Mountain lion safety

Dinosaur National Monument

Returnable bottle near the Ruple Ranch was likely resting there for half a century.

Jones Hole

Jones Hole

Jones Hole

Red sand near the Ruple Ranch. Easy walking.

Peak 6917 at Island Park

1.  The red country around Lime BM near Ruple Ranch has been a killing zone. I saw a dozen remains of game animals. How many did I miss? A lion was sitting on the creek banks waiting for something to stroll by. It was gone for over a month but if it comes back I would hike elsewhere or at least stay on the ridges. Posted October, 2024.
2. BULL CANYON LOOP - I went down canyon from Plug Hat Rock then back on the north rim. I parked at the picnic area then walked down the highway and dropped down a ridge at N40 17539, W108 58248 and then across a neck at 17616, 58306 el 6700. I went on to a gully at 17671, 58540 then down that and on to a drop at the main canyon. I followed the bank up to the right for a view of the big fall and got close to it then retraced back and stayed on the bank until it ended then dropped to the sandy stream. It was only an inch deep but once I went knee deep in quicksand. It's best to have a friend along to lead thru the quicksand. And have a second friend in case the first one gets sucked under. At 17527, 59764 there is a rock art panel straight up the cliff on the right about 50 feet up. I checked the bench to the left of it and found nothing. I went as far as the canyon coming down the west side of peak 6384 and started up the east rim of it. I went right of center to 17574, 59860 el 6240 then left to get on top then walked the easy ridge to where it meets the main rim trail at 17968, 58486 and followed it less than a mile back to the start. 5 hours, 1000 gain. Some light brush. Sturdy wading shoes would be best for the whole hike. I did this in shorts 20 years ago but forget that now. I was such a man then. I put a track on peakbagger under Plug Hat. Posted Sept, 2024.
3. LOWER BULL CANYON has an elk trail going down in from peak 6385 on the south rim. The sat image shows two roads going to it but the last mile of each is closed. I walked the one from the south at peak 6421 but the one from the east is bound to be nearly as easy and easier to drive to. The trail starts at the end of the road at N40 17079, W109 00372 then down the easy ridge to bottom at 17479, 00664. A trail goes around the base of the cliffs to a petroglyph panel facing the creek. I went up both box canyons on each side of the descent ridge but found nothing. It's a 3 hour hike in and out to the panel with 500 gain and no brush. No recent cattle. Posted 2024.
4. MIDDLE CREEK LOOP - I went down canyon from the Harpers road then out on a jeep trail to point 7763. I parked at west end of the Escalante Overlook then down cow trails to the road below. At the 9 on the topo I stayed left at a fork then on to fork at N40 20165, W108 58146. I went left there and the road soon faded but I was in a clean juniper forest by then. I went on down a slope north of the 8 on the topo and hit the creekbed at 19875, 58997 el 6700. A big drop is a tenth mile down canyon, so I got on the north rim to get between the main forks. Both forks have big drops around the 6400 line. I dropped down an elk route at 19654, 59337 el 6500 and hit the west fork but it's brushy so I walked the bank to the east fork. I was able to go up that to the big fall. Both forks had tiny streams. I  went down the ridge between the forks to the flats. The creekbed is clear to walk but I used a trail on the far right at 19178, 59754 to check for rock art but struck out. I went on thru a gap and crossed the forks of Richardson Draw where the topo shows them to be shallow. The last fork has a trail at 18607, 59917 that crosses and goes along the edge of trees and bends left to the jeep road. I walked that up and stayed on the road that goes to point 7763. I didn't think to spot a bike there so I used a cow trail at 19227, 56484 that took me back to the start. 6 hours, 2000 gain, 11 miles. I did this in shorts but got scratches in the first half mile. Girl hikers won't like that part. All the dirt roads are closed and only used by elk and I. Posted 2024.
5. PEAK 7230 is 2 miles east of Plug Hat Rock. I used the easy 4wd from the Harpers road south of point 6586. At point 6592 I turned toward the peak and parked at the end. I followed the topo to the north side neck then up. I had a 3 hour hike in a clean forest but next time I would go one way from the plateau. I would come down the ridge from the high road el 7700 and cross the neck then up to the summit. The neck is class 2. Then back to the neck and down to Twin Wash. That goes into a slot that might work if dry but the west bank works. I would head for the road that goes to point 6592. It's nearly 3 miles if using the dirt road all the way to pavement. Shortcutting the road might get brushy.  Posted 2024.
