Arizona Backpackers Club (ABC)

I typically have a reputation for hosting death marches in the middle of nowhere, but today I present to you a relaxing jaunt through a riparian area that is passenger car accessible.

The Drive:
The trailhead is located just off the junction of the AZ-87 and FR-142, about 6.5mi past the junction of the AZ-87 and the AZ-260. It is fully paved up to FR-142 and well leveled and compacted dirt after. There is a large parking area immediately off of the highway that is accessible to even the lowest clearance vehicles. If you have at least a little bit of clearance vehicle, then the trailhead is just 1mi from here at the end of FR-6374A.

Accessible parking area: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1562098325
Trailhead: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1562100981

Even though the roads are easy, gas isn't getting any cheaper, so stay tuned for carpool discussions.

The Hike:
Since the hike is so short and easy, I don't plan to meet at the trailhead until noon. You can probably get away with showing up a few hours later and still have time to get to camp before dark.

The hike starts following the abandoned section of FR-6374A until it hits the old collapsed bridge, where the trail heads downstream, switching back and forth across the shallow creek in the tall grasses. We will make camp only 1.5mi from here with almost no elevation gain, so bring all the heavy camping luxuries your heart desires.

Campsite: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=19/34.519572/-111.361383

There has always been water here for me, but it can get a bit stagnate in dry seasons; the weather has be wet so I am fairly confident we will be fine. The campsite has plenty of campfire fuel as well as pine trees for you hammock sleepers.

It can be fun to hike a bit further downstream towards Tom's Creek, but just be careful of poison ivy as the creek becomes overgrown about 0.5mi after you pass the campsite.

Disclaimer:
Backpacking and hiking have inherit risks, but most can be largely mitigated with good judgement and preparation. By joining this trip, you are expected to bring both. I am by no means a professional hiking guide; I will make a best effort to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the trip, but I assume no liability for participants nor any guarantees on events of the trip.

Join us on another hiking tour exploring natural wonders of the Colorado Plateau.
This time let us hike in Hovenweep National Monument in Utah and in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, which is only 4 miles west in Colorado.
We are going to camp at Hovenweep Campground for 3 nights.
Check in: Thursday, October 22nd,
Check-out: Sunday, October 25th.
This campground has only individual sites. Please, reserve one for yourself. I reserved for myself site #11, Greg reserved for himself site #12. We can put only one more car on each site. Please, sign up, reserve a site and I will move you “in going”.
Hovenweep National Monument sits astride the Colorado-Utah border in the south-western part of Colorado known as the Four Corners. It lies adjacent on three sides to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Let us hike there Square Tower Ruins, easy 2-mile lollipop loop and Holly House, easy 8-mile out-and-back trail.
Tucked under Sleeping Ute Mountain, Canyons of the Ancients protects more than six thousand archeological sites in southwestern Colorado. Public access is limited to the areas: Lowry and Painted Hand Ruins and the stellar complex at Sand Creek. Let us hike Sand Creek Trail, moderate 7.75-mile lollipop loop.

November 6 through November 10, 2026 | 38 miles | Four days and three nights in the canyon
In November 2021, I backpacked Paria Canyon from White House Trailhead to Lees Ferry. It was an amazing trip. The weather was nearly perfect, the cottonwoods were golden, and the canyon was spectacular from beginning to end. I have wanted to return ever since.
This is a 38 mile point to point backpacking trip through Paria Canyon, beginning at White House Trailhead in southern Utah and ending at Lees Ferry in Arizona. We will spend four days and three nights in the canyon, plus Friday night at the White House campground.

### Travel, Carpool and Shuttle

We will leave Phoenix on Friday, November 6, no later than 1:00 p.m. and drive to Lees Ferry. We will leave our vehicles there so they are waiting for us when we hike out on Tuesday.
Our shuttle will pick us up at Lees Ferry at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening and drive us to White House Trailhead. The shuttle ride will take approximately two hours. We will camp Friday night at the White House campground and be in position to get an early start Saturday morning.
I can accommodate the entire group of four in my vehicle if carpooling together from Phoenix is feasible. If you are coming from somewhere other than Phoenix or choose to drive separately, you are responsible for meeting us at Lees Ferry and being completely ready to board the shuttle before 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6. The shuttle cannot wait for someone who is running late.
After completing the trip on Tuesday, November 10, we will drive back to Phoenix. Depending on when we finish hiking and stop for food, I expect us to arrive home between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m.

