With an open day on our calendar and nothing pressing to do, we decided to head out for a hike rather than let the day slip away - especially with one more "rather" cool day before the summer heat sets in later this week. The only question was where to go? Everything around Zion is already packed with the summer surge of visitors. Low and behold, Kent found a relatively unknown slot canyon, on Google Earth, that he hoped would be an escape from the crowds. Sure enough, the trailhead was empty and we spent the entire afternoon exploring without seeing another soul.
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| This Evening Primrose is the first thing Allison saw as she exited the truck! |
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The pullout for Pole Canyon is on the Kolob Terrace Road right before the infamous hairpin turn
that leads to Wildcat Canyon Trailhead . . .
There is no trail, just some social paths that lead to Pine Springs Wash |
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| It still felt like spring in Pine Springs Wash as White Phlox were everywhere! |
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We were surprised to find a small seep (possibly Pine Springs??) as we passed Jobs Head
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| An interesting old tree that finally succumbed to a lighting strike |
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| We have to admit that this wash was nothing short of a boulder hop for its entirety |
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Kent is working his way through one of several small dry falls that we encountered . . .
Notice the pine tree growing on top of that sandstone slab . . . incredible will to survive! |
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| Zion Beardtongue (Penstemon) is a rare wildflower endemic to Southern Utah |
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| If it wasn't boulder hopping, it was working our way around downed trees |
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| Finally, after two-miles, the wash turned into the Pole Canyon slot we had come to see |
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| Honeycomb sandstone know as tafoni greeted us as we entered the narrowest points of the canyon |
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| Not the narrowest slot we've been in . . . but still a rather unique passage to walk through |
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| White Columbine were plentiful farther up the canyon in the shady areas |
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After about a half-hour of exploring we decided to turn around . . .
The narrows section continues on for at least half-mile to a mile . . .
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| One last look at the leaning fir that guards the entrance to Pole Canyon |
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Hooker's Onion is a wildflower with an edible bulb
It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies . . . deer won't come near it |
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| Getting close to our entry/exit point of the wash . . . Jobs Head, once again, in the background |
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| Allison couldn't resist a picture of this weathered knotty piece of wood |
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Out of the wash and working our way back to the pullout . . .
That's Pine Valley Peak, near Wildcat Canyon Trailhead . . . we would love to climb it but we don't think it's possible without ropes! |
While Kent found the constant boulder‑hopping and log jams frustrating, Allison enjoyed the slower pace, which gave her time to observe—and photograph—the many varieties of flowers lining the wash. We ended up hiking 5.2 miles with about 600 feet of elevation gain, taking roughly four hours to complete the route. After returning home, we mapped the rest of the slot on Google Earth and realized we could have continued another mile upstream before being forced to turn around. It’s easy to see why this slot receives so few visitors, yet it would be a stunning hike in the fall when the mountain maples turn red. For more information on Pole Canyon, you can click
here for a helpful description, though we do question the distances they recorded…
