Escalante - Phipps Arch Hike

Introduction:

What? :

Hiking to the impressive red-rock Phipps Arch located at a top of a ridge near Escalante, Uta. This is a 6.4-mile out-and-back trail with 650 ft of elevation gain, Plan for at least 4 to 5 hours, round-trip hike.

The trail involved with Escalante River crossing, sandy canyon walking as well as some steep climbing to the arch.

Although not long this is considered a challenging hike, and it involved with exposed rock scrambling, so it is not for everyone.

 

 

Where? :

The trail head is located right at the Escalante River13 miles south of Boulder and 15 miles north of the town of Escalante, Utah in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

The trailhead has a small parking lot right off Highway 12.

Lower Calf Creek Falls state park is just a few miles north from this trailhead.

There are several trails starting at this location.

Google Map Link

 

 

When? :

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is open to the public year-round.

The best time of the year to visit here is during spring (March to May) and fall (late September to early November), the temperatures are moderate and less risk of rain.

 

The winter months are cold with rain and snow.

Accessing trails head that are not near a main road can be clanging to get to because of mud, ice or snow.

When it rain flash flood is a real danger!

Do not get into slot canyon or cross large rivers where the water flow is strong and deep.

During few weeks of early spring, the Escalante River can flow high enough to be difficult to cross.

 

Summer months are hot, and temperatures can reach above 100f. All hikes sections that are not inside a deep slot canyon are exposed to the sun.

Make sure you are having sun protection, hat and long sleeves shirts, and carry enough water with you.

 

 

 

 

 

Due note 1:

At the trail head there is a small parking lot, no need to pay any fee.

If the parking is full you can park on the nearby roadside.

 

 

Due note 2:

No restroom or water source at the trailhead.

Escalante River water are very silty, and it must be purified/filter before drinking.

 

 

Due note 3:

This hike, although not so long is not for everyone.

I will set this hike as moderate/challenge difficulty level. it have a short section of class 3 rock scrambling/climbing pitch and exposed drop-offs to reach Phipps Arch. The hike is not recommended for people with a fear of heights.

The climbing section is unmarked path that require some route-finding skills.

I recommend doing this hike in a group.

 

 

Due note 4:

I saw somewhere that it can be buggy in the spring, bring long pants/sleeves and bug repellant.

 

 

Due note 5:

Be prepared for water crossings, you will need to cross the river several times. Wear appropriate shoes and clothes.

If the water is too deep from early spring snow melt or latest rainstorm up the drainage basin, consider hiking this trail another time.

 

 

Due note 6:

Historic Native American Rock-Art and historic sites are fragile cultural resources. Stay on the Trails and avoid Touching the Petroglyphs.

At historic sites be extra careful with old structures stone walls, do not touch or take a broken pottery or stone tools, leave them where you see them.

Leave no marks or graffiti, to preserve the integrity of these historical sites for future generations.

 

 

Due note 7:

This is not a family friendly hike, crossing the creek is not a problem but kids can’t climb the cliff section of this hike.

 

 

Due note 8:

This is not a popular hike, and you will probably do not see anyone else during your hike.

 

 

Due note 9:

The first portion of this trail along the Escalante River pass through private properties, please make sure you stay on the official marked trail and respect the landowners.

 

 

Due note 10:

Keep Dogs on a leash and clean up after them.

This hike involved with some cliff sections that does not fit dogs, I would not recommend bringing a god with you to this hike.

 

Due note 11:

When hiking here I did not have the time to explore a side canyon that led to the small Maverick Bridge.

 

 

 

My thoughts:

This is an excellent hike, you explore short section of the Escalante River, deep canyon and have a challenging climb to a large and impressive arch on top of the plough.

It was a busy full day of exploration, the same day of this hike I also hike two other hikes starting from the same parking lot:

The 100 Hands Pictographs Walk

Escalante Natural Bridge and Arch Hike

 

 

 

The Hike:

 

Right after crossing below the road bridge, you will see a small wooden bridge crossing side creek.

After crossing the bridge, the trail pass through dense vegetation areas under the large cottonwood trees. The trail stick to the left and reach the tall red sandstone cliffs. Here you will see a small wooden ladder and rock climb that will bring you to a ledge above the riverbank, so you do not need to walk in the river.

After short walk the rock ledge ends, and you will walk back in the river level.

 

After that section you will cross the private road (you can see on your left how it cross the river) and walk near the river. After circling the private property on your right, you will need to cross the river to the other side, this will be less than a mile from the trailhead.

From here the trail passes below the cliffs parallel to the river.

