Tour de N’Utah, Day 2, Grand Staircase Escalante, 20 miles, 1,289 feet elevation | It’s Getting Slot Out Here

Riding Stats

Accommodations

As we drank our coffee and prepared breakfast, we thought we had our day all planned.

Then… a message arrived from Roy, our Hipcamp host “Hey! Want to go on a short gravel ride me with me and the dogs?” “Sure!” we responded. ‘Cause you don’t say no to the locals who are a treasure trove of stories, advice and local lore.

So off we went riding with Roy, G-Mo and Lozen, his puppers.

Before we knew it, after chatting it up with Roy on our ride, plans for the day changed.

Off to Willis Creek for a hike in a slot canyon.

Roy let us know once we reached “The Wall” if we made a right and hiked up we’d find petroglyphs so that was our destination for the hike.

The hike out had us hopping over Willis Creek that was barely a trickle through the slot canyon. We marveled at the smooth canyon walls and the power that wind and water have to change rock.

Just as Roy promised, and thanks to Tom paying attention (because I wasn’t), we found the petroglyphs and they did not disappoint.

There was a mural of etchings that appeared to be a map. Would have loved to know what the ancients were communicating.

We stopped for a trailside snack, got up and began our hike back. That’s when we heard the thunder, looked up and saw the weather was turning. Rain was coming. Most everyone knows the worst place to be when rain comes is in a slot canyon.

We got up, got our hustle on and headed back. Rain started; thunder continued (none of this was in the forecast). And soon after the water flow through the canyon increased. We didn’t think the rain would last long locally but we were thinking if rain fell up ahead of us we would be “up 💩creek” .

As it was, the rain didn’t last long however our feet got a little wet – no worries there. What WAS the problem, however, was getting back down to the main road in our 2015 Subaru on the ratchet road we drove up on. It was a dirt (now mud) road with three creek crossings and some very steep grades and drop offs.

Prayers, low gears and me holding the passenger side door on 😂 got us down safely but not without a lot of slipping and sliding. Tom said it was the most white knuckled drive he’s ever experienced. I wanted to take a video but then thought I better not.

After the morning ride and afternoon hike (and subsequent mud debacle) we decided to jump on our bikes one more time. Folks, there isn’t a bad view in southwest Utah.

Click on the image below to view more pics and vids:

And thanks to my good bud Christie for the song suggestion today. Soooo good!