Desert Trails

 

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Notch Trail: [September 1992] The Notch Trail, at a distance of 1.5 miles roundtrip, has adventure, great scenery, and excellent hiking, all amid the colorful desert of the Badlands. At once beautiful and stark, the Badlands is an intriguing place to venture out on a trail, and The Notch Trail offers a great introduction to some of the unique desert formations in this amazing National Park. One such formation is the Badlands Wall, a huge natural barrier ridging the landscape, sculptured into fantastic pinnacles and twisting gullies by the forces of water. The trail begins by meandering through a canyon, and then climbs up to a shelf via a steep ladder. From the top of the ladder, you continue hiking along a ledge to the formation known as “The Notch”—a break in The Wall, where you can gaze out over prairie and badlands, the White River, and the Pine Ridge Reservation on the plain below. In our opinion, the coolest part of the hike is the ladder climb, although our friend Lulu would beg to differ. She had a touch of “ladderphobia,” but she overcame her fear and persevered, making it to the top with no problem. If you have a fear of heights, the ladder might prove to be a small obstacle for you as well, but most people can manage to get to the top with little effort.

NBH Tip: If you don't like those evil ladders, don't despair! Just check out The Door Trail or The Window Trail— both are accessible from the same parking lot as the Notch Trail, and both are less than a mile roundtrip, and neither have ladders to climb—that way you can still see why they put the "bad" in Badlands without risking ladderphobia!

Photos courtesy Doc copyright mmain 2004

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Alkali Flat Trail: [November 1999] The Alkali Flat Trail, measuring in at 4.6 miles roundtrip, is a fantastic backcountry trail through the heart of White Sands National Monument that allows hikers to experience the seclusion of the wilderness, amid unvegetated dunes that seem to stretch on forever. Waves of gypsum sand offer an ever-changing vista here in the Tularosa Basin, where yucca and earless lizards make their home amid the sparkling white sand. As you make your way through the dunefield towards the Alkali Flat, the dry lakebed of Lake Otero—a lake that filled the bottom of the Tularosa Basin during the last ice age and covered 1,600 square miles, keep a vigilant watch for the aforementioned earless lizard, an amazing animal that blends with the white sand.  You will also need to keep a watch for the white posts topped with orange reflective tape that are your only route markers, so be sure that you can see the next one before proceeding further. At about the halfway point in your hike, you will begin to appreciate the isolation of this vast desert, and at most times of the year, you will also take note of the heat. At times during the day, the sun will cast shadows off some of the taller dunes—if you see these shadows be sure to walk over and feel the drastic temperature change associated with these occurrences. You will never forget the natural air conditioning that exists in the shadow of a dune.

NBH Tip: Before you start your hike, make sure to sign the register, where you will be asked to write down your start time, and to estimate the time it will take you to complete the hike. It is also a good idea to time your hike so that you can be back to your car in time to unload your gear and run up to the top of a dune to see the sun setting, and of course, be sure to carry plenty of water and sunglasses.

 

Guadalupe National Park, Texas

Smith Spring Trail: [July 1997] The Smith and Manzanita Spring Trail, located at the Frijole Ranch, forms a 2.3 mile loop that captures the essence of the Chihuahuan Desert. As you look around, you might sense the forbidding nature of the thorny plants that call this desert home, but remember, the Mescalero Apache used a great majority of these plants to sustain their community—using most plants in sight for food and/or fiber. In particular, they used the heart of the agave plant—the succulent with spikes on the tip, as their main food source—the heart of the agave is called mescal, hence their name. After a short hike, you will arrive at Manzanita Spring—a large pool of water, complete with fish, in the middle of a desolate landscape. Look for birds, mule deer, and elk as you walk this loop trail to the shady oasis of Smith Spring—a genuine desert oasis, where a lush and beautiful environment provides homes for a diverse range of wildlife. While visiting Smith Spring, we spotted a nest of baby birds who were calling the oasis home, and indeed, it was a perfect place to raise nestlings.

NBH Tip: While visiting the Frijoles area, be sure you also hike the short 0.75 mile Pinery Trail located at the Headquarters Visitor Center. The trail is paved and it features trailside exhibits that describe the Chihuahuan Desert vegetation. On our short hike, we were able to observe several huge agave plants, complete with a few resident coreid bugs—these true bugs are also called Big-Legged bugs, or Leaf-Footed bugs, and even though they might look menacing, they are harmless. We also spotted a collard lizard that looked like he was an extra from Jurassic Park, so don’t bypass this short trail, as you can see, it has a lot to offer the observant hiker.