6. BLM ROUTE 18 runs along the base of Cliff Ridge. At mp 164.2 on highway 40 is a way to get on it. It goes past Birch Creek and there is an OHV trail going up that to the mouth of that but tough hiking beyond there. Route 18 keeps going past Davis Spring but no water there for years. The road goes on to a main fork where right goes to highway 40 near the junction with highway 45. Left goes on the graded Miners Draw road. This is mainly decent high clearance but the crossings are 4wd. Good for two wheelers as there are few rocks. Posted 2024.
7. CLIFF RIDGE el 8228 has a road running over it. County 1550 comes in from the north off of the Harpers road and cars can make it 7 miles or so to camps on the the cliff edge. Then it's high clearance on to the summit where the road drops to Cub Creek but that part is steep 4wd even though the county maintains it. The main attraction is the easy west ridge which I call Polaris Ridge. A one way hike down is preferable and only 4 hours but that's a tedious shuttle so I looped it. I parked at the end of the road near point 8004 in a good pinyon forest with camp spots. I walked down the ridge and along the right side of peaks 7223 and 6954. Then up and along the left side of peak 6635. Just before peak 6263 I took a ridge down to peak 5555 where there is a road. Part of a Polaris ATV is along there at N40 20660, W109 13985 el 5900. He must have planned to ride to the summit. I wonder what happened? I walked the road to the end then dropped right to a road in a canyon and then on to 20903, 14781 where I crossed a line of cottonwoods then walked the road on the other side up Bourdette Draw. The road makes a right turn toward peak 5432 but I stayed in the creekbed and merged with the road again and to point 6032 and took the nasty jeep road to the start. 8 hours, 3000 gain, 14 miles. Mostly class 1 with a little class 2. No brush. Now that I know the ridge is easy, I would start low in Bourdette and try the jeep road that goes to peak 6630 then up to the 7800 line then down. This is wild country where nobody goes. I saw a 1916 BM near the start at 20967, 10397. I put a track on peakbagger. Posted 2024.
8. POTHOLES CANYON is what I call the long one at the west end of Cliff Ridge. It has a jeep trail on the rim. I took highway 40 to mp 164.2 and turned on easy 4wd and on across a wash. I went on nearly 3 miles on the Bourdette road to a road at N40 21025, W109 14899. I walked that into the mouth then some minor falls are easy to pass and it's easy going to el 6050 where it gets cluttered and no fun beyond there. I turned back and got on the high north bank at 21852, 12493 and merged with the rim and walked the jeep road back. A bike stashed at the last mile would help. 3 hours or so, 1000 easy gain. There is a lot of slickrock with potholes that hold water for weeks. The next big canyon to the south where the springs are is blocked by a 40 foot fall in a narrows near the mouth. Both springs were running on down across the road. Posted 2024.
9. GREEN RIVER RIM - there's a big sandstone block on the rim near the river bridge. It makes an easy loop. On the east side of the bridge a dirt road goes south into a canyon and up to point 5144. I parked before the point at N40 24356, W109 13483 and went up a gully there then to the right to get on game trails that lead to the rim. Then I walked the rim counterclockwise and came back to the road. 70 minutes, easy. Posted 2024.
10. PEAK 6480 is at the head of Bourdette Draw next to peak 6262. I did a loop from the north then down to the divide of Bourdette. I parked on graded county road 1550 in the south fork of Cub Creek and went up the rim there at N40 24810, W109 11528. I strolled up to a bad jeep road at the 5600 line. That ends at peak 5899 and skirted around to the right at the last contour line and walked the rim to a break in a cliff at 23893, 11296. Then I had a little mesa in the way so I walked along the right base to get past it then on to the summit. I found two ways down off the summit. One is what the GPS tracks shows, but I soon saw a better route by going down the SE drainage that can be seen on the topo. An easy route goes thru the cliff band at 22997, 11672 then I followed elk tracks down a ridge at 22952, 11602 and on to the divide. I didn't trust the red chasm so I walked the rim then dropped in and then I went up it and found it does go thru. So I should have dropped into it at the divide. No guts, no glory. I strolled on down canyon to the 4wd road that goes to 1550 where I had a bike reading 24124, 10343 and then coasted 1.2 miles back to the start. 5 hours, 1200 gain, nearly 7 miles. This is a wonderland of red. Posted 2024.
