HDT Day 38: Lower Buckskin Gulch & Paria River

Daily Miles: 18.1, Total Miles: 520.0

Every noise you make gets echoed down this canyon. I may even get embarrassed if someone else is camping here (but no one is).

Wow, what a spectacular day! I hiked down Lower Buckskin Gulch for almost 12 miles to where it dumps into Paria Canyon. Much of the Gulch was a narrow slot canyon with varying degrees of light and varying amounts of silty water.

The water situation was actually better than I’d been led to believe. Parts of the Gulch were just muddy with no standing water. The deeper sections were thigh deep and just a few cold stretches just over my belly button. It was simply astounding to see the high-water marks as evidenced by the log jams stuck high up on the slot canyon walls.

Amazing beauty throughout and just plain captivating even over the entire long distance. A few large rockfalls to navigate, the first, an easy up and over, the second, a bit tricky up and then a tricky down and under. This is where I caught up to three German couples, the only people I saw in the Gulch. It was nice to be able to pass packs down to each other on the big drop off.

Paria Canyon, with orange and red hued vertical walls, was a bit wider with ankle-deep, silty water. I was very happy to reach Big Springs and fill up on good water. Unexpected showers in the afternoon kept it cool.

I was wading down the river near my eventual campsite when I saw a large snake swimming upstream right at me. I made a move towards shore and the snake made a move too. A few splashes from my hiking poles sent him on his way.

I officially entered Arizona at the Paria River.