Permits and Politics - Kodachrome Basin, Boulder Creek, and an Escalante River Backpack - September-October 2013

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We weren't quite ready to head back to Escalante yet; it was a bit too early to do so. We noticed some brightly-colored hikers up on top of an interesting looking low mesa in the near distance, and thought that that looked short and scenic. We again consulted the park trail map, and determined that those hikers had been hiking along the Angel's Palace trail. A fanciful name - hopefully backed up with an appropriately fancy trail.

Angel's Palace Trail

The trail was indeed close to us: it was literally a further 30-second drive north to the trailhead for the Angel's Palace trail.

The trail headed east, entering a small gully cut into a small, low mesa that extended westward from much higher cliffs that formed the eastern wall of Kodachrome Flat. Within minutes, we had reached the end of the gully, and the trail cut a very nice rising diagonal path up the headwall of the gully. The low mesa was only about 75 feet high, so it was only another minute or so before we were on the top of the low mesa.

Shady Gully

Ramp to Mesa Top

Mesa top wandering

Once atop the low mesa, the trail began a wandering route roughly around its outer edge. The mesa top had rounded sandstone knobs and towers that had a mushroom-like shape to them. I was immediately reminded of the mushroom-like knobs of Goblin Valley State park, several hours' drive to the northeast from Kodachrome Basin.

Kodachrome Flat

Arn on a narrow ridge

Almost goblin-valley like

The views from along the edge of the low mesa top were indeed good. There was an excellent overlook down towards the heart of Kodachrome Flat, dotted with junipers and pines and and ringed by cliffs of red topped by white. The park's campground is nestled within this enclosed area.

Grand Parade Below

Along the Angel's Palace Trail

Beautiful white monoliths

The Angel's Palace Trail continued its way around the mesa top, visiting a few airy knife-edge ridges that stuck out over the basin below.

As we neared the completion of the loop section, the already-blustery weather grew blustery-er, to the point where the stronger gusts of wind were beginning to pick up sand off the ground. Even with sunglasses on, we were frequently getting grit and sand in our eyes as we hiked along. We were glad when we soon began the descent back into the relative calm of the narrow little gully leading back to the trailhead.

Hyndmans and Kodachrome Features

Back to the Trailhead

Interactive trackmap with photo points - Angel's Palace Trail - click map to view

Interactive trackmap with photo points - Angel's Palace Trail - click to view

Angel's Palace Trail - Hike Data

Start Time: 4:01p.m.

End Time: 4:39p.m.

Duration: 0h37m

Distance: 2.43 km (1.51 mi)

Average Speed: 3.9 km/hr (2.5 mph)

Start Elevation: 5856ft (1785m) *

Max Elevation: 5975ft (1821m) *

Min Elevation: 5848ft (1783m) *

End Elevation: 5858ft (1785m) *

* : +/- 75 feet

Total Elevation Gain: 145ft (44m) *

Total Elevation Loss: 152ft (46m) *

* : +/- 75 feet

Elevation Graph

Leaving Scenic Kodachrome Basin

Hiking the Angel's Palace trail - grit in the eyes notwithstanding - worked out quite well. It was quite scenic (arguably more so than the Panorama Trail) and it was very short. We completed it in under 40 minutes, and so had fit perfectly into our schedule. We headed out of the park at about quarter before five pm, and a nice leisurely drive brought us back to the town of Escalante by about 6pm.

Stormy to the north

As I usually do, I had been keeping an eye on the weather forecast. A large storm system had been moving across the northern mountain states, bringing cold, wind and early snow to many areas. Although the system was not forecast to give south-central Utah true winter weather, it was forecast to further depress temperatures and keep things blustery. Not feeling any particular urge to weather the weather in tents, we decided to stay in cozy and warm rooms at the Prospector Inn for another night - after a few surprisingly good pizzas from the cafe attached to the nearby Escalante Outfitters store.

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