texas Canyon that could be seen by walking northwest about a mile.
Later in the afternoon two experienced rock climbers from Colorado showed up. They had not been there before, but wanted to climb one of the towers in the canyon, though first they'd have to repel down from the rim (they seemed to think this was easier than hiking up the canyon from Comb Wash.) They set the "rap" that evening with plans to leave "at first light" in the morning.
Sunday, May 5th
Arch Canyon (continued)
I got up and out to take photos in the first light. Glorious golden colors on the sandstone.
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| You can just see my camper nested in the trees. |
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| Early morning light on the southern rim, looking easterly. |
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| This photo won't win any photography awards, but I can't resist taking a portrait of a scraggly pine. |
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| This is the step/bridge that leads out to the point. |
I walked a little ways southeast along the rim to look back at the overlook point.
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| Looking back at the point from along the southern rim. You can see my campsite, too. |
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| There were plenty of these guys flying around just waiting for someone to take a misstep! |
The rock climbers did not get out "at first light" as they had predicted. They confessed they'd stayed up too late telling rock climbing tales. Check out the album of photos of their descent from the point.
Although it was gusty I did manage to get a few aerial views, though I was loathe to actually fly over the deep, deep canyon.
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| Aerial view of Arch Canyon looking to the northwest. |
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| Looking down at my campsite. |
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| The point seen from above. |
It was a beautiful evening with a few clouds to catch the setting sun.
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| Evening at Arch Canyon. |
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| Evening view looking across toward Blanding. |
Spherical panorama of Arch Canyon. Click the Full-screen icon (upper right) for the most spectacular view;
Monday, May 6th
Arch Canyon (continued)
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| Lots of paintbrush blooming in the area |
I thought I'd hike northwest to see if I could find and photograph the ruins in Texas Canyon (which branches off Arch Canyon just up from the overlook.) I took the advice of the couple who told me about it to set off cross country in the right direction, as one cannot simply follow the rim around I was told. However, there is a good sized hill in between and I spent unneeded energy climbing its shoulder. I found a better way back by following the rim when possible and only climbing as far as needed to get around obstruction. So my advice is to follow the rim, where possible, and only climb around obstructions as needed.
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| On the rim, just before Texas Canyon forks off from Arch Canyon is this marker. Authority passes from BLM to the National Forest Service near here, the marker may be the boundary. |
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| Close up of the survey marker. Note the year, 1919, and that it was erected by the U.S. General Land Office, the predecessor of today's Bureau of Land Management. |
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| You can just barely begin to see Angel Arch in this view. |
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| Texas Canyon |
I did find the ruins. It was about a mile hike each way. Bring your binoculars if you take this hike.
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| The ruins are in the alcove between the pillars. Hang on, I'll show you... |
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| The two pillars with the alcove in the middle... |
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| Close up of the ruins using 420mm lens. |
I was also able to get a better angle on Angle Arch. You can see the rock formation of that object, but not the arch itself from the Arch Canyon overlook.
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| Both arches can be seen in this view. |
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| A close up of Angel Arch. |
I returned to camp and had a leisurely lunch. I hadn't finalized a plan as to where I would go next, but did plan to break camp and move along. Rain wasn't forecast until Wednesday, but cloud cover began to move into the area in earnest.
On the Road
I drove to the north end of Comb Wash, thinking I'd head down that way, but the sky was now so grey it was bleaching all the color and contrast from Comb Ridge. I was so spoiled by the fantastic weather I'd had on this trip, that I stayed on the highway, pointed toward home.
I stopped at my favorite, locally-owned drive-in,
That's A Burger, for an early dinner in Shiprock, NM. I examined my maps to see if there was a better way to bypass that stretch of US-64 that is so unpleasant. I did find an alternate route that looked promising and wasn't too complicated. It worked great - details below, if you're interested.
I thought maybe I'd camp somewhere in northern New Mexico, but the skies stayed so blah that I just keep heading toward home and a hot shower.
I got home just after dark, tired, dirty, and happy!
Thanks for coming along via my blog.
FOR SOME REASON GOOGLE/BLOGGER IS NOT LETTING ME REPLY TO YOUR COMMENTS ON MY BLOG. Hopefully this will be fixed sometime, but meanwhile, thanks I appreciate you taking the time to comment. If you have specific questions, email me at the address above. - Bill
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US-64 Bypass: from the west take the truck-bypass in Farmington; turn right on NM-371 by the Shell Station; a scenic climb takes you up out of the San Juan River valley; turn left on Hwy-302, aka 7100; and left again on Hwy-3003, aka 7010, which goes all the way to US-550 south of Bloomfield. Wish I'd figured this out years ago. Coming from the south, 7010 is marked by a directional sign for the Raytheon Facility.
There's another route that bypasses even more, I might check it out next time - Indian Route-36 between US-491 and NM-371.