 

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Navajo Loop Trail: [August 1993, May 2006] Spectacular scenery is the highlight of this incredible trail, as it is here that brilliant shades of orange and red decorate the eerie spires known as hoodoos. You begin your descent into the canyon at Sunset Point, where once you are at the trail junction, you will turn right and continue down along this 1.4 mile loop trail—there is a tunnel just below the rim that is a good spot for some photos. The next highlight is Silent City, a concentration of unique spires, and a highly photogenic spot. Keep descending down along the switchbacks until you come to Wall Street, this is a narrow shaded canyon where Douglas Fir fight their way through the hoodoos in search of sunlight. After hiking along the bottom of the canyon, you will begin climbing out via the same trail (or you can combine the Navajo Loop with the Queen’s Garden Trail) but, if you stay on the Navajo Loop Trail you will soon encounter our favorite landmark—Thor's Hammer. The trail affords great close-up views of this appropriately named hoodoo as you ascend the 521 feet back to the rim. This trail usually takes most hikers one or two hours to complete.

NBH Tip: Bryce Canyon is certainly one of the most spectacular canyons for scenery, so be sure to bring your camera to capture its beauty on film. It is also important to take plenty of water on this hike and to be prepared for any weather conditions—it was actually hailing when we visited in August of 1993.

 

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Mesa Arch Loop Trail: [August 1993, May 2002] This easy 0.5 mile trail leads to one of the most awesome views in the entire desert southwest—the Mesa Arch, a huge arch that is perched on a cliff with the whole canyon as a backdrop. The trail winds briefly through a juniper and piñon woodland, emerging onto a plateau where there are wonderful views of the La Sal Mountains. Even though this trail is by far, one of the shortest trails we have hiked, it is definitely one of the coolest for its amazing scenery.

NBH Tip: While hiking the trail to Mesa Arch be sure to stay on the beaten path, because all around you is living cryptogamic soil—you will recognize this soil from the little black mounds that stand up all over the surface of the ground. It takes many years for this soil to form, and only one misstep to destroy it forever.

Mesa Arch revisited in May 2002:

 

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

Painted Cove Trail: [September 1994] The Painted Cove Trail is a excellent if you want to see the painted hills up close, in fact, the trail is only 0.25 miles long and there are trail guides available at the trailhead. This short loop trail takes you past the crimson and ochre hills, getting you so close that you can reach out and touch the colorful, crumbling claystones that make up this desert—you will notice that the shades of gold, red, black, and yellow vary with the time of day. In our opinion, the colors are at their most beautiful in the late afternoon.

NBH Tip: There are many trails to hike in this monument, so pick any unit and head out on any trail—hiking is the best way to appreciate the John Day Fossil Beds. We especially liked the Painted Desert unit for its rainbow of colors, but each unit—the other units are Sheep Rock and Clarno, offers something special, and each unit offers a well-preserved fossil record from the Cenozoic era.

 

Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona

Echo Canyon Trail: [July 1997] The Echo Canyon Trail, a 3.5 mile loop, leads you through the amazingly varied rock formations of Chiricahua's Echo Canyon. The trailhead is located near the end of Bonita Canyon Drive at the Echo canyon parking area. This scenic trail offers jaw-dropping views of Chiricahua's famous grottos and towering rock spires known as hoodoos—these formations are great for climbing in, over, and around. In addition to the fantastic rock formations, the views of the canyon are also great from this trail. Look for an interesting species of tree called an alligator juniper, there are several right along the trail, and don't forget the macro environment as well—look for an interesting species of tree called an alligator juniper, there are several right along the edge of the trail. The bark of these trees resembles the skin of an alligator, hence the name. If you are lucky, you might also see wildlife that has migrated here from Mexico—the border is just 50 miles away and several native Mexican species now make their home in the Chiricahuan desert. Look for coatimundis, peccaries, and the Chiricahua fox squirrel. We saw the squirrels, but the others alluded us.

NBH Tip: There are no services in the park, so bring your own picnic and make sure you have plenty of gasoline. While on the trails, watch for rattlesnakes, and carry plenty of water while hiking—the high altitude and hot summer weather can lead to heat exhaustion if you venture out unprepared for possible harsh conditions.

