Thursday, 18th of April 2013 at 08:53:21 PMThis day was reserved for re-visiting Grand Staircase Escalante N.M. I choose Escalante because it has three iconic arches which I find photogenic and didn’t yet visit. (beside Broken Bow, which I revisited because I find it especially nice and easy to reach).
The first hike in the moring was to Horizon Archm which sometimes is also called Kissing Dragons. It is located on the Smoky Mountain backway (gravel road) branching off in Escalante directly close to my Hotel. The Trailhead is app. 10 miles south on the Smoky Mountain road. Road conditions were well, an easy drive. The hike was through several washes and then up a steep hill. Not easy to find, but I had GPS coordinates.
Horizon Arch (a.k.a. Kissing Dragons), Grand Staircase Escalante N.M.
I was back at 12 at the car and drove to Escalante to buy some fruit and fuel and drinks. Then I took another gravel road, the Hole in the Rock road branching off from US12 approx 8 miles east of Escalante. Then a long drive of 42 miles on the 35mph rated gravel road to the trailhea for the broken bow arch. I did this hike already once in 2011 and liked both hike and Arch.
Broken Bow Arch, Grand Staircase Escalante N.M.
Finally I had to hurry to come in time for the last sun at the Sunset Arch. It is located on Fortymile Ridge road and a very short hike.
Sunset Arch, Grand Staircase Escalante N.M.
I choose this sequence of hikes because I wanted to overnight in the car at the Fortymile Ridge Trailhead. It is around 50 miles south of any civilization inmidst the wildness. I parked my Jeep at the trailhead and prepared for the night. My first Car-Camping ever.
Carcamping at Fortymile Ridge trailhead to Crack in the Wall
Hiking Mileage today: 21.6 km / 13.5 miles
Horizon (11 km) Broken Bow (6.7 km) Sunset (3.9 km)
Hiking Mileage total: 62.8 km / 39.3 miles
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