Sunday, October 16, 2022

Calico Hills v Moenkopi Trails - 10/15/22

Hiking the Calico Hills Trail with Odie

On Saturday morning, three of us tried to park in the fee booth parking lot located behind the Red Rock Canyon NCA scenic loop fee booth. We have used that lot for years as a trailhead. There are two "Do Not Enter" signs at the lot's entrance so we turned around and went to the Visitor Center parking lot. I questioned a trooper and a ranger at the visitor center and the ranger was most adamant that that lot is not to be used by hikers! John Ward called later that day and got a better explanation. 

John said, "I called the Red Rock office and was told the sign is there to help control the people trying to enter without a reservation from using that lot to cause problems for the limited staff at the fee booth especially at times when they are full and turning people away. She suggested that we use the lower visitor center lot for our weekday early hikes."

From the visitor center, we dropped down to the Grand Loop and turned right onto the Moenkopi Trail to make our way over to Calico I. Taking the Grand Loop Trail, we hiked all the way up to Sandstone Quarry where the place was really "hopping!" Our break was in the shade then we returned back to Calico I. There, we used the Moenkopi Trail from the top of the parking lot and worked our way back over to the visitor center. It was a beautiful morning!

Stats: 7 miles; 1300' gain; 3 hours

Arriving at Sandstone Quarry - 8:45am on a Saturday!





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