Backpacking and swimming hole spots? (Kanab, Kamas: camping, land, dog friendly)

[Keliko]

Hey guys , it's been a minute, but back in Salt Lake attending the U.

Anyways, wanting to go backpacking and swimming down in Southern Utah after finals week. Any good spots? Would like it to be dog friendly since I got two.

Thanks in advance

[cwaatar516]

check with the St George Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. They have great volunteers there who can answer your questions, and give you lots of good advice. They have info on Hiking, Biking, best places to go with OHV's ect. They can also tell you which places are dog friendly.

[markg91359]

There's great backpacking in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The monument is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. In Escalante National Monument, there is a campground called "Calf Creek Falls". There's a trail that is about four miles to upper Calf Creek Falls. If memory serves me there is sort of a "swimming hole" right underneath the water fall.

Another trail I hiked long ago was at Bryce Canyon National Park. You can hike down into the Canyon from the road on top of the ridge. I'd check with the park ranger station and see if you need a permit. They'll give you a map and perhaps, most importantly tell you what the water situation is down in the canyon. In the summer, there is not a lot of water down there and you can only carry so much with you. Beautiful hike though. They don't get much better. I never remember enough water that there was anything approaching a "swimming hole". This is largely the case with southern Utah. Its a dry climate and you will find few natural swimming holes.

I hesitate to recommend Paria Canyon. Its a narrow canyon on US 89 on the way to Kanab. Its a very beautiful hike, but you don't want to do it if there is even a hint of bad weather within 70 miles. When it rains, the rain just pours down the canyon and there is no where to go. If you can get that kind of a weather forecast and want a beautiful hike that would be a good one.

This isn't backpacking. Its more of a day hike. However, you could talk to the ranger station at Zion National Park. I'm not sure if its too early in the year to hike the "Narrows" or not. Its a hike through the Virgin River. Very beautiful. It may be a bit early though.

Hope that is some help.

[Keliko]

Thanks guys. I will definitely check those out.

Hey Mark, I noticed in another forum you mentioned camping up in the Uintas, any spots you really recommend? Just want to get an idea for camping in July and August.

[markg91359]

Originally Posted by Keliko

Thanks guys. I will definitely check those out.

Hey Mark, I noticed in another forum you mentioned camping up in the Uintas, any spots you really recommend? Just want to get an idea for camping in July and August.

Sure... The best campground is really close to the summit when you take the road up from Kamas. Its the Mirror Lake Campground. The lake is large and beautiful. Many sights are on the lakefront. Its also the most popular sight in the Uintas, so if you want privacy its not the best. Also, if you want to do some hiking. It has trail access to the High Uintas Primitive Area. Don't plan on hiking far though, unless you have a plan.

Very close to the Mirror Lake Campground and closer to the summit is the Butterfly Lake Campground. Butterfly Lake is small (more pond size), but its very pretty place to camp.

Past the summit and on the way to Evanston, Wyoming is the Bear River Campground. This is one I spent some time at as a child. One intriguing feature are the old hand crank water pumps. No lakes here, but you can fish the Bear River and do some short, interesting hiking.

You are right to think in terms of July/August. The first two campgrounds are at around 10,000 feet in elevation. The snow won't completely melt until than.

Watch the weather forecast and don't go unless the weekend is predicted to be warm and sunny. Everyone should camp in the Uintas at least once.