11. CUB CREEK SOUTH FORK RIM - the topo shows a road going up to the north rim. I walked that to get on the rim then strolled to peak 6704. A gap in the rim beyond there  would be a lot of work to cross but the remaining rim is not as good anyway. So I retraced to N40 24670, W109 09333 and dropped down to the lower cliff at 24612, 09308. I went down a class 3 crack there then moved left a few feet to the next ridge and it has a class 3 drop with some exposure. Both of those drops are 5 feet high. I hit bottom and strolled a red wash to the road then had .7 mile to the start. A bike would have saved me that last bit but I didn't know where I would end up. 4 hours, 1300 easy gain. This is one of the better rim walks of all time. Posted 2024.
12. DANIELS TRAIL can be used to make a loop over the Yampa Plateau but a couple of segments are faded. I parked at the Hog Canyon TH and walked that trail to an old road at N40 25458, W109 10241. I followed it to a trench at 25326, 09792 and crossed it there then on to a path at 25290, 09821 that goes left down to the creek. I went up the creek 120 feet then took a hard right up a path to get to the Daniels Trail. It's an old road that turns into a foot trail at el 6200 then at el 6400 the topo is all wrong. The real trail goes left then up to 25403, 07525. I couldn't tell where it goes but there is gully that must be crossed to get on he ridges that lead up to the rim of Cub Creek. Then it's easy on to BM 7185 where the topo is correct again and the trail is easy to see. It soon turns into a road and goes past a spring polluted by cattle. The road bends back to the left and up to the pleateau then roads on the topo can be followed close to Chew BM. I dropped down an easy ridge at 26441, 10424 el 7400 then 26305, 10427 el 7150. At 26157, 10554 el 6800 I had a deep canyon on my left and I followed the rim of it down and had a short walk to the start. 6 or 7 hours, 2500 gain, not steep. Some light brush is near the start. I put a track on peakbagger under Yampa Plateau. SHORT VERSION - just go as far as the south rim of Cub Creek no higher than 7000. Then walk the rim down to el 6100 of so and drop into the canyon on the left at some stairs reading 25408, 08627. Who built that? Indians? It would be a route for them to get on the plateau. From the stairs go left 300 feet then down and across to a draw that goes up to the Daniels Trail. It has a 7 foot climb that is nearly class 4, easy for two. At 25311, 08566, it's the only tricky move on the hike and can be inspected on the way in and a 30 line tied off there if need be. I was OK with it. If a 68 year old coot can do it, how hard can it be? That took 5 hours, nearly 2000 gain and I went to 7000. Posted 2024.
13. CUB CREEK GORGE - I returned to the Daniels Trail to get into the gorge near the springs. I veered off the trail into a trench at N40 25270. W109 09370 and went down it a few feet to get on the right bank of the creek. I walked it until it ended then crossed to the left bank and then popped out in a clearing at 25471, 09327. Then I had a faint trail on the left bank to the springs. The creekbed opens up there and is easy to walk to a main fork. The right fork is blocked by a 50 foot fall. I got on the bench between the forks and when that ended it got tedious so I turned back just short of the 5600 line. 4 hours and the only strain is a few steep banks. Brush is very light in the gorge. Posted 2024.
