Champion Road / Lee Canyon Narrows (with exploratory) - 6/12/25

Small windows in the conglomerate walls of Lee Canyon

Lee Canyon Narrows from Above

Lee Canyon Wash

Starting down Champion Road

Still taking advantage of the cool mornings at Sawmill Trailhead, we decided to do the Champion Road / Lee Canyon Narrows figure 8 Loop. Little did we know that our simple 4.5 mile hike would turn into a 5 mile exploratory! The four of us enjoy finding out where that goes or where this goes. With GPS in hand we usually find fun and interesting stuff. Or, at least to us, it is fun and interesting! So, we parked at Sawmill Trailhead and crossed Lee Canyon Road to follow Champion Road (a primitive camping dirt road) down to the Lee Canyon Wash. Staying on the road, we continued forward and found that the road is in very good condition. Starting up the hill, around the sharp corner and through the dip, we began climbing.

Mummy Mountain beyond Champion Road

Champion Road in good Condition

Susan and Sue following exploratory Trails

Old road parallel to Champion Road

A little over a mile into the hike, a road with empty campsites appeared on the left ascending toward Champion Ridge somewhat steeply. We had been talking about there not being a way to climb up the vertical walled ridge from below but we got curious anyway! We turned left and climbed up to the top of the short road. Near the top, we noticed a vague (probably game) trail going to the right. Not being able to resist, we started following the trail. Sometimes it changed direction. Sometimes it led to big boulders that must have fallen from the steep ridge above. Sometimes the trail was cut off by brush. And, sometimes, it was clear that the trail came from nearby campsites. We roughly paralleled Champion Road until we were almost up to Deer Creek Road.

Game trail leading through the Woods

Trail to one of many scattered Boulders

Hiking down to Lee Canyon Wash from Deer Creek Road

Primrose in Lee Canyon Wash

We finished Champion Road and came out to a large turnout on the north end of Deer Creek Road. Making a direct beeline to Deer Creek Road on the lower end of the turnout, we walked alongside the traffic barrier until we found the old trail that takes hikers down to the wash below. Here, we started down the gravel wash. Lee Canyon Wash has one or two flows that are divided by rocks and foliage islands. I always just take the easiest or the right side flows. (I always get there!) We enjoyed the wide wash and its "decorations," crossed Champion Road where we had crossed the wash in the beginning of the hike, and started down the lower section. The first part of the lower section was very similar to what we had already been hiking.

Lee Canyon side Wash

Recently fallen large Pine

Approaching first Narrows

Group photo in first Narrows

At about 3 miles into the hike, we came to the first narrows of Lee Canyon Wash. Tall conglomerate walls closed in on us. Three (plus a fourth tiny one) little windows peered down from the top of one wall. We took our group photo here and continued down passing the old car that is forever buried in the wash gravel. Further down, the wash narrows down even more than the first time. This is the official Lee Canyon Narrows. You come to a non-negotiable ten foot drop where the bottom dives under a huge chock rock. Past the rock, the narrows close in almost completely creating a slot for canyon wrens and pack rats. This area can be visited by circling around this section on a trail to the left and coming up from the downside. Today, we just climbed to the high point of the trail and peered down. The trail is in good condition, recently maintained. We did an about face and started up next to the wash on the trail to pass another old car which is also slowly being buried with every flood event. The trail took us to an old road that climbs up to the right. Here, the trail is lined with an abundance of rabbitbrush and rusted cans. It's a good climb at this point in the hike. Topping out at the Lee Canyon Road, we noted the cairn on the other side and crossed. There are signs indicating Blue Trail Loop. When we met Cardamine Road, we crossed and started up the Sawmill Yellow Trail.

Mangled old car in Wash

Susan climbs rock for a better View

Leaving Narrows Approach

                                                                                 

As we hiked through the Sawmill Trailhead lower end, we took the trail that led toward the equestrian area. The horses were a little excited about our nearby presence and were whinnying loudly. We looked over and saw a beautiful white horse staring at us.

 

Peeking at Narrows from Above

We decided to stay among the trees and use the shade of the picnic area to finish our hike to the car. It was ... again ... a very fun day!

Stats: 5 miles; 800' gain; 3.5 hours

Another old car on trail next to Wash

Rita and Susan climbing out of Lee Canyon

Welcome lizard sunning on a Cairn