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Southern Utah
Hiking Forum
The Ultimate Southwest Vacation includes the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument!
Stay in Mt. Carmel Jct., the heart of the parks, and visit
the treasures of the Southwest.
Mileage: Mt. Carmel Jct.
Zion Park 12 miles
Grand Staircase 9 miles
Sand Dunes 11 miles
Dixie Forest 22 miles
Cedar Breaks 45 miles
Red Canyon 47 miles
Coyote Butte 57 miles
Bryce Canyon 60 miles
North Rim 85 miles
Toroweap 90 miles
Plan your Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument vacation
with our Utah and Arizona maps.
In these pages you will find insiders information on the best
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument hikes. This detailed
guide includes road maps, park maps, pictures, trail beta, backpacking, history,
fees, geology, flora, fauna, campgrounds, things for kids to do and even information
on the Grand Staircase hidden treasures.
Making summer memories in Utah's national monuments. |
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Directions: East Zion to Staircase
From
Salt Lake City, travel south on I15 to U-20. Exit on U-20. Turn south on U-89
and follow U-89 to Glendale.
From Las Vegas: Travel I15 to exit 16. Follow U-9 to the south
entrance of Zion and through to the east entrance. Take U-9 for 12 miles to
Mt. Carmel Jct, where U-89 and U-9 meet. Drive north on U-89 to Glendale.
From Glendale, turn right on 300 N. (Bench Road) Follow the
graded dirt road, Skutumpah, into the Grand Staircase. Remember the Grand Staircase
is a wild and remote place. The dirt roads may be impassible when wet and there
is usually no water, services or cell phone access. Skutumpah is a backway and
should only be traveled in dry conditions. Call for road and weather information
before travel: 435.644.4680
GPS Coordinates
WGS84 Datum
Trailhead:
37°15.389 N
111°54.568 W
Elevation 4770'
Side Canyon and
Beginning of Ascent:
37°15.240 N
111°54.789 W
Elevation 4750'
Summit of Yellow Rock:
37°15.540 N
111°55.410 W
Elevation 5500'
GPS coordinates are only references and may or may not be accurate. Do not rely on GPS coordinates as the sole method of navigation. Always have an accurate, detailed map at hand and have the proper map reading and navigation skills before setting out on any hike. Many of the hikes listed in this guide travel into canyons where a GPS has limited capabilities. Always check your position with a detailed map before dropping into a canyon.
Beta: Coordinates and other trail and canyoneering information by Zion Park search and rescue veteran team member Bo Beck and www.zionnational-park.com author Tanya Milligan.
To post trip reports, offer corrections, updates, or for more information please visit the Southern Utah Forum
Suggested Equipment: Bring a sturdy pair of shoes to hike the sandstone in the Grand Staircase-Escalante. Choose shoes with a sticky, rubber sole like the La Sportiva Exum Ridge.
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Yellow Rock
This relatively short hike, just west of the Cottonwood Road in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, takes one to the top of a massive multicolored, swirling sandstone monolith. Although the summit of the "dome" is not towering above all others in the region, it nonetheless affords vistas for many miles that wet the palate and reward the eye with wonder! Even though the trek is a relatively short distance, the going requires some steep scrambling and is fairly strenuous. On the summit of Yellow Rock, topography unfolds to the north with Hackberry Wash just below, and beyond Castle Rocks vertical walls tower in the distance. The Paria River Gorge indents the plateau to the west and south, and the Cockscomb rises in the east. The hike is located north of Highway 89 on the Cottonwood Road in the GSENM.
Yellow Rock at a Glance
Photo Album: Yellow Rock Photos
Topo Map: Yellow Rock Map
Day Hike: Yes
Distance:
2.5 Miles Round Trip
Average Hiking Time:
3 hours
Equipment: Sticky rubber shoes are a must. Route finding skills are required. Be sure to take plenty of water for each person and energy snacks for the trip.
Difficulty:
Strenuous uphill hiking. There are sections of scrambling on a steep dirt hill with loose scree. This hike gains and loses considerable elevation.
Permits: Not required.
Trailhead: Hackberry/Yellow Rock Trailhead on Cottonwood Road in the GSENM.
Trailend: Same as Trailhead
Trail Access: Do not travel Cottonwood Road when it is wet. If there is melting snow it is particularly difficult travel.
Off the Beaten Path: Yes
Best Season: Summer, fall and late spring are best but this hike can be done year-round as long as Cottonwood Road is dry. It is possible you will get your feet wet when stream crossing at the start of the hike, so be prepared in the winter.
Elevation Loss: 750'
Elevation Gain: 750'
Getting to Cottonwood Road
To locate Cottonwood Road, drive south from Mount Carmel Junction 17 miles to Kanab. From Kanab, drive east on Highway 89 toward Page. After crossing over the Paria River, soon the BLM Paria Contact and Information Center will be passed on the right. It is a short 3 mile drive from the station until Cottonwood Road is encountered on the north (left) of Highway 89. The road is marked and easy to find if you are looking for it.
Cottonwood Road
Turn onto Cottonwood Road and set the trip meter. It is 14.4 miles to the unmarked parking area for Hackberry Wash. The parking is on the left side of the road. The drive up Cottonwood Road can be quite washboarded at times and other times it's a smooth dirt road. Look for the obvious left hand turn leading to a large parking area and the metal "podium style" register box. This is the trailhead for Hackberry Wash and Yellow Rock.
Yellow Rock Trail
Sign in at the trail register and then locate the beaten path. Following the trail 15 yards to the west, down into Cottonwood Wash and cross to the west side. An obvious trail continues west, to the mouth of Hackberry Canyon Narrows, but it will be necessary to deviate from this trail and walk downstream in Cottonwood Wash for approximately 300-400 yards. Look for another wash entering from the steep terrain to the west.
Scree Slope
Once this wash is located, begin hiking up this side canyon and look for the path of use. After 100 yards, the trail leading west up this side canyon will turn right and lead north up a very steep, seemingly impossible scree and talus slope. By following the short switchbacks for .25 mile, a ridge is soon attained. Continue up the ridge for another 100 yards to a saddle that separates Hackberry Wash to the north and the small side canyon that was just ascended from, to the south. From the saddle, travel now begins up the ridge to the west, past a few jagged rock formations (hoodoos), through some slickrock fields and sand-dunes.
Yellow Rock
Soon the path arrives at the massive yellow slickrock dome known as Yellow Rock. The easiest path to follow to the summit of Yellow Rock lays directly in front. There is not a formal trail to the summit, but by traversing back and forth (switchbacks), it is relatively easy to arrive at the summit without too much physical effort. On top of Yellow Rock, all of the effort expended is rewarded with magnificent views in all directions! Be sure to relax, take photos, have a snack and then prepare for the downhill hike back to the trailhead.
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