### Tentative Itinerary

The exact day to day itinerary will be determined during the hike based on our pace, campsite availability, weather and how the group is feeling.
My initial thought is to camp the first night on the bench in Buckskin Gulch just above its confluence with the Paria. This would put us approximately seven miles from White House and give us the option of doing a short exploration of Buckskin before continuing down the Paria on Day 2.
I would also like to allow about two hours for the side trip to Wrather Arch. Wrather is one of the largest and most remote natural arches in Arizona and is located about halfway through the canyon. Whether we make the side trip will depend on our pace and how everyone is doing.
The remaining camps will be decided as we go. However we divide the mileage, Day 4 will likely be our longest day and could be as much as 13 miles back to Lees Ferry.

### Conditions and Difficulty

This is an intermediate backpacking trip in a remote canyon. The mileage can be deceptively difficult. We will spend much of the trip repeatedly crossing or walking in the Paria River. Expect wet feet, cold water, mud, uneven rocks, sand and occasional quicksand.
November can be beautiful in Paria Canyon, but conditions are unpredictable. When I completed this trip in November 2021, the weather was excellent. This time we could encounter overnight temperatures in the low 30s or possibly colder. We will not know what clothing and sleep system conditions require until we get closer to the trip.
Precipitation is the larger concern. Rain anywhere in the Paria watershed can create dangerous flash flooding. Forecasted rainfall of more than approximately half an inch in certain parts of the watershed during or immediately before the trip could cause us to cancel. We will monitor the full watershed forecast and current canyon conditions closely before entering.

### Camping and Waste

Hammocking is not an option on this trip. Everyone will need to bring a tent or another appropriate ground shelter.
BLM requires us to use WAG bags for all solid human waste throughout the canyon. Everything must be packed out, including used WAG bags, toilet paper and all trash. No fires are permitted.

### Cost

• Paria Canyon permit: $22 per person
• Shuttle: $70 per person, including tip
• ABC Meetup contribution: $5 per person

### Group Size and Selection

There are only three available spots, making a group of four including me. Because I expect significant interest, everyone who signs up will initially be placed on the waitlist.
With only three spots, I do not think it is fair (to the club or me) for the first three people who happen to respond to an alert on their phones to automatically get them. I will reach out through the Meetup message function to people who express interest and determine who will be the best fit for the trip. Priority will be given to experienced hikers who have not previously completed this route.
I will determine who is invited based on my knowledge of your backpacking experience or a recommendation from someone in ABC who can vouch for your experience and reliability. This is not about assembling the fastest group. It is about putting together a small group whose experience, preparation and approach are a good fit for me on a remote four-day trip.
Once invited, I will ask you to respond periodically and confirm that you remain committed. If your plans change, please let me know promptly so someone on the waitlist has enough time to prepare and join the trip.

### Group Expectations and Personal Responsibility

Participants should be comfortable carrying a full backpack for four consecutive days and hiking up to 13 miles in a day over wet, muddy and uneven terrain. You should have recent overnight backpacking experience and appropriate equipment for temperatures near freezing.
I am organizing this trip, but I am not a professional guide. I have substantial backpacking experience in the Southwest, will carry a ZOLEO satellite communicator, and getting everyone home safely is always a priority. However, each participant is solely responsible for deciding whether this trip is appropriate for them, understanding the risks, bringing the proper gear, and making their own safety decisions before and during the trip. By joining, you acknowledge that remote backcountry travel involves unavoidable risks and that responsibility for your preparation, choices and safety ultimately remains with you.
This should be a beautiful, challenging and memorable trip. The goal is to keep a comfortable pace, enjoy the canyon and leave enough flexibility to explore what catches our attention along the way.