Southern Utah Gems

Back in August we decided to go to one of the more unknown areas of Utah for a quick one night backpacking trip. We had a route picked out a week in advance, but when we got to the park visitor center, we decided to switch trails at the last minute after talking to the ranger at the backcountry desk. We ended up doing the Cohab Canyon-Frying Pan trails that end at the Cassidy Arch.

I can't emphasize enough how great this hike is. Cohab Canyon is moderately trafficked, most likely due to its proximity to the orchards and relative easiness of the trail. However, the further back you hike towards the Frying Pan trail the less people you will come across. This 9 mile (estimated) hike can absolutely be done in a day, but we started mid-afternoon and the elevation gains and losses were extreme carrying our backpacking gear.

Cohab Canyon is a hanging canyon which means that you actually gain elevation hiking up to its entrance. It's quite the start to a hiking trip carrying bulky packs on your back, but it's worth it. There are a few narrow slot canyons branching off the main canyon that are hidden around corners, aptly named "The Wives" due to the fact this canyon was named for the polygamists that would hide from federal marshals during the polygamy raids of the 1880's. The canyon itself is pretty flat with little elevation gain until you find yourself facing either the trail down to HWY 24 at your left, or the Frying Pan Trail to your right.

Frying Pan Trail is just your stereotypical south-central Utah landscape: remote, vast, empty, and beautiful. It's just you and the wild west out here. This connector trail is only 3.3 miles, but you cover some amazing ground. And some amazing elevation gains and losses. You are hiking essentially on a ridge-top until you connect to the Cassidy Arch trail. Some notable features to look out for: A MASSIVE pile of rocks with a house sized boulder atop that trail winds around, a large, lone standing mushroom hoodoo, deep canyons, and my favorite: The waterpockets.

We were getting tired climbing out of this deep canyon and it was getting dark when we decided to get off the trail and hike down to a flat area on top of these folds. You do pass a large cave climbing down, and in retrospect was it a good idea to camp a few yards away from a cave with who knows what in it? I don't know but we're alive to tell this story. Would I do it again? Probably not.

In the morning, we ate a quick breakfast, packed our things and hiked the small distance to the Cassidy Arch. Named of course after central Utah's own Butch Cassidy, this arch is located 400 feet above the road so even if you want to skip the exertion of hiking 8ish miles to it, it's still 400 vertical feet up you have to climb...but the prettiest things to see here take some effort and are well worth it. There are no routes to the base of the arch but you can climb across it.

It's easiest if you have two cars and can park one at the Cohab Canyon trailhead and one at the Cassidy Arch trailhead. We only had one car and relied on hoping someone would take pity on us and drive us back to the first trailhead. That came in the form of a kind ranger. We were all exhausted, but also feeling the satisfaction that only comes from doing something not only hard, but knowing that you are one of the few lucky enough to experience it.

Here's a summary video!

Zion National Park is my favorite place ever and the best thing about it is that there are so many more hikes and things to see than just the big ones like Angel's Landing and the Narrows in the main canyon. Here's an example:

I love a good swimming hole. This one you can't see from the main road and have to climb down to it. Drive up towards the tunnel and park at the second switchback- there's a parking area at it, Climb down the barrier across the road from the parking, and follow the clearly defined trail down into the side canyon. It's pretty steep, but manageable.

As with other hikes in narrow canyons be careful of flash flooding! I am such a worrier about flash flooding, and since I love sharing morbid news articles, here's one from last September's heavy rains and flooding here in this very canyon. Always check the weather. The only thing I get super paranoid about down here.