Cave Canyon / Echo Canyon - 1/20/21

Red Rock Canyon Sandstone Bluffs from North Blue Diamond Hill

Chukars and Rabbits sharing the Wealth

Stagecoach at Red Rock's Upper Corral

View back through the Mist

Some hikes are meant to be taken slow. This was one of them. The wind had blown throughout the day before and into the night. A dusting of snow had landed on the upper elevations of Red Rock Canyon, soon to be melted away. Rain had lightly dampened the entire recreation area. There were a few very small puddles found inside the canyons of North Blue Diamond Hill. Clouds shielded the first rays of the rising sun. The clouds also kept the temperatures up around 50 degrees as we set out from the Cowboy Trails Trailhead on SR159 before 7:30am. Assumably, it was the weather that gave the empty park a quiet and peaceful calm. Two of us hiked up to the upper corral and were met with a menagerie of fat chukars and scattering bunnies!

Starting into Cave Canyon

They had been feasting on the green hay left there for the horses on a flatbed truck. We were amazed at the size of the chukars especially! We hiked through and down behind the building to connect with the Cave and Echo Canyons Trail.

New Ladder at Dry Fall

Staying to the left at the trail fork, we climbed the steep hill on the side of the bouldered wash. Some of the graffiti has been cleaned but we soon saw a lot more up near the caves.

Cave Canyon View Back

Cave Canyon View Forward

Totally surprised, we came to the high dry fall that is usually a deterrent for many hikers and saw that someone built a wooden ladder to help hikers get up the overhang. We eyed the ladder with skepticism! Two screws and a bolt on both ends of each rung and built with new wood. All four ends (top and bottom) were stable and solid. The ladder is not attached to anything so there is that. I was up first. Very carefully, I climbed without pulling on the ladder and stepped off much the same way we always did before. Rita was next having no problems. Well, the ladder might last a while. We'll see. Perhaps the ladder will facilitate anyone wanting to descend the treacherous overhang. But, that would likely be more dangerous ... still.

Precambrian Fossils in Cave Canyon

We climbed up through the canyon noticing that, after many years of neglect, someone has done a little maintenance here and there. Some brush has been cut. Step-up rocks have been added in a couple of places. However, Cave Canyon is still Cave Canyon! A slight mist or snow showered us for about five minutes even though we couldn't feel anything.

Double Trouble

Nearing the fork, we looked back and saw that the sun was beginning to break through the clouds and shine on the Sandstone Bluffs across the valley. Perfect timing! We climbed up the right fork onto the SARS Trail and crested the hillside where we had a nice view.

Rising Sun on Escarpment

Connecting with Old Mine Road

Two men on bicycles were not far away talking and taking in the sunrise display, too. After photos, we continued over to the old mining road and took a right turn. Down the road, there is a trail junction for Echo Canyon / Fossil Ridge. We turned to the right and descended into the upper portion of Echo Canyon. After the second pair of switchbacks, our route entered the wash where we began our scramble down. It seemed that someone had also done a minimal amount of maintenance in this canyon as well. The views ahead of us were amazing. The clouds were floating toward the Spring Mountains leaving behind blue skies overhead. Our pace continued at a steady dawdle. We passed two men who were discovering Echo Canyon for the first time. (One was bleeding on his finger.)

Fossil Ridge Trail junction with Echo Canyon Wash

They warned us of the scrambling to come! "Yes, we've been here. It'll be all right. There is scrambling in front of you as well. Just keep going and you will get there."

Scrambling down Echo Canyon

We got through the large scrambles and connected with the trail. As we hiked out of the canyon, it seemed like we had come out of dream and into the real world.

Sunrise on Turtlehead from Echo Canyon

Echo Canyon

When we reached the upper corral, the chukars and rabbits were still at it but, this time, there was a group gathered at a dripping pipe next to the restrooms. We counted 26 chukars in all but most of the bunnies had disappeared. Watching them drink the water, I wondered if maybe one of the wranglers could accidentally on purpose leave the water on a little stronger! That one drip was all they had in this drought. Or, better yet, leave a small trough of water out low to the ground. We like the chukars and bunnies and we stood to watch for a few minutes. A beautiful morning at Red Rock!

Stats: 4.6 miles; 1100' gain; 3.5 hours 

Large Scramble Down

Mojave Yucca in Lower Canyon

Fat Chukars on a Hay Bale