zeke
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Peekaboo slot 2023
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Post by zeke on May 2, 2016 12:29:17 GMT -8
I bp'ed through the Kolob area. 1 night, but might have been better suited to 2. Camped along the East end of the allowed sites, along the creek. Checked out the arch, continued through Hop Valley. Not bad, but hiking with cows is not really my thing.
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FamilySherpa
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Tangled up in Rhododendron
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Post by FamilySherpa on May 3, 2016 4:30:41 GMT -8
we only went to the kolob canyons I've got that on my list for next time. How was it? I liked it a lot Jer. I had been to the main part of the park when I was a teenager and wanted to see this section, and was glad I did. As i said, very few people, the backcountry campsites were awesome, and the scenery is a little bit different to the main section of the park. Here was our campsite
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Post by hikerjer on May 3, 2016 8:34:01 GMT -8
Nice.
Zeke, do they allow grazing in the national park proper? I wasn't aware that was allowed in any national park. Wilderness areas, sometimes, But national parks?
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on May 3, 2016 8:48:36 GMT -8
cows are allowed to graze in parts of hop valley. not sure why, but i assume a deal made long ago with neighboring farmers. there's a fence about midway up the valley that keeps them from going into the kolob canyons area.
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driftwoody
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Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on May 3, 2016 9:35:16 GMT -8
I've hiked up to Angel's Landing twice. The first time (March 2012) I started late morning, and the most troubling aspect was all the people trying to pass each other coming up and going down the narrow spine with chains to hold onto. The second time (Sep 2014) I made sure to be on the first shuttle in the morning to beat the crowds. I was far from alone, but when I headed back down there was not one long continuous line of people coming up.
I think Angel's Landing definitely belongs on the bucket list, but it's a different kind of experience than we usually associate with a hike to such drop-dead gorgeous scenery.
I've been to Southern Utah 3 times now, 2012 being the first (at age 54). It's a different world than Chicagoland where I live or destinations east of the Mississippi where I do most of my backpacking. I will likely go again this fall, because my senior softball team competes in the World Masters Championships in Las Vegas the last weekend in September. I take a 2 week vacation, drive with a teammate, then we explore southern Utah on the way there and the way back.
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Post by starwalker on May 3, 2016 18:04:31 GMT -8
Hop Valley is private property but open for hiking. It is the least interesting area of the Park as far as I'm concerned.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 4, 2016 8:30:56 GMT -8
cows are allowed to graze in parts of hop valley. not sure why, but i assume a deal made long ago with neighboring farmers. there's a fence about midway up the valley that keeps them from going into the kolob canyons area. So clearly the key is to get through that section ASAP and into the Kolob canyons. I'd like to explore up there sometime.
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FamilySherpa
Trail Wise!
Tangled up in Rhododendron
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Post by FamilySherpa on May 4, 2016 9:29:17 GMT -8
cows are allowed to graze in parts of hop valley. not sure why, but i assume a deal made long ago with neighboring farmers. there's a fence about midway up the valley that keeps them from going into the kolob canyons area. So clearly the key is to get through that section ASAP and into the Kolob canyons. I'd like to explore up there sometime. We hiked the hop valley trail out and back one day and never saw a single cow. Did see some manure and a place where it looked like they'd been in the stream. I was concerned with the filtered water we were drinking out of la verkin creek, but the rangers said as long as you filtered it you'd be fine.
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Post by starwalker on May 4, 2016 21:15:15 GMT -8
Hop Valley is sandy and pretty flat. It was easy and quick hiking.
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