Tiff Mapel
Escalante-Class Member
Good morning, Wordlings,
Today's a SNOW day, so no school today! And today's article is on the very scenic, fabulous Reflection Canyon. This article is from the Fall/Winter 2004/2005 issue. And since this article was published, I finally did get to see Bighorn sheep at Powell. Spotted my first one in the back of Dangling Rope Canyon, and have seen them in Wetherill, Mountain Sheep, across from Iceberg Canyon, and in the canyons off Padre Bay. And included are some pics we took on a Trash Tracker trip in 2005 when we could walk on the underwater arm of the canyon, which is now exposed and contributes to that scenic bend in the canyon.
Enjoy,
Tiff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reflection Canyon
Published in Fall/Winter 2004/2005 Issue
It sits quietly across from the mouth of the San Juan River confluence near navigation buoy 57. Before the days of Lake Powell, a trio of river runners named this canyon “Cottonwood Gulch.” In fact, on the Navajo Mountain metric map, it is known as Cottonwood Gulch. Today, we know this canyon to be Reflection Canyon. It is unknown who officially gave it the new name, or when. One can only guess that the tranquil water with its reflections of sandstone and sky inspired the current name.
On a bright, breezy day in June, Dave Tate, myself, and Kip and Melissa Bennett of Page, Arizona, set out to hike and explore Reflection Canyon. A short way into the canyon of towering Navajo Sandstone walls, a sandstone dome rises out of the middle of the water. Boating around it, you can see other submerged domes, marking the old creek course. The depth finder put one shallow spot at 15 feet down. We could see where the water was lighter there, and where a large slick rock arm stretched across most of the channel underwater. As the water drops from that June elevation of 3,587 feet, boaters will have to navigate that part of the canyon carefully.
As you head up-canyon, around the next turn to the right is a small alcove with a cave in the back. The cave had a nice sandy beach and a dead cottonwood tree rising from the middle of the water in front of it. What a great campsite for the lucky boater who discovers this little gem—it was protected from the sun during the hot part of the day, and the wind.
Just past the cave-alcove, the canyon splits in two. The left branch doesn’t go very far, and ends with a shallow sandy area with plenty of cottonwood trees. The part of Reflection you’ll really want to explore is the right branch. It goes much farther, and offers great hiking and sightseeing, including Indian ruins and some pictographs.
Where the water seems to end, there’s another great camp spot with an expanse of beach, if you can find it unoccupied.
With the water elevation at 3,587, you could get beyond the beach through a narrow, shallow passage to another small, shallow cove to begin the hike. Just be sure to raise your propeller and go through the middle of the passage.
The water ended at a large shallow area with cottonwood trees and plenty of grasses and foliage. You can tie a boat up there, and walk 50 feet or so in knee-deep water before you reach the sandy shore.
As you hike up-canyon, it’s much cooler hiking in the trickling stream on the sandy bed. Occasionally, you’ll have to get out and hike on the bank above, negotiating cattails and Tamarisks.
Not too far up the canyon, we spotted some ruins on the right, or east side, underneath an overhanging wall. It was an easy hike up to them, but we noticed that these particular “ruins” weren’t listed in the guidebook we were using. So it is questionable whether these ruins are authentic. The rocks were crudely stacked—not something the “Ancient Ones” would have left behind. But if they are real and the guidebook missed them, they’ve been poorly restored.
Back on the trail and hiking up-canyon, you’ll come to a series of pools, dammed by sticks and grasses. It didn’t appear that these were beaver ponds. We saw no evidence of beavers in the area. The dams were the result of sticks, grasses, and debris getting lodged together when flood waters came through. The cool water in the pools was inviting, as we all waded into the knee-deep water. The pools were full of life—tadpoles, crayfish, water beetles, and even Bluegill fish—that curiously watched our every move.
We hiked on the banks above the pools, scrutinizing the walls on each side of the canyon for more ruins, pictographs, or Moki steps. Farther up-canyon high on the left, or west wall, we saw more ruins tucked on a shelf under an overhanging wall. We hiked over dunes covered in dry grasses, and up to the base of the wall.
There was a marker with a small sign stating that archaeological ruins are protected by law, and you could report vandals for a $5,000 reward. This sign has likely discouraged graffiti, which is an occasional problem in Powell country. We didn’t see any new graffiti, and the old graffiti was finally starting to fade away.
Looking up toward the ruin, you can’t access it. It’s an un-restored ruin, which means it’s illegal to enter. There are some Moki steps on the left side of the wall leading up to it, but they’ve been weathered down and are unsafe to climb.
Continuing up the canyon, we waded through more pools, and made our way through the cattails and Tamarisk. One of the highlights of this hike is where the high water mark ends. You can see the water line in a triangular-shaped slick rock corner.
Contained within the basin is a large pool, about 20 feet across and several feet deep. It is likely fed by a spring, as the only water that would flow into it would be storm water, as evidenced by the groove cut into the slick rock above it from rushing water. The pool was chock-full of Bluegill fish, and some big ones at that. They all surfaced and watched us curiously.
We gleefully thought of jumping in the cool inviting water, but these are also the same fish that will bravely swim up and nip your legs when you least expect it. And I’m sure they were pretty hungry.
Facing up-canyon were a few Moki steps pecked into the rocks on the right, so you can scramble to the top of the slick rock above the pool. The groove in the slick rock also contained a narrow corkscrew-shaped hole.
When storm water filled the hole, the rest would spill over the edge into the pool. I’m sure that’s quite a sight in a storm. The corkscrew shape was created when rocks swirled around in the water torrent, cutting through the sandstone over the years.
Kip climbed down into the hole and rescued several toads that were trapped and floating on the water’s surface, unable to climb the steep walls to get out. Who knows how long they had been there like that—it had been a while since the last rainstorm, when they likely toppled into the hole. We released them near the shore of the pool, and I’m sure the toads were relieved to be free from their prison.
Past the high water pool, heading up-canyon, the smaller pools grew fewer in number. It wasn’t as green with grasses and cattails, but sage and cactus took over the landscape. We picked up an old cattle trail, and followed it up.
There was still more to see. About a half mile beyond the high water pool, on the right wall, was the final set of ruins we’d see. These were marked on the map and guidebook, and looked authentic upon closer inspection. The walls of the ruin were crumbling, as cattle had gotten up there in the past, likely knocking rocks down in their effort to find shade.
On the wall to the left of the ruin is a set of pictographs, or pictures that were painted onto the wall using a natural pigment. You could clearly see a desert bighorn sheep, and a line of conjoined triangles, brown on one side, white on the other. These possibly marked the amount of sheep taken by the past inhabitant of this ruin.
There were also three bullet holes around the pictographs. One can only guess that years ago, some indignant cowboy running his cattle in the canyon shot at the pictures to claim his territory and to make his point. At least the bullet holes don’t mar the ancient art. The ol’ cowboy missed.
We hiked a bit farther, knowing there were narrows at the end of the canyon, but we surmised that they were at least another mile or so beyond this ruin. There is also a cattle trail that accesses the rim of the canyon on the right, and a barb-wire fence with a gate. Our hike was just over two hours, but we stopped and checked out the sights along the way. It only took us one hour to get back to the boat.
We talked with other hikers who’ve done the Reflection Canyon hike; it’s always fun to compare notes and see what you missed. There’s so much that the guidebooks and maps don’t have. According to one hiker, there are some petroglyphs, or designs chipped into the rock, just beyond the ruin with the pictographs. There are five or six small snakes etched into the rock wall, and hidden from view by some dense foliage. No wonder we missed them.
There have also been reports of desert bighorn sheep that frequent Reflection Canyon. If you’re lucky enough to see one, it’s quite a treat. Normally, they’re secretive animals, and if spotted they quickly make their exit. If you see a single animal, it’s likely a lone male. They don’t cluster in herds like deer, making them even more difficult to find. I have yet to see a desert bighorn, and will continue to look for the elusive animals the Ancient Ones knew so well.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on what we’ve covered: a great hike up a cool, sandy streambed; scattered pools teeming with life; a few Indian ruins; a high-water pool; and pictographs from a long-departed inhabitant. All kinds of interesting things to see in Powell country are all contained within one canyon. The Reflection Canyon hike is a good one to take in the summer, because you’re walking in and out of water. Be sure to take plenty of snacks and water, wear durable hiking footwear, don’t forget binoculars, and plan for hours of adventure. You won’t be disappointed, and you can reflect on the memories of a great day for years to come. Enjoy!
Today's a SNOW day, so no school today! And today's article is on the very scenic, fabulous Reflection Canyon. This article is from the Fall/Winter 2004/2005 issue. And since this article was published, I finally did get to see Bighorn sheep at Powell. Spotted my first one in the back of Dangling Rope Canyon, and have seen them in Wetherill, Mountain Sheep, across from Iceberg Canyon, and in the canyons off Padre Bay. And included are some pics we took on a Trash Tracker trip in 2005 when we could walk on the underwater arm of the canyon, which is now exposed and contributes to that scenic bend in the canyon.
Enjoy,
Tiff
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reflection Canyon
Published in Fall/Winter 2004/2005 Issue
It sits quietly across from the mouth of the San Juan River confluence near navigation buoy 57. Before the days of Lake Powell, a trio of river runners named this canyon “Cottonwood Gulch.” In fact, on the Navajo Mountain metric map, it is known as Cottonwood Gulch. Today, we know this canyon to be Reflection Canyon. It is unknown who officially gave it the new name, or when. One can only guess that the tranquil water with its reflections of sandstone and sky inspired the current name.
On a bright, breezy day in June, Dave Tate, myself, and Kip and Melissa Bennett of Page, Arizona, set out to hike and explore Reflection Canyon. A short way into the canyon of towering Navajo Sandstone walls, a sandstone dome rises out of the middle of the water. Boating around it, you can see other submerged domes, marking the old creek course. The depth finder put one shallow spot at 15 feet down. We could see where the water was lighter there, and where a large slick rock arm stretched across most of the channel underwater. As the water drops from that June elevation of 3,587 feet, boaters will have to navigate that part of the canyon carefully.
As you head up-canyon, around the next turn to the right is a small alcove with a cave in the back. The cave had a nice sandy beach and a dead cottonwood tree rising from the middle of the water in front of it. What a great campsite for the lucky boater who discovers this little gem—it was protected from the sun during the hot part of the day, and the wind.
Just past the cave-alcove, the canyon splits in two. The left branch doesn’t go very far, and ends with a shallow sandy area with plenty of cottonwood trees. The part of Reflection you’ll really want to explore is the right branch. It goes much farther, and offers great hiking and sightseeing, including Indian ruins and some pictographs.
Where the water seems to end, there’s another great camp spot with an expanse of beach, if you can find it unoccupied.
With the water elevation at 3,587, you could get beyond the beach through a narrow, shallow passage to another small, shallow cove to begin the hike. Just be sure to raise your propeller and go through the middle of the passage.
The water ended at a large shallow area with cottonwood trees and plenty of grasses and foliage. You can tie a boat up there, and walk 50 feet or so in knee-deep water before you reach the sandy shore.
As you hike up-canyon, it’s much cooler hiking in the trickling stream on the sandy bed. Occasionally, you’ll have to get out and hike on the bank above, negotiating cattails and Tamarisks.
Not too far up the canyon, we spotted some ruins on the right, or east side, underneath an overhanging wall. It was an easy hike up to them, but we noticed that these particular “ruins” weren’t listed in the guidebook we were using. So it is questionable whether these ruins are authentic. The rocks were crudely stacked—not something the “Ancient Ones” would have left behind. But if they are real and the guidebook missed them, they’ve been poorly restored.
Back on the trail and hiking up-canyon, you’ll come to a series of pools, dammed by sticks and grasses. It didn’t appear that these were beaver ponds. We saw no evidence of beavers in the area. The dams were the result of sticks, grasses, and debris getting lodged together when flood waters came through. The cool water in the pools was inviting, as we all waded into the knee-deep water. The pools were full of life—tadpoles, crayfish, water beetles, and even Bluegill fish—that curiously watched our every move.
We hiked on the banks above the pools, scrutinizing the walls on each side of the canyon for more ruins, pictographs, or Moki steps. Farther up-canyon high on the left, or west wall, we saw more ruins tucked on a shelf under an overhanging wall. We hiked over dunes covered in dry grasses, and up to the base of the wall.
There was a marker with a small sign stating that archaeological ruins are protected by law, and you could report vandals for a $5,000 reward. This sign has likely discouraged graffiti, which is an occasional problem in Powell country. We didn’t see any new graffiti, and the old graffiti was finally starting to fade away.