     

 

Bisti Wilderness Area, New Mexico

Bisti Wilderness: [July 1997] The Bisti, Navajo for badlands, is a largely unknown and little visited wilderness in the northwest corner of New Mexico. Every hiker should take a trip to this strange landscape and venture out into the badlands—there are no official trails here so most hikers just follow along an old wash. As we made our way down an old gravel road towards the wilderness, a crazy car-eating dog emerged from a roadside house and commenced chasing us down the dusty road. Luckily, the dog gave up his chase before we had to park and get out of the van. After parking our car at a small, gravel parking area, we hiked less than a mile across an open area known as the Gateway Wash into the heart of the Bisti. After just a few minutes of hiking into the badlands, the road was out of sight and there was no sign of crazy-dog or other civilization, all that remained was the intoxicating bleakness of this isolated wilderness. With one eye on the lookout for crazy-dog, and one on our steps, we plodded on through the drastic landscape, where we found several specimens of petrified wood scattered all through the area. Suffice to say, that the 45,000 acre Bisti Wilderness (now combined with the De-Na-Zin Wilderness) is one of the most strangely beautiful areas in the Four Corners region—don’t miss this fantastic experience.

NBH Tip: The Bisti is a fragile wilderness, and even though there are no actual trails in this area, it is still important to watch where you walk—try to minimize your impact on this special place as best you can, by following along washes and resisting the urge to climb the hills. In addition, do not collect any of the fossils that you might come across, leave them for others to enjoy.

             

 

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Cholla Cactus Garden: [September 1993] This short self-guided nature loop takes you through a bizarre landscape of cholla cactus, also called teddy bear cactus or jumping cholla, because the needles can attach themselves to anything that comes near them, hence the “jumping” nickname. An especially unnerving highlight of this hike was the pile of cactus spines at the base of one of these cacti that turned out to be a desert rat’s nest—a little creepy, but a really cool fact to know! In addition to the amazing variety of desert vegetation, the vistas of the landscape along this trail are incredible.

NBH Tip: Stay on the trail and keep your extremities to yourself, this will help you to avoid being “jumped” by a cholla—even if they are “teddy bears”, I think the experience of being in contact with one would be a little less then desirable. Also, be sure to pick up a trail guide at the trailhead, they are illustrated and they point out all the highlights seen on the trail.

Cholla Cactus Garden Revisited March 2008:

 

Waimea Canyon State Park, Hawaii

Iliau Nature Loop: [June 1999] This incredible trail leads the hiker through a vista of native Hawaiian Iliau plants. Iliau are relatives of the silversword, a plant that resembles the century plant of the desert southwest. The Iliau Nature Loop Trail is 0.25 miles long and is at an elevation of 2,830 feet, and even though the trail is short, there is a huge concentration of Iliau all along the path. The Iliau flowers once in its lifetime, when it sends up a single, multi-bloom, flower stock, after which it dies. In addition to the chance of seeing these majestic plants in bloom, the trail also offers great views of scenic Waimea Canyon.

NBH Tip: The Iliau Nature Loop is part of a longer trail called the Kukui Trail, and if you are feeling adventurous, you can take the Kukui for a foray down into Waimea Canyon—both trails offer excellent views of Waimea, The Grand Canyon of the Pacific.

           

Antelope Canyon, Navajo Tribal Land, Arizona

Antelope Canyon: [April 2002, May 2006] Located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona is one of the most unique formations that we have ever seen and it is called Antelope Canyon. Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon are slot canyons, meaning that they are narrow canyons with high sandstone walls sometimes separated only by a few feet. They are formed by the intense force of flash floods that over time have carved the walls into swirling, almost psychedelic patterns. At midday, the sun penetrates the narrow crevice of the canyon roof to shine glorious beams of light onto the sandy floor. With the proper photographic technique, you can capture this magnificent display that lasts for only a few minutes each day. You may enter the upper canyon by guided tour only and our choice for a guide was Roger Ekis’ Antelope Canyon Tours. Take tour #2, which is an extended photography tour of the upper canyon, where your guide will verse you in the geology of the canyon and offer photography tips on a 15 minute walk through. You will then be left alone in the canyon to hike, explore, and photograph the convoluted formations of the slot canyon (this was the case in 2002-see update). The section you get to explore is approximately 0.25 miles in length, but it is jam-packed with spectacular scenery!

Update: The Navajo Tribe has set new rules for the 2003 season and beyond—all photographers are allotted a maximum time of two hours inside Antelope Canyon. If extended time is required inside the Canyon, you must go through the Navajo Film Commission for permits. In addition, you are now required to have an authorized guide present at all times while inside Upper Antelope Canyon—no more free reign in the slot canyon.

NBH Tip: Beware of the danger of flash floods whenever entering a slot canyon—always check the weather report for the area, and for areas that lie at a higher elevation, and DO NOT ENTER A SLOT CANYON IF THERE IS ANY THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS. Blowing sand can also be a problem in a slot canyon, so protect your camera from the “waterfalls” of sand that often flow from the top of the canyon when the wind blows. We were covered in sand several times throughout our stay, but we didn’t care—the beauty of the canyon was all that mattered!

