Myatt's Hikes: Taylor Creek, Kolob Canyons

After a few more draining hikes the past few weeks, Liz and I decided to try a little more family friendly hike. We decided on a short 5 miler up in the picturesque Kolob Canyons portion of Zion National Park. Our neighbor, Matthew Arscott, decided to come with us.

The trail head.

Getting to Kolob Canyons is easy, just take exit 40 off of I15, check in at the visitors center, and start driving up the road which leads back into a beautiful and rugged wilderness. The Taylor Creek trail head and parking area is about 2 miles up the canyon road on the left side of the road.

We arrived there about 10:10 and with a bit of a chill in the air got started on our hike about 10:15. The trail head is clearly marked and starts by dropping down some wooden steps to the creek. The trail crosses the small stream several times on it's way to the confluence of the North and Middle forks of Taylor Creek about a mile from the trail head.

Horse Ranch Mountain (left) and Tucupit Point (right)

By this time, Tucupit Point, which had been watching over our approach, now towered above us. It makes up the left (north) wall of the Middle fork of Taylor Creek. Also just after reaching the confluence is the old Larson homestead cabin. This cabin was built in 1930 by Gustav Larson, who spent summers here from 1930 to 1933 raising pigs. Although parts of the cabin have been refurbished, some of the original white fir logs, which were hauled in by wagon from Cedar City, are still present on the cabin.

The trail continues past the Larson Cabin and up the canyon between Tucupit and Paria Points. About a mile up canyon from Larson Cabin is Fife Cabin, built by Arthur Fife also in 1930. He used this area to raise goats. We took some pictures and continued about another half mile to Double Arch Alcove, the end point of the hike (although it appeared that exploration further up canyon was possible).

Double Arch Alcove

The first thing I noticed about the alcove was the echo that was produced from it. There was also a little seep that had been working it's way through the sandstone for hundreds of years to finally see the light of day once again, and then trickle down to Taylor Creek.

The hike back to the car is just a backtrack of what we had already done. Over all, we hiked for about 4.8 miles (round trip) and it took us just shy of 3 hours. It is a very family friendly hike, as there is not much elevation gain or loss, Taylor Creek which you are constantly crossing is very shallow, the cabins are a nice piece of the area's history, and the alcove is a really cool culmination of the hike.