Tag: Utah

Utah, a state in the western United States, is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes and unique geological formations. It is characterized by vast deserts, towering red rock formations, and the dramatic peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Home to five national parks—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches—Utah attracts outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers from around the world. Its capital, Salt Lake City, is a hub of culture, history, and outdoor recreation, famously hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics. Utah’s diverse terrain offers opportunities for skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and exploring ancient Native American petroglyphs and archaeological sites. The state’s Mormon heritage is also evident in its history, architecture, and the world-famous Salt Lake Temple.

Cathedral Valley

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Located in Capital Reef National Park, the Cathedral Valley District of Capitol Reef National Park is open all year and the perfect spot for the back county explorer seeking to get away from it all.

Temple of the Sun, located on Cathedral Valley Trail in Capital Reef National Park, Utah - Photo by James L Rathbun
Temple of the Sun, located on Cathedral Valley Trail in Capital Reef National Park, Utah – Photo by James L Rathbun

Vehicles with high ground clearance are recommended and should have no issues navigating the sandy roads. Road conditions can vary greatly depending on recent weather conditions with spring and summer rains leaving the route muddy and impassable.  The advantage of this location is the back country travel is light, so for the person seeking seclusion, this is the secluded area in a remote location.

The 60 miles loop trail leaves highway 24 at the River Ford which is about 12 miles easy of the visitor center.  The route follows Hartnet Road to the Cathedral Road ( Caineville Wash Road) and returns to Highway 24 near Caineville.  The river crossing is passable most of the time, however care should be taken during the rainy months.

During my visit in 2004, we just finished Hole in the Rock Road, and headed east out of Escalante, Utah.  We then took the Burr Trail to Notom Road which delivered us to Capital Reef.  That afternoon we chased the light up Cathedral Valley Road and stopped at Temple of the Sun for some photographic opportunities.  We stayed beyond sun down hoping for some amazing light which did not come that evening and drove trail out in the dark.  I was disappointed for the lack of light during the golden hour, but the location is yet another place that I must return just due to the amazing Utah landscapes.

Cathedral Valley Trail Map

Shafer Trail

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The Shafer Trail, located in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah, is a renowned backcountry road celebrated for its dramatic scenery and challenging terrain. Spanning approximately 19 miles, the trail descends 1,500 feet through a massive sandstone cliff via a series of tight switchbacks, connecting the mesa top to the canyon floor and linking with the White Rim Road and Potash Road. Its history reflects a rich tapestry of human activity, evolving from ancient pathways to a modern recreational route.

Mesa Light taken from the White Rim Trail and Lathrop Canyon Road. Photograph by James L Rathbun
Mesa Light taken from the White Rim Trail and Lathrop Canyon Road. Photograph by James L Rathbun

Early Use by Native Americans

Long before modern roads, the Shafer Trail began as a route used by Native Americans to access resources on the mesa top and travel to the Colorado River below. These early inhabitants of the region navigated the rugged terrain to gather materials and move between seasonal locations, establishing a path that would later be adapted for other purposes. The trail’s origins as a Native American route highlight its significance as a corridor through the challenging canyon landscape.

Ranching Era and the Shafer Family

In the early 20th century, the trail was adapted by Mormon pioneer settlers, particularly the Shafer family, for whom it is named. Starting in 1916, John “Sog” Shafer used the trail to move cattle between summer pastures on the mesa top and winter grazing grounds on the White Rim sandstone below. Shafer and other ranchers improved the trail, widening and stabilizing it to make it safer for livestock, though it remained narrow and perilous, with animals occasionally slipping to their deaths. These improvements laid the groundwork for later developments, and many trails in the Island in the Sky district bear the names of families who worked them.

Uranium Boom and Road Expansion

The 1950s marked a significant transformation for the Shafer Trail during the uranium boom in the American Southwest. The Atomic Energy Commission widened and extended the trail to accommodate trucks transporting uranium-bearing ore from mines in the Triassic Chinle Formation to processing facilities in Moab. This period saw many backcountry roads in the Moab area, including the Shafer Trail, upgraded to support the mining industry, leaving visible scars across the desert landscape. The trail’s role in uranium transport underscores its importance to the region’s industrial history.

Transition to Recreation

With the establishment of Canyonlands National Park in 1964, the Shafer Trail’s function shifted from ranching and mining to recreation. Ranchers were granted a ten-year extension to continue operations, but by the mid-1970s, the trail was primarily used by visitors seeking adventure. The National Park Service improved the road to make it safer for recreational use, though it remains unpaved and challenging, requiring high-clearance 4WD vehicles with low-range gear (4LO). Today, the trail attracts hundreds of visitors annually for its thrilling switchbacks and breathtaking views of Canyonlands’ sculpted pinnacles, buttes, and the Colorado River.

