Firehouse Hill Loop - 1/26/23

Firehouse Hill from Yellow Sandstone Feature

Firehouse Hill from Wash at Base

Desert Trail next to Red Rock Wash

Calico Hills from Desert Trail

For the first time in a couple of months, seven friends gathered for an "easy" 5 mile hike in the valley on the east side of North Blue Diamond Hill. This area has become quite popular with bikers and local hikers in the recent few years with bike trails snaking their way all over the Red Rock Canyon NCA acreage. Firehouse Hill is a prominent feature of this area, rising between the BLM Fire Station and the cliffs of North Blue Diamond Hill. As an added bonus feature, there is protruding geologic bright yellow sandstone, showing what lies beneath the desert covering. Thus, representative of the Moenkopi Formation, albeit yellow in color. We parked at the trailhead located on the right soon after turning onto Moenkopi Road from SR 159.

Desert Trail along Red Rock Wash

North Blue Diamond Hill from Desert Trail

Dropping into the Yellow Sandstone

Zigzagging on the Bike Path

The Moenkopi Formation is a geological formation that is spread across the U.S. states of New Mexico, northern Arizona, Nevada, southeastern California, eastern Utah and western Colorado. The Moenkopi consists of thinly bedded sandstone, mudstone, and shale, with some limestone in the Capitol Reef area. It has a characteristic deep red color and tends to form slopes and benches. The general deposition setting was sluggish rivers traversing a flat, featureless coastal plain to the sea. The low relief meant that the shoreline moved great distances with changes of sea level or even with the tides. ~ Wikipedia

Bike Path through the Yellow Sandstone

Seven on the Rocks

Is it a Comet? A Plane? A Space Shuttle? No, I think it's Superman!
(Where's Mike?)

Hiking the Vague Trail in the Base Wash

We set off across the desert on a clear bike trail choosing the trail closest to SR 159. Passing a junction turn to the left, we dipped in and out of a small wash. At the next triangle junction, we turned left. This led us up to the top of a ridge trailing from North Blue Diamond Hill. Next, the trail started its fun descent into yellow sandstone, zigzagging back and forth through the rock allowing a bike to pass through. Of course, in the near distance, we saw Firehouse Hill. It looked bigger now that we were so close. Following the bike trail past a few very large boulders, we chose a small wash on the left to connect down to the base wash of the hill. There is a vague trail down and around in the washes. The hike can be done in this wash as well as on its trail.

Firehouse Hill Wash at Base

Crossing the Plateau before Final Climb

Ridge view on Final Climb

Watching a Helicopter from Summit

After circling around the east end of the hill, we climbed up to the ridge to our left. A vague trail awaited there and we climbed up to a plateau area. Here, we could see the secondary peak of Firehouse Hill. Using the far ridge, we followed another trail up to the top and had a break. The descent was a simple clear trail down the northwest ridge with the frigid wind in our face! A cold day for sure! But, so wonderful to see friends and have a good hike!

Stats: 5 miles; 875' gain; 2.75 hours

Summit Break

High Point of Firehouse Hill to Left

Beginning Descent Ridge