Late Spring Utah - May 2023: Part 1

Late Spring 2023 - UT

May 15 through May 21 in 4 Parts

I was looking forward to my spring trip, researching ideas for new destinations within my favorite areas of SE Utah. I had watched a couple of YouTube videos about Wolverine Loop off of Burr Trail (as I'd seen the turn-offs on previous trips and was curious.) This looked like a prospect and the road was reportedly in good condition for high clearance. One of those YouTubers mentioned Poison Springs Canyon Road as a much more beautiful road. I watched his video and it did look interesting. That road was also reported as open.

As I was checking the Hanksville BLM website I found a notice for free tours of the nearby dinosaur quarry. That sounded interesting, so when I called for a Poison Springs Canyon Road report I got details. Visitors were to meet at the quarry 8 miles up a dirt road off UT-24 west of Hanksville.

I now had three primary destinations. I figured I'd string them together with other places and roads I was familiar with "on the fly". Now if the weather would just cooperate.

One thing or another delayed my departure to mid-May. The clear sunny weather of early May had moved to a wetter pattern though the long-range forecast was for party-cloudy and partly-sunny. There was something like a 10% chance of rain. Not ideal, but even a retiree has time constraints.

I recommend you click on a photo for a larger version and use full screen for panoramas.

Part 1 of 4

North Mule Canyon, White Canyon, Burr Trail

Monday May 15

Monday morning I left home in good weather, taking my usual route to the northwest. There were clouds and rain all around, but not bad. By the time I topped off my tank in White Mesa, UT I felt I would rather not drive too long and thought I'd check to see if one of my favorite camping spots was open.

North Mule Canyon

There is a little hollow in North Mule Canyon just beyond the bridge on Arch Canyon Road. There are a couple of cottonwood trees that have seen better days; white sandstone cliffs that are not too tall; a stream bed that often has at least a little water. For some reason I find this place serene and restful.

Here I am, set up within North Mule Canyon. Creek on the right.

I was fortunate the site was unoccupied. I backed in and set up camp with blue sky and puffy clouds which had me hopeful for my upcoming week. There were red and yellow wildflowers blooming and water flowing (barely) in the creek bed. 

I relaxed in my chair between strolls to photograph flowers, birds, and scenery. That evening a giant cloud formed in the east, lit up by the setting sun, but there didn't appear to be any threat of rain. I fell asleep listening to the frogs sing.

Plumbeous Vireo caught beating its supper into submission

Sunset in a cloud

Tuesday May 16

North Mule Canyon (continued)

It was a beautiful morning with blue sky and singing birds. I walked up to the area above the cliff north of the canyon. There were lots of Evening Primroses, red and yellow flowers, and two species of cacti blooming.

Note the dark cryptobiotic soil crusts on the right.

My left knee, which is usually my "good" one, had been complaining for the last week, but felt good this morning after my walk. So I decided I would take an easy hike up North Mule Canyon. I hoped I'd be in good enough shape to make it to the hanging garden I found last time, but would just see how it went.

Early section of trail before it drops into canyon bottom.

Farther up are large Ponderosa pines.

The trail seemed to be in better condition than last time, but there is still quite a bit of clambering around, more so than in South Mule Canyon, I believe. Nonetheless, the morning was delightful and there were plenty of subjects for my camera. I took an alternate route around a enormous rock that had fallen into the canyon eons ago and found the remains of a very, very small ruin under a ledge.

A mortared column of rocks is all that's left of this ruin.

Looking up the canyon and seeing clouds beginning to build.

As I was taking a break I studied the topo map in my Earthmate app that syncs its position with my inReach Explorer. The hanging garden is near where the canyon forks and I'd only gone about 2/3rds of the way. I reluctantly decided it would not be wise to push myself too far on my first day and returned down canyon.

I could hear thunder rumbling by the time I returned to camp. I'd considered staying here another day, but started breaking camp on impulse. By the time I was pulling out it was starting to rain.

On the Highway passing White Canyon

More rain as I drove west on UT-95. The highway was fine and the heaviest storm was off to the north. I drove through this beautiful area of white sandstone canyons and red cliffs wondering where I should go. I pulled off the highway at a spot where White Canyon, below Natural Bridges, comes close to the highway. I had been hoping to get a spherical panorama there, though with the clouds I was not particularly sanguine about the results. It turned out not too bad as you can see. Kind of cool seeing the rain falling over Bears Ears.

View the spherical pano on Kuula or using the frame below. In either case, click the Full Screen icon in the upper right corner to get the full experience.

As I drove farther west I could see a large storm right on top of the Henry Mountains. One idea I'd had when doing preliminary research for the trip was to finish the short section of Fortknocker Road I'd skipped last time. (I came in via Burch Canyon Road and Wooden Shoe Road, though on a whim exited via North White Canyon Road. That turns out to have been a better idea than I'd realized.) I found the west end of Fortknocker and turned north off UT-95. I didn't go more than a hundred yards or so as the road was in very poor shape with rocks and washouts. I turned around and wobbled back to the highway. I'd also spied on the satellite map a dirt road leading northeast on the other side of the Colorado River. I turned in there to check it out. Flint Trail Road looked like it would be miserable to drive, as well, or maybe I gave up too soon.

I continued on 95 then drove south on UT-276. I thought about Starr Springs Campground but it was early in the afternoon and I didn't want to sit in my camper just to listen to the rain. I decided I'd continue down toward Bullfrog, then skirt the southern end of the mountains, hopefully staying out of the rain. I was surprised when I got to Ticabo to discover acres and acres of very large houseboats up on railroad tie blocks all along the highway. I should have stopped to take pictures, but don't think that would have conveyed the scale. Hard times for businesses built on Lake Powell. It was hot and dry down here.

Burr Trail

I turned west off the highway before Bullfrog onto Burr Trail Road. This southeastern end of the road is paved, though narrow with sand drifts encroaching in this first stretch. Within a mile or so I passed a Glen Canyon NRA ranger's truck coming from the west. Good to know this empty quarter is periodically patrolled. That was the only vehicle I saw the entire length until I climbed the switchbacks. The two large campgrounds that used to be along the shoreline are barricaded closed, which shouldn't have been a surprise.

The road climbs up out of Bullfrog Creek Canyon.

Even after crossing Bullfrog Creek the land is barren and appears hostile along this southern stretch with barely any vegetation, just white sandstone. The cool moisture was well north of here and the temperatures were climbing toward ninety. The road roughly parallels the creek as it heads north. Soon the landscape becomes quite dramatic with views of the canyon and cliffs and the highway climbs a ramp up to a plateau. There are views of the Henry Mountains to the east. Worth a visit. 

Looking back down into Bullfrog Creek Canyon

The pavement ends as it comes to a 'T' at the Eggnog-Starr Springs Road.  On a previous trip when I camped at Starr Springs Campground I drove out to the west on this road.

This globemallow was huge!

The mostly gravel road was in good condition as it went west then north toward the south end of Capitol Reef National Park. I was alert as I recalled there were sections, just before dropping into Waterpocket Fold, that were posted with warning signs for flooding. Although it had been raining on the Henry Mountains all afternoon, I was relieved none of that had come in this direction. I was back in more familiar territory as I drove up the fold toward the switchbacks.

Looking east toward the Henry Mountains from most of the way up the switchbacks.
In the middle distance the valley is the Waterpocket Fold geologic landform.

I wasn't going to stop and take a picture down the switchbacks, as I have many already, but it was impossible not to get one more even though the light wasn't the best! When the road exits the national park it is paved once again.

Go to Part 2 and Wolverine Loop Road