I’m solo backpacking down a steep canyon in the Utah desert, and I’ve got water on the brain.
It doesn’t matter that I’m lugging almost a gallon of water in my pack.
What concerns me – and everyone who ventures into Grand Gulch – is where I will fill up my canteens when they run out.
But self-reliance and a bit of worry is part of the adventure of exploring the vast labyrinth of parched Utah canyonlands.
“You get spectacular scenery and a real feeling of wilderness isolation in the canyons of Grand Gulch,” says Brian Quigley, a BLM field office manager. “The springs are pretty reliable, if you know where to look.”
Bullet Canyon is a side canyon that offers a simple and interesting backpacking trip that is just seven miles round-trip.
Access is via Road 251 off Highway 261, a few miles south from the Kane Gulch Ranger station west of Blanding, Utah.
A short walk from the trailhead, the path drops steeply into an amazing slickrock canyon. Follow it down, down, down, and over some pour-offs, one of which takes some route-finding to negotiate.
“Some people might not like that, so that’s why it is considered moderate difficulty,” Quigley says.
Bring a length of rope to lower your pack over ledges, then it’s easier and safer to down climb.
After a mile, the trail levels out into a rocky wash and begins to braid. Depending which route you take, you might find yourself high on the crumbling canyon side, or scrambling over bus-size boulders in the canyon bottom.
Along the way, look for water. Peer into boulder-field crevices, any place where there are reeds and green grass, around pour-offs, and in the natural catchments of slickrock.
The BLM advises backpackers to carry all their own water. There are natural sources, however, and a good water filter is advisable.
After three miles or so, I find a clear pool of sweet spring water in an alcove a little ways off the trail. I scrambled up the slick rock 200 feet to a flat spot, and set up camp under a cliff.
The night is serene under a starry sky. The next day is blissful, as I day hike in mild weather to some ruins about a mile down canyon.
After exploring a side canyon, I come across Perfect Kiva, a well-preserved ruin with its original cedar-wood roof. A ladder allows visitors to climb inside, and the extensive rock art on the surrounding cliffs captures my attention for more than an hour.
The BLM has left a huge three-ring binder for visitors to read archaeology reports on Perfect Kiva. Nearby, an ancient kitchen features a series of metate grooves where corn was ground into flour more than 1,000 years ago.
A bit further down Bullet Canyon, up on a high ledge, is Jail House ruin, another fascinating spot. It gets its name from a window with lattice woodwork set in a masonry wall.
Above the ruin is a ghostly white petroglyph with eyes that seem to follow you.
The Basketmaker people lived in the canyons between 200 and 700 AD. They built masonry dwellings and grew crops, including corn and beans.
This out-and-back trip into Bullet Canyon is an ideal beginning backpacking trip because it is short, very scenic, and offers interesting archaeological sites. I suggest taking three days, allowing for one day for exploring without a heavy pack.
Permits are required, except during the off season. For more information go to http://on.doi.gov/1aRZJYm
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com