HAYDUKE TRAIL

Daily Miles: 17.9, Total Miles: 263.8 The winds were gusting and howling last night and earplugs weren’t much help. As I set off this morning, I realized I hadn’t seen a buffalo yet. Soon after, I saw one next to the trail but it had been dead for some time. I dropped steeply into Swap Canyon and followed it all the way to Notom Road, entering Capitol Reef NP. With empty water bottles, I was fortunate to find treatable water…

Daily Miles: 16.1, Total Miles: 245.9 Chilly night with a light rain early in the morning. For some reason, I’m sleeping better and more soundly than I have on other hikes. The first week was because of the nighttime NyQuil. After that, maybe it’s just exhaustion! I got up on Tarantula Mesa covered with sagebrush and scattered with pinion and juniper. Found water at one of three stock tanks I passed – I didn’t check water availability at the other…

Daily Miles: 20.9, Total Miles: 229.8 Chris from the nearby outfitters/ATV rentals dropped me off bright and early. He told me about the only free roaming buffalo herd (250-400) in North America that has been in the Henry Mountains for quite some time – I’ll keep a look out. A pretty steady climb through the Henry foothills mostly on dirt roads. Excellent views of the north, middle, and south segments of the Henrys all snowcapped at the peaks. As I…

Daily Miles: 4.8, Total Miles: 208.9 Owls were hooting it up again early this morning. I followed Poison Springs Canyon all the way up to Highway 95. The snow-capped Henry Mountains are looming closer and closer. On my caching trip, I stashed a half-gallon of water off the dry wash and behind some big boulders. Thought it was well hidden, except for my footprints, and I know I didn’t put a Snickers bar under the water jug. But there it…

Daily Miles: 18.6, Total Miles: 204.1 The guidebook states there is only one way down from the rim of Fiddler Canyon and a warning not to mess with anything else. Found a cairn on the edge of the rim and dropped down, picking my way down ledges and around boulders. I did have to stop a few times to take in the view. The sun was just starting to light up the canyon walls. Once down on the bottom, I…

Daily Miles: 15.8, Total Miles: 185.5 Blustery last night with a light rain early in the morning. A road walk this morning from Hite back out to the highway then across the Colorado River bridge. The snow-capped Henry Mountains are coming into view. A rock climb got me to a dirt road that took me four miles north into the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. I left the road and entered appropriately named Rock Canyon. Followed it all the way…

Daily Miles: 16.2, Total Miles: 169.7 My earliest start yet on the hike even after filtering some of the silty water from Dark Creek. On my last river crossing before joining the Sundance Trail out of the canyon, I stepped into a deep hole and let go of one of my hiking poles. Just as it was about out of reach floating downstream, I snagged it with my other hiking pole. Oh what a save, but I had to take…

Daily Miles: 10.1, Total Miles: 153.5 Wow, what a day – don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard for ten miles! ! quickly got to Young’s Canyon Rim and had a good look around, reviewing the steep, difficult route down. I had to make sure I had the right starting point. A bit unnerving, one of the first big boulders I stepped on slowly dislodged and fell all the way to the canyon floor. I was very appreciative of the…

Daily Miles: 14.8, Total Miles: 143.4 Another day and another wash to take me out of Beef Basin and onto a short dirt road to the Fable Valley TH. The trail register showed several Haydukers this year, the last one passing through two days ahead of me. Most of the trail was well cairned. The rugged Fable Canyon scenery and gurgling streams were delightful. I exited Fable Valley into a side canyon hiking upstream. Had to find my way around…