14. RED WASH drains along the west side of Splt Mtn. It's an easy stroll up then back on the west rim. The Sound Of Silence TH is along the paved road in out of Jensen. It goes up the wash but soon loops down to a campground on the river. I just stayed in the easy wash and off the banks until an elk trail on the left at N40 27250, W109 17820. It crosses to the right bank then fades and there are no more useful trails. I came to a trickle at 27848, 18977 and fresh elk tracks. That dried up in 150 feet. At el 5400 I took the right fork and it's easy to miss. At 29042, 19156 I took a left fork and stayed low in it to a sandy ridge that leads to the rim. The sand was mosltly firm. I then walked over peak 6166 and on down an elk trail where I had two rims to choose from. The inner rim is a disaster so I stayed on the trail over peak 6035 and on down the outer rim and along the right base of peak 5665 and on past peak 5295 then took a hard right to 26597, 17219. I dropped down a drainage there then just before a drop a trail is in view on the right at 26547, 17194 and it leads down to the start. 5 and a half hours, 400 noticeable gain, 12 miles. It's easy to come down the sandy rim but I wouldn't go up it. I put a track on peakbagger under peak 6166. Posted 2024.
15. DEL BENCHMARK 5759 has a jeep road most of the way. A good road goes in from the river bridge at Jensen then up the north ridge of the peak where it turns 4wd. It ends at about el 5600 then it's a short walk to the summit. I followed the road on toward the Daniels Ranch then took the highway on to Cub Creek South Fork and up that the Bourdette road and took that to highway 40. I was on my 125 but could have easily drove a jeep. I put a track on peakbagger. That's a good 4wd tour. Posted 2024.
16. SPLIT MOUNTAIN is a good one to do as a one way up the west rim then down the north. I went to a 4-way on the graded Island Park Rd at Blair Draw. I turned south on easy 4wd for nearly a mile and parked at N40 30026, W109 14169. I then rode my bike 5 miles to camp at the turnoff for the west ridge where the Island Park Rd tops out. The next morning I went a mile south on a 4wd road then to the west ridge at 29376, 17430 then on up to the BM then the summit. An old jeep road goes as far as 7200. I kept going north down the rim then at el 6600 or so I moved left to the next ridge at 29373, 14015 el 6550 then down to the flats and thru a saddle at 29873, 14120 to get to my cycle. 4 or 5 hours, nearly 2000 gain, all easy. No brush. This hike has as good a ponderosa pine forest as I have ever seen. A car and a bike is all that's needed Posted 2024.
17. EAST SPLIT MOUNTAIN el 7528 is a good loop up the rim of Horsetrail Canyon then back down canyon. The easy 4wd road that goes south from the Island Pard Rd then along the west side of the canyon ends in .7 mile at shady camps. I walked to a saddle at N40 29881, W109 14058 then to a trail at 29795, 14019 and then on to the rim and up it to the summit. I then walked to the rim at 28949, 13280 el 7400 then down to 29045, 13425 el 6950 and then to a slab at 29074, 13465 el 6800. I soon hit bottom then walked to a trail at 29519, 13721 el 5900 bypasses along the left side of falls and then retraced back. 4 hours and the main gain is the 2000 up the rim but that's not steep at all except for the last 1999 feet. Good clean forests. No cheatgrass. What was the trail built for? Posted 2024.
18. RAINBOW DRAW has good badlands and makes for an easy one way hike. I took the Island Park Rd to the easy 4wd road going up Wagon Road Bench. I rode my cycle up that and parked in 2 miles at the saddle north of peak 5888. I coasted back down on my bike for 4 miles to where the draw crosses the Island Park Rd. It took me 2 hours, 10 minutes to walk up the clean creekbed using the forks that took me to my cycle. I had about 300 noticeable gain but there would be no gain if going in reverse using an ebike to shuttle. A hiker with just a car and bike would have a 3 hour hike. I put a track on peakbagger under Wagon Road Bench. Posted 2024.
