SA Report: More things in heaven and earth - Day Four

Trip date: 9/4/2016

Location: Labyrinth Canyon, Bureau of Land Management

Permit/Pass: Permits must be obtained through your outfitter (or here, from the BLM) in order to paddle this section of the Green River.

Directions: From the town of Moab, take US 191 north for about 30 miles to Interstate 70. Head west on I-70 for approximately 7 miles to exit 175. Drive south on increasingly rough and rutted BLM 147 for about 14 miles to where it turns into Ruby Ranch Road. Continue, after dropping money into the donation box, for another mile or so to the launch area on the riverbank. 

Synopsis: Mineral Canyon is an open, broad canyon through which a rough road runs and makes for easy, level hiking. The walk is easy, pleasant and can be as long (if you have the time) or as short as needed.

Type: Knot loop

Distance: 1.9 miles

Elevation: Min. - 3883', Max. - 3949'  

Rating: Easy (factors: heat)

Notes: Whether or not one has time to take this hike obviously depends upon the time the paddler arrives and the arranged time of the take-out and shuttle back to Moab.

Track: Mineral Canyon - Canyonlands NP: AllTrails, GaiaGPS

Turn by turn:

  -- From the take-out area, hike away from the river toward the restrooms, then follow the road past the parking lot as it turns north. After a few hundred yards we encountered the canyon wash and turned to follow it east, up-canyon.

  -- In a third of a mile or so the wash intersects the road again. Here we followed the road directly east. Although the continued hike was inviting, we turned back out of concern for making our arranged pick-up. This time we remained on the canyon road all the way to an intersection with the road running along the river. Turn left (south) here and follow the road back to the landing area.

Photos: Flickr