HDT Day 19: Tarantula Mesa & Muley Canyon

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 tanks.

The challenge today was the steep drop into the Muley Canyon drainage. I found what I thought was the right turning point and carefully picked my way down, lowering my pack once on a ledge drop off. I followed dry Muley Creek a short while before picking up a stock/buffalo trail that traversed the base of the cliffs between Tarantula and Swap Mesa. Saw some coal seams exposed in the drainages – kind of exciting being an old coal miner!

I found a high point between the cliffs and set up camp with sweeping canyon views.