There are 3 places where the cliff close on you from the right and you do not have any choice but to walk in the river for 100s ft.

Water is about calf-deep in normal flow and has a modest current.

I did not find it very challenging but make sure not to fall into the water.

 

After crossing, more correctly passing along the river, 2 more time that landscape open-up and there are no longer cliffs on your right.

At that point the trail is no longer near the river that bend to the left and it goes toward the open area of the Phipps Wash connection on your right.

After 1,5 miles from trail head, you will see a clear for in the trail, the one that keep heading down the main Escalante River gorge and a trail leading to the right heading into the direction of the side canyon opening on the right.

 

The first part of the Phipps Arch trail up to this point is well marked, especially at the private property area and when crossing passing through the river. From here there are no official trail marking.

After crossing the open area you will reach the dry riverbed of Phipps Wash, here you need to turn right and walk up the wash. You can hike in the wide riverbed itself or try to follow the trail on the other side. All this area is covered by large trees on both sides of the creek.

 

The trail at this point gets a lot sandier and a lot of section will be hiking through a very sandy wash with some rocks.

 

Walk in the creek finding the trail, some time it is in the creek itself some time it easier to walk on the left side.

After about 2.2 miles from the trailhead, you will pass a side creek on your right, keep hiking in the main canyon.

 

Additional 0.6 miles and you will need to hike at the left side of the creek and look for a trail heading left out of the main creek. Once you climb out of the creek level you will see the large side creek on the left side of the main canyon.

 

Here come the less clear section of the path.

 

At first where it still sandy it will be easy to find the path but once you start to climb up the exposed slick rocks section the trail is not so clear.

I did not find clear cairns showing the way, so you need to follow the GPS directions.

At first, I recommend heading slightly to the right side and not climb directly up to the left.

You will climb exposed rock section that involved with easy scrambling and after that section it level up. At this point start to go left and loop back and find the way at the lower section of the high angle exposed rock.

 

About tree quarter of the climb, you will reach the steepest part of the climb.

Here you will need to go up the steep and expose section of the climb, here it can be risky so make sure you are choosing the right exact path.

At this section a good hiking shoes with rubber traction help to climb the rock face.

Here I found few good rock cairns marking the preferred path going up without too many risks.

 

At first you are walking/crawling up a short steep exposed rock.

You will reach a small ledge that is below a 6 ft rock step. A few feet to my left I found another cairn that led me to the place where you can potentially climb the rock step.

This was possible place to climb but it was exposed to the cliff below.

I’m hiking alone and falling here can be harmful.

Whenever I’m overcoming a major obstacle, I always think how it will be hiking this in the other direction. Here I need to walk down the same way going up. Many times, it is much more challenging to climb down rockface compared to climbing it up.

 

I took off my backpack and mange to put it on the ledge above me.

I put my Garmin satellite communicator phone and my cellphone in my pocket. If I will fall down the cliff, I will have them with me and not in the bag at the top of the cliff.

I piled few large rocks at the bottom of the climb and climb the rock face step, few hands holding, and I was up.

Even hiking alone, I felt that this is withing my abilities and risk-taking level.

This is the most challenging section of the hike and if you are coming with a group of people this can be much easier and safer.

 

Once I was on the wide ledge I went right, this short walk along the cliff will take you to a left turn up a small creek. From here it is a short hike to the “back” side of the arch above you.

 

There is another option to get to the “front” side of the arch, this is to get into a small creek to the left, this will take you to a small rockface with a tree stump that acts as a ladder up.

 

The back side of the large rock arch is straight up in rock cliff and a large hole in the shape of an eye.

Phipps Arch is quite an impressive rock formation with a span of 100 feet and a height of 30 feet. I walk to the arch and take a rest in the shade.

 

After resting and registering my visit at the registration box (this place was visiting only 3 days before) I went to explore the open section.

On the other (“front”) side of the arch there is a large circle of exposed red-rock area where in the middle there is a huge size rock bolder.

 

I tried to follow a trail that leads to a high point, but it was too steep climb for me, so I went to the far side of the large opening to see the view from the cliff edge. The views from the top looking down into the green Phipps Wash canyon is rewording as well as the 360-degree view of the high sandstone plateaus around this point.

 

Once I was done investigating the area I went back to the arch, cross it over to it “back” side I start with my decent.

At the steep ledge I did the same drill, taking my backpack off and safely going down. From here it was relatively simple to find the way down to the canyon floor.

From I had to walk 2.8 miles back the same way I got in, all the way to the parking lot.

When I reach the parking lot it was already late in the afternoon.

This was a great challenging and fun hike.

 

 

Additional Pictures: