Hellhole / Kayenta Canyon

Sunday, January 2, 2022

Hike #1 of 2022.  4.5 miles / 4.5 miles YTD

Our first hike of 2022 was Hellhole/Kayenta Canyon.  I selected this trail from the never-ending list of options that we have available to us specifically because of the name "Kayenta".  We had recently visited the Dinosaur Discovery Site Museum and learned that "kayenta" has a historical and geographical signifiance so that intrigued me.

The trail to the canyon was relatively easy (although, there are no markers along the way so we got off the trail almost immediately but were able to get back over to it using AllTrails).  As with the majority of the trails in this area, the trail surface is primarily sand.  However, Summit loves sand so it makes the extra effort worth it to us since she enjoys it so much!

This specific trail ends once you get down to the canyon.  However, once we reached the end of the trail, we went a littler farther in and over to explore the wash and get over to the frozen waterfall.  Summit is very capable and really seems to enjoy jumping up onto/over to rocks and boulders.  So we've been able to make it through some rather treacherous washes with her, as long as we pick our path carefully. 

Heading through the wash over to the frozen waterfall.

However, the bottom of the waterfall had some boulders that were really quite large so we thought it might be better for Summit to go up the bank instead.  But the bank was covered in pretty thick brush and she really did not like that very much.  She did do it but then we opted to take the boulders back down and she did much better with that.

Taking the boulders on the way back down.

The waterfall was really very high so we would like to go back to this spot during/shortly after a rain so that we can see it flowing.  We could see water flowing underneath the sheet of ice but it was more a steady trickle than a flow.

Waterfall from the actual trail, before we ventured over to it.

As with most trails in this area, we didn't come across many other people.  But, to be honest, we tend to gravitate toward the road less travelled so that we aren't around other people on our hikes.  We passed one other couple on the trail into the canyon.  Once we reached the canyon, there was another couple exploring the wash near the waterfall.  And then as we were trying to find a path up the bank, a gentleman and his dog were coming from behind.  But then we did not see anyone else once they turned around and headed back.

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