Kanab Creek Wilderness, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

Dates

Sep 26th - Oct 2nd 2010

Service Project

Trail maintenance

Free Days

Day hiking to vistas or deep canyons, photography, relaxing

Accommodations

Tent or car camping

Trip Rating

Strenuous : Digging, grubbing, shoveling, bending, and moving rock in steep canyons

Leaders

Deborah Northcutt

Equipment

The Kaibab National Forest is part of the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forests in the United States. Bordering both the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon, the 1.6 million acres of the Kaibab has the distinction of being divided by one of Nature's greatest attractions. The Kaibab Plateau is an island of forested land surrounded by a sea of sage and grasslands. Kaibab is a Paiute Indian word that translates to mountain lying down. Most of the plateau was set aside in 1893 as part of the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve. In 1908, the Forest Reserve north of the Grand Canyon was renamed the Kaibab National Forest. The North Kaibab is atop a monocline and rises to 8800 feet with excellent views of the Grand Canyon.

The Kanab Creek Wilderness covers over 75,000 acres, approximately 30 miles south of Fredonia, Arizona. The area centers around Kanab Creek, the largest tributary canyon system on the north side of the Grand Canyon. It is rich in colorful rock formations, water and wind carved features, and deeply incised canyons. Numerous springs and the variety of plants they support provide an interesting contrast to the generally arid terrain. The canyon cliffs are home to bands of desert bighorn sheep as well as the endangered peregrine falcon.

Our service project is conducting trail maintenance on the Jump Up Nail Trail. We'll work a steep section of trail, dropping roughly 1000' from Sowatts Point into Kanab Creek where it connects with the Ranger Trail. This project is for folks who are comfortable with heights as there is significant exposure on sections of this trail. We'll set up a tent and car camp on Sowatts Point, providing easy access to the work project and wide open vantage points to take in colorful sunrises and sunsets. The Forest Service will support our group with water and all the necessary tools. On our free day, we can hike into Kanab Creek to explore the steep-walled, winding canyon system.