19. LIME BENCHMARK el 6001 sits on the east rim of Limekiln Draw overlooking a sea of red. I parked on a bend in the graded Island Park Rd and walked 600 feet to a faint road at N40 31567, W109 08422. I followed that to 31885, 08428 then dropped into the clean and easy creekbed at some cottonwoods. I followed the forks that lead along the west side of the peak then into the north saddle. I went up to the summit and then to loop back on the rim to the east I went back to the saddle and on to 34052, 08797 el 5800 where I dropped to a creekbed. I went up that and circled around on easy ground to get to the east side of the rim then got on top just in time to go over peak 6040+. It has the best view. I went on over peak 5956 then along the right side of peak 5862 to 33086, 07888 el 5720 and just kept going to merge onto the top of the ridge. A faint road soon appears and it goes to 31935, 08137 then I went to a trail at 31803, 08304 and on down to the start. 5 hours, 600 noticeable gain, 9 miles. I did this in shorts but gaiters would defend against cheatgrass in the first half mile. This is one of the great red hikes. I saw remains of 4 game animals. OTHER CANYONS - I returned and went up the canyon on the east side of Lime BM. I came to a thicket and used a sandy trail on the left bank to pass it. I went as far as the 5600 line then came back and took the fork heading to the 17 on the topo. That's the best fork. At the 5800 line I got on the east rim then headed for the canyon west of peak 5862. An entry point is on the south side at 33241, 08046 el 5600. That fork needs pants but I got thru in shorts. That took 4 hours, 15 minutes and the only strain is a few short sandy slopes.I saw remains of 3 game animals. This time I was carrying my 9mm derringer.  Posted 2024.
20. SQUAW HILL el 6265 is next to Hardscrabble Mtn. The Jones Hole Trail can be used for a loop. An easy 4wd road forks off the maintained Island Park Rd near the Ruple Ranch and goes up the west rim of Red Wash as the topo shows. I parked near point 5371 then walked to the end of the road at the base of peak 5548. An elk trail goes right around it reading N40 32086, W109 07265. I went on to 32318, 07254 then down thru a cliff at 32380, 07184 and down to the bottom of Red Wash. It had a tiny stream. I walked the left bank to the Jones Trail and followed it but I missed a fork near the peak. I cut thru a gap in trees at 33446, 05497 to get back on the trail. Then at el 5880 I left the trail and headed for the east saddle of the peak. I went up to the summit then back to the saddle then south down canyon where I saw 3 game animal carcasses in the creekbed. I got to Sage Creek and was blocked by the Mariana Trench. I went up the bank to an elk trail at 32750, 05670 to get across then had a major trail going up to the rim. I then walked up the rim to peak 5786 and walked the easy SW ridge at 32377, 06149 down to 31594, 06969 where I could cross the canyon to get back to the start. 5 and a half hours, 10 miles, and about 700 strenuous gain. No brush. Roads are ebikeable. Posted 2024.
21. DIAMOND MOUNTAIN el 7779 - 500 North leaves Vernal and goes paved to the top of the mountain. Then a graded road branches off and goes along the rim with a lot of camp spots. Just past Point BM the road turns to 4wd but so many loose rocks make it bad for two wheelers. Two easy 4wd roads come up from the Island Park Rd. One starts just inside the park boundary and the other comes up Blair Draw and it's the better one. A road branches off it and goes to Box Reservoir where it's a short hike up to Butte BM. I circled around the west side of it and had an easy grade. Posted 2024.
22. JONES HOLE - 500 North leaves Vernal and goes paved for 40 miles to a fish hatchery where there is a trail down canyon. In about 2 miles there is a bridge across the creek and then comes rock art. Just past that a sign points to Ely Creek Falls. It's 5 more minutes to the falls. That's a major creek in there with a lot of hikers. Posted 2024.
23. BUCKSKIN HILLS el 6855 - take 500 North out of Vernal to an easy 4wd road at N40 32236, W109 23793. Go 3 miles on it to point 6172 and park. Ebikes make all but the last half mile. Then it's an easy hike up to the summit. I went on to Green BM using a trail at 32284, 27433 then down the east ridge to the road. 2 hours, 1000 gain, clean juniper forest. I didn't see any pinyons. Posted 2024.
24. RED MOUNTAIN el 7798 is north of Vernal on 2500 West. The main attraction is walking down the rim which is easy using a short trail from the main road up the north ridge to the summit then down the rim to a second vehicle. I didn't have a shuttle so I walked the jeep road on the topo then came back down the rim. I came back to the jeep road at N40 33067, W109 34985 el 6150. That took nearly 5 hours, 9 miles with nearly 2000 gain. A shorter version would be to ride an ebike the first mile or so. The road turns bad at point 6891 and only rock crawlers drive beyond there. Another shorter option would be walk the road to el 7000 then back down the rim. A log cabin near the summit may have been built to accomodate loggers. There are lots of big pines and slickrock on the rim. Posted 2024.