Looking up toward the ruin, you can’t access it. It’s an un-restored ruin, which means it’s illegal to enter. There are some Moki steps on the left side of the wall leading up to it, but they’ve been weathered down and are unsafe to climb.
Continuing up the canyon, we waded through more pools, and made our way through the cattails and Tamarisk. One of the highlights of this hike is where the high water mark ends. You can see the water line in a triangular-shaped slick rock corner.
Contained within the basin is a large pool, about 20 feet across and several feet deep. It is likely fed by a spring, as the only water that would flow into it would be storm water, as evidenced by the groove cut into the slick rock above it from rushing water. The pool was chock-full of Bluegill fish, and some big ones at that. They all surfaced and watched us curiously.
We gleefully thought of jumping in the cool inviting water, but these are also the same fish that will bravely swim up and nip your legs when you least expect it. And I’m sure they were pretty hungry.
Facing up-canyon were a few Moki steps pecked into the rocks on the right, so you can scramble to the top of the slick rock above the pool. The groove in the slick rock also contained a narrow corkscrew-shaped hole.
When storm water filled the hole, the rest would spill over the edge into the pool. I’m sure that’s quite a sight in a storm. The corkscrew shape was created when rocks swirled around in the water torrent, cutting through the sandstone over the years.
Kip climbed down into the hole and rescued several toads that were trapped and floating on the water’s surface, unable to climb the steep walls to get out. Who knows how long they had been there like that—it had been a while since the last rainstorm, when they likely toppled into the hole. We released them near the shore of the pool, and I’m sure the toads were relieved to be free from their prison.
Past the high water pool, heading up-canyon, the smaller pools grew fewer in number. It wasn’t as green with grasses and cattails, but sage and cactus took over the landscape. We picked up an old cattle trail, and followed it up.
There was still more to see. About a half mile beyond the high water pool, on the right wall, was the final set of ruins we’d see. These were marked on the map and guidebook, and looked authentic upon closer inspection. The walls of the ruin were crumbling, as cattle had gotten up there in the past, likely knocking rocks down in their effort to find shade.
On the wall to the left of the ruin is a set of pictographs, or pictures that were painted onto the wall using a natural pigment. You could clearly see a desert bighorn sheep, and a line of conjoined triangles, brown on one side, white on the other. These possibly marked the amount of sheep taken by the past inhabitant of this ruin.
There were also three bullet holes around the pictographs. One can only guess that years ago, some indignant cowboy running his cattle in the canyon shot at the pictures to claim his territory and to make his point. At least the bullet holes don’t mar the ancient art. The ol’ cowboy missed.
We hiked a bit farther, knowing there were narrows at the end of the canyon, but we surmised that they were at least another mile or so beyond this ruin. There is also a cattle trail that accesses the rim of the canyon on the right, and a barb-wire fence with a gate. Our hike was just over two hours, but we stopped and checked out the sights along the way. It only took us one hour to get back to the boat.
We talked with other hikers who’ve done the Reflection Canyon hike; it’s always fun to compare notes and see what you missed. There’s so much that the guidebooks and maps don’t have. According to one hiker, there are some petroglyphs, or designs chipped into the rock, just beyond the ruin with the pictographs. There are five or six small snakes etched into the rock wall, and hidden from view by some dense foliage. No wonder we missed them.
There have also been reports of desert bighorn sheep that frequent Reflection Canyon. If you’re lucky enough to see one, it’s quite a treat. Normally, they’re secretive animals, and if spotted they quickly make their exit. If you see a single animal, it’s likely a lone male. They don’t cluster in herds like deer, making them even more difficult to find. I have yet to see a desert bighorn, and will continue to look for the elusive animals the Ancient Ones knew so well.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on what we’ve covered: a great hike up a cool, sandy streambed; scattered pools teeming with life; a few Indian ruins; a high-water pool; and pictographs from a long-departed inhabitant. All kinds of interesting things to see in Powell country are all contained within one canyon. The Reflection Canyon hike is a good one to take in the summer, because you’re walking in and out of water. Be sure to take plenty of snacks and water, wear durable hiking footwear, don’t forget binoculars, and plan for hours of adventure. You won’t be disappointed, and you can reflect on the memories of a great day for years to come. Enjoy!
