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| Black Velvet Canyon |
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| Canyon Entrance |
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| Waterfall at Turnaround Point |
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| Crossing the Desert on Mustang Trail |
Located at the base of Black Velvet Peak and the world class climbing route named "Epinephrine," is a canyon filled with car-sized boulders and wonderful routes around, up and over them. Nestled among rising sandstone peaks such as Burlap Buttress, Monument Peak, Whiskey Peak, Hidden Peak and East Monument, the canyon is usually deep and dark with very little water flowing through it ... if any. This canyon is larger than life and is a wonderful RRCNCA representative to the large number of international rock climbers who come to take the challenge of the routes ascending up to the peaks every year. That said, the three of us saw only a handful or so of rock climbers heading up today. It was a bit nippy in the canyon and breezes were in the forecast. But, it was a great day for scrambling up the canyon floor. We parked at the Late Night Trailhead on SR-160 in Cottonwood Valley. It is here that the Black Velvet (dirt) Road begins to take camper/climbers out to their approach trail. Our loop hike includes the hike out across the desert to the end of the dirt road, in and out of the canyon then back across the desert at the base of the escarpment to the trailhead.
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| Climbing up to Canyon Entrance |
We began on the trail that starts to the right of the trail information signs to the right of the restrooms. This trail leads around the hill, stays inside of the dirt road and leads across the desert with wide gorgeous morning views of the Sandstone Bluffs.
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| Starting the Scramble |
Next, we came to a signed (at present) trail junction and continued straight on the Mustang Trail. We followed the most worn trail, zigzagging up to junction with the dirt road (Black Velvet Road).
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| Black Velvet Peak and World Class Epinephrine Wall |
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| Walking among Boulders |
We turned left on the dirt road and hiked up through the car camping lot. There were four cars parked there with a couple of their occupants finishing their morning routines and starting up the approach trail. We said "Good morning!" and started up the rocky trail that is well marked. This section of the route is critical. There are a couple of trails that fork to the left to take climbers up to the base of the walls. There are also a few trails that fork to the right to take hikers into the deep wash prematurely. Having knowledge of the trail to the canyon entrance is a plus; just beware! We managed to get there without a problem, noted that there was absolutely no water at the entrance pools, took beginning photos and started our anticipated scramble. One of the first rocks is the most difficult due to constant usage. See the top photos of the collage below. Mike scrambled up without any problems. I took a deep breath and, with a little foot holding by Rita, came on up. Rita came up last without delay. From there, Mike and I shared the lead. This was Rita's first endeavor into this canyon. (She was at our mercy!)
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| Kay and Rita taking on the Big Boulders |
Although we had not done this canyon for over a year, the routes and scrambles returned to memory easily. The scramble up to the usual waterfall turnaround is shortish (around .25 mile) but it covers all the muscles! We noted that some of the normal "go arounds" had been substituted for climbing straight up the wash. We stuck to our "easier" routes.
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| Today's Three |
We reached the waterfall and took our break with little desire to seek out the trail that goes up and around to the left side of the canyon. After a short rest, we started down, again, having a lot of fun. The light in the canyon had changed, making the red tiered wall to the south seem very bright.
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| Rita and Mike on the way Back |
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| Exiting past the Bright Red Wall |
We returned down the scrambles and up the trail that climbed along the side of the wash embankment. Next, we descended down the extremely rocky path almost to the camping lot. At the bottom of the rocky hill, we turned right onto the well worn Black Velvet Trail. No signage at present. We were hiking through a large cholla forest that is always beautiful in its own way with the sunshine lighting up the spines like halos. The Black Velvet Trail that runs along the base of the Sandstone Bluffs is much prettier than the trail we used as our desert crossing earlier. One of its features is a particular pyramid rock that the trail goes directly by. Most of the time, someone in the group cannot resist climbing the rock. Although climbing the rock is a challenge, the more challenging aspect is its descent. Mike is an expert at this and up he went! Rita and I watched with the heebie-geebies riling up in our stomachs! But, no worries. He landed on both feet! Next, after the trail crossed a wide colorful wash coming down from Grapevine and Muddy Springs Canyons, we junctioned with another part of the Mustang Loop and turned to the right.
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| Under the huge overhanging Boulder |
Further on, we took a left fork to stay on the Mustang and, eventually, it crossed a dirt road and junctioned with another dirt road where we turned to the left. A dip in the road, passing a discarded outdoor grill, veering to the left on a trail, we looked up to our left on the hill. Photos show that there were around seven wild burros watching us!
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| Exiting the Canyon via Trail |
There is an old trail in a small gravel wash that has been revived. We took a left onto this trail and enjoyed it all the way back into the trailhead. This trail is more direct and allows us to hike further away from the stinky highway! And, it is slightly shorter!
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| Through the Cholla Forest |
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| Following the Black Velvet Trail |
This hike is a fun desert hike with a smattering of great scrambling. Average speeds of around 2 mph lets the legs stretch out. It also gives hikers an opportunity to view wildlife such as jackrabbits, wild burros, mountain bikers, and rock climbers! But, today was gloriously quiet. The wind gusts that had been predicted, never materialized. Just nice welcomed breezes!
Stats: 7.8 miles; 1050' gain; 4.25 hours
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| Base of the Sandstone Bluffs |
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| Mike detours up the Pyramid Rock |
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| Seven Burros in All |
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