Modern-Day Significance

The Shafer Trail is now an iconic backcountry drive, celebrated for its scenic beauty and historical significance. It offers access to notable sites like the Shafer Canyon Overlook, where visitors can view the trail’s switchbacks and the surrounding canyon landscape, and Thelma and Louise Point, famous for its appearance in the 1991 film’s final scene. The trail also connects to other recreational routes like the White Rim Road and is popular among hikers, mountain bikers, and photographers for its wildflowers, petroglyphs, and dinosaur tracks. Its challenging conditions, including steep drops and sharp rocks, require careful preparation, and it can become impassable during wet or snowy weather.

Conclusion

From a Native American pathway to a cattle trail, a uranium transport route, and now a premier recreational destination, the Shafer Trail encapsulates the evolving human relationship with Canyonlands’ rugged landscape. Named after the Shafer family and shaped by centuries of use, it remains a testament to the region’s cultural, industrial, and natural history, offering visitors an unforgettable journey through one of America’s most striking national parks.

Shafer Trail map

Valley of the Gods

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Valley of the Gods is a beautiful sandstone valley and located in the South East corner of Utah near Mexican Hat. alley of the Gods is the lesser known northern extension of Monument Valley and is frequently confused with Monument Valley. The valley is carved out from a layer of eroded sandstone, and features two large table top mesa with are long and narrow in shape. These mesas appear like ship sails again a sea of clear blue skies.  

The seventeen mile trail loops north from highway 163 and then travels back the the south west to connect to highway 261 and recommended for high clearance vehicles.

Valley of the Gods, Utah
Large format photograph take in Valley of the Gods, Utah provided by James L Rathbun

Down towards to the of the valley, two beautiful spires reminded me of sailing ships in the desert. The road winds between them to provide for an amazing drive.

Unlike Monument Valley which is controlled by the Navajo Nation, the valley is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and does not contain any services or campgrounds, or tribal restrictions. There are several small camping spots on the loop and when I visited in October the number of people seems to be quite low.

Valley of the Gods trail map

Utah Trip Report, Fall 2003

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Hole in the wall trail in Escalante, Utah
Hole in the wall trail in Escalante, Utah

This year’s trip was very unique, and will be hard to document in way that is interesting Utah trip. My immediate reaction is to throw up a ton of images and just write “look where I went”.

This years adventure started during the California Wildfires. Friends and family homes located in the San Bernardino Mountains were danger as we left and not all the news we had was good. My brother and I piled into his Four Runner under the smoke filled dawn and made the eight-hour drive to Zion National Park in Utah.

Since we had just over a days wait for our companions for the trip. My brother and I did several hikes out and around the main canyon in Zion while we waited for my photography partner and good friend John Farkas and his wife Abby to arrive.

A quick hike up to the Emerald Pools left us with a great view, but view great photographic opportunities. The quick moving white clouds above gave us great-diffused light, but this light would quickly vanish and made composing and hit and miss venture. That evening, we dropped in on Michael Fatali, and were fortunate enough to get a tour of his dark room and a little map review as well. Thanks Michael!

After losing a day to travel, we awoke near Dance Hall Rock in the Escalante Wilderness. After a morning breakfast we loaded up our backpacks and head out across the sand trail towards “Crack in the Wall”. “Crack in the Wall” is a “Class 2” rock scamper. Since we didn’t know that this really was, we didn’t worry too much as we hiked closer towards the canyon wall. We hiked over prehistoric petrified dunes, dried water pools, and cow trails as we edged ever closer towards the infamous “Crack in the Wall”.

Camping at Dance Hall Rock, Hole in the Rock trail
Camping at Dance Hall Rock, Hole in the Rock trail

“Crack in the Wall” is perhaps the most descriptive named structure that I have run across to date. A narrow crack in the towering canyon walls was formed by a large section of stone cleaving away from wall. Perhaps one of the more interesting hiking trails I have seen, we removed our heavy frame backpacks, broke out our rope, and quickly lowered the packs past the narrowest section of the trail. Another twenty minutes of hiking found us near the Escalante River. Light danced on the canyon walls, and reflections glowed in the shallow creek as we explored the canyons looking for the light.

Hiking towards crack in the wall.
Hiking towards crack in the wall.

After a three-hour hike out of the canyons of the Escalante River, we planned our next days excursion. The decided to head east down the John Burr trail and towards Capital Reef National Park. The Burr Trail is a nice paved windy road that is perhaps one of the most scenic roads I have traveled. We stopped many times on our travels this find day, as the diffused light was booming. Water carved towers of rock illuminated by the soft Utah sun passed by as we drove deeper and deeper into Capital Reef.

Another day of driving took us back towards Los Angeles. We were sad to see our expedition coming to a close, but time was against us. However, we still found time to visit a slot canyon just a few miles away from our route. We certainly could not pass this opportunity

Round Valley Draw slot canyon opens up in a streambed after a very short hike from the trailhead. We walked down the side of the canyon to survey the canyon before lowering ourselves deep into the heart of the Earth. I have stated it previously, but walking a slot canyon is a magical experience. Time, Water, and Sand carve these beautiful canyons for us to visit, and you just cannot appreciate this place until you have been there.

Another wonderful Utah trip.