Antelope Canyon revisited in May 2006:

 

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah

Coral Pink Sand Dunes Trail: [April 2002] The Coral Pink Sand Dunes are located in southern Utah, where the park encompasses 3,730 acres of coral colored sand, making it a hiker’s paradise. The dunes are surrounded by spectacular red sandstone cliffs, which are the source of the amazing pinkish-orange colored sand. The dunes spread out before you in undulating waves of color, just beckoning the hiker to disrupt the ripples in the sand with their footprints. We set out in the late afternoon to stake our claim on one of the larger dunes, then once we had made our selection, we waited for the sun to start dropping below the horizon. As the sun set, the color of the sand changed dramatically—the dunes transform from a soft coral pink to a fiery orange. Green Juniper and Pinion Pine dot the landscape, punctuating the blue sky and contrasting beautifully with the coral sand. Photographers will be happy little shutterbugs in this paradise, just be sure to visit the half-mile nature trail when you are finished tramping through this fantastic park.

NBH Tip: While hiking amid the dunes, watch for the tracks of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle—pick up a brochure to help you identify this rare insect and its tracks. The beetle is found only within a small seven mile long portion of the dunes, lending them threatened species status, and making them candidates for the endangered list—so if you see one please don’t harm or harass it.  Photographers: Beware of the blowing sand, it can wreack havoc on your camera, so be sure to keep it covered when not shooting.

 

Runyon Canyon Park, California

Runyon Canyon Trail: [March 2003] Runyon Canyon is a jewel of a park located just two blocks from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Boulevard, and many Los Angeles residents use this park to get some great exercise for themselves, and for their dogs. When entering at the bottom of the canyon at Fuller Street, the hiker can choose to go round clockwise or counter-clockwise—going clockwise involves gradually climbing up as one makes one's way towards the back of the canyon. On this route, you will swing around to the East Ridge to Cloud's Rest and then come down the steep slope and the steps to Inspiration Point, before taking the central fire road back down to the Fuller entrance. Going counter-clockwise is a much more strenuous climb up the steep slopes between Inspiration Point and Cloud's Rest. Total distance is about 1.8 miles for these routes, allow between 30-45 minutes. Great views of the city can be seen from Inspiration Point and the Hollywood sign can be seen in the distance from a vantage at Cloud’s Rest.

NBH Tip: Keep in mind that residents of Hollywood tend to include celebrities—it is quite possible that while hiking this trail you might come face to face with a bona fide movie star!

Devil's Punchbowl County Park, California

Punchbowl Loop Trail: [March 2003] This 1.0 mile loop trail is a great introduction to the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area—the Punchbowl is caught between the San Andreas Fault and the Punchbowl Fault where the seismic pressure has created a 300 foot deep chasm. This bowl-shaped gorge, known as the Devil’s Punchbowl, is definitely one of Los Angeles County’s most impressive natural areas. The wooded trail leads the hiker 300 feet down into the canyon where you can see the seasonal Big Rock Creek and stand below some of the highest rock formations in the park. The trail is located behind a small nature center that features live animals (rehabilitated) and natural history exhibits. As we started down the trail we were greeted by several lizards doing their “push-ups”, this is always a comical sight and good for a laugh. The trail also affords great views of the San Gabriel Mountains.

NBH Tip: If you are up for a longer hike, catch the Burkhart Trail, located near the nature center, and then continue on the Punchbowl Trail all the way to the Devil’s Chair. This 6 mile roundtrip hike will give you great views of a rocky landscape that has been shaped by the forces of seismic activity—the jumble of rocks located at Devil’s Chair owes its satanic appearance to the “crush zone” of the Punchbowl Fault.

 

Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, California

Ripley Desert Woodland Nature Trail: [March 2003] This short self-guided loop trail is a great way to familiarize yourself with the flora and fauna of a desert woodland—in particular, you will find a prime example of a virgin forest of Joshua Trees and Junipers. Along the trail, you will encounter 12 points of interest detailed in the park pamphlet, which is available at the trailhead or at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve Visitor Center. The pamphlet points out different aspects of the vegetation all around you on the trail, it also gives a history of the area. Among the highlights of our hike were the blooming Joshua Trees and the sighting of a desert spiny lizard climbing a Joshua Tree—keep your eyes open for King Snakes, Horned Toads, and Jackrabbits as well.
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