Hiking Around Shay Canyon - Part One

Already gave you a taste of Shay Ridge and Shay Mountain up in the Abajo Mountains.  Now it's time to go to a lower elevation and tell you about Shay Canyon.  The trailhead to Shay Canyon is located about 2 miles west from Newspaper Rock Historical Site (my odometer puts it at 1.8 miles), along Scenic Highway 211.

Actually, this part one was a second hiking trip we took into Shay Canyon.  The first time we climbed upward to the walls of the canyon to ooh and ahh over the rock art panels.  Well I'm going to make you wait for that, as I think it's important you discover all the wonders there.  The Pillar, or what looks, from the highway, like a jug handle arch until you hike to it.  The plant and wildlife; and there are dinosaur tracks embedded into the rock bed of the wash.  Funny story about those dino tracks; walking along I said to my hubby, "Hey hunny, these look like dino tracks!" to which he responded, "Oh no, that's just erosion from water that ran through here."  Sure, I believed that until I found an online BLM report which stated "dinosaur tracks can be found within the rock bed of the dry wash".  So what does that mean?  Means we have to make a third trip back to find those tracks again and photograph them; believe me, this is not a problem or hardship.

Shay Canyon is a beautiful, secluded and soothing place to be; the quiet is very welcome.  We traversed two well worn paths, but came across huge boulders that required climbing over.  That wasn't a problem for us, it was the dark clouds moving closer that deterred us.  Rain can lead to possible flash flooding; it's bad enough to be in an area you know well, but in an unknown area.  Well, either way, we're not stupid enough to take the chance of getting caught up in a flood; a dry wash can become a raging river in seconds!

Anyway, enjoy the photos you're about to see; hint, doing this hike in April or May is much cooler, heat wise, than the hot, hot months of June through August.

Our second time there was in May; the drought in San Juan County had become so severe, Indian Creek was dry as a bone.  Instead of stepping on wet rocks to cross over, it was sand, dry sand we walked over.  After crossing over, a short trail leads you into the bedrock of a creek that once flowed through this canyon area.

We walked towards the pillar first, it's shape becoming more defined the closer you get to it.  Then trail continued for another 500 feet from the pillar, and then the boulders appeared and the only way around was over them.

Pass those bushes in the background is where the boulders blocked the actual path, and climbing over them is required.










Walking back to the Pillar, we started off on a second path.  Now one thing I have to tell you is that some stepping upward from rock bed to upper rock bed will be required on both of the dirt trails.  A walking stick is a huge help for keeping you steady on the climb ups.





There were a few interesting caves above us on the canyon walls; where any creatures were living inside them, we couldn't tell.  However, as seems to be becoming a pattern, turkey vultures suddenly flew in and began circling us.  Sorry fellas, we're not going to be your lunch this time either!

Turkey Vulture in Flight

There is an abundance of plant and wildlife in this area; prickly pear cacti and yucca were in bloom, as well as desert globe mallow and tufted evening primrose aka sand lily (name is understandable as it was growing up from the sandy soil in the dry wash.  Sitting upon a boulder was a desert lizard watching us; we could almost swear he winked at us.

Up on a ledge is Blooming Yucca and prickly pear cacti below it.

Desert Globe Mallow (Mallow family)

Blooming Prickly Pear Cacti growing in large patches, not a single plant.

During the day, this Tufted Evening Primrose takes a nap, but in the evening, the blooms will be in colors of white, pink and purple.  This is also called the Sand Lily, and that is exactly the growth medium the plant thrives in...sand.







Even in death, the trees split and twist into unusual shapes of beauty in their own right.

That's my hubby, Roy, standing by the twisted tree.

Now here comes your teasers for Hiking Shay Canyon - Part Two.  From the original trail, there is an offshoot trail that leads up to the canyon walls themselves; a half mile of rock art drawings and cravings from native tribes who lived in the area, or just passed through and left a message.  As with any historical site, the only trace you should be leaving is a footprint in the sand.

There is always something new to see in San Juan County, so plan your trip and expect to spend a few weeks to months.  One or two days, well it's just unacceptable!

Mary Cokenour

The Much Awaited Shay Ridge/Shay Mountain Trails Adventure.

Back on April 23, 2018, I gave you a teaser of this trail and several of my fans were wondering, "Why am I not writing!?!"  Real life has a habit of getting in the way of what we enjoy sometimes.  Being employed, paying those bills, medical emergencies, losing beloved pets, fighting to keep a good name when others are trying to defile it; yep, life sucks sometimes and just gets in the way.

By the way, I am dedicating this write up to a lovely family, from Michigan, that stopped in, July 25, 2018, to see me at the Canyon Country Discovery Center.  They had been using this travel blog for adventuring through San Juan County, and made sure their last stop would be to meet me, and experience the inter-active exhibit hall and climbing wall at the Center.  Thank you so much for enjoying my blog, and making my day!!!

There were others who have come in to meet me, and I need to dedicate some of my stories to them as well.  Don't worry, I have not forgotten any of you!

Today, a most welcome pajama day Sunday, I finally sat down at my computer to whittle down 128 photographs of this trip into a manageable 39.  After about 2 hours of enlarging, squinting, adjusting; the eyes were a bit on the wonky side.  A homemade lunch and watching episodes of "Relic Hunter" was a very welcome cure for the "wonkies".

Shay Ridge, Shay Mountain, Shay Canyon, who was this Shay that had three areas named after himself.  The old name standby Utah's Canyon Country Place Names, Volume 2 by Steve Allen gives us this answer on page 685, "R. McDonald in 1885: "Col. Shay, the old Indian guide has a contract from Carlisle Bros. (cattle company) for building corrals, cabins and pasture fences; also digging ...ditches and breaking land and sowing alfalfa."  The name, Shay, became a map place name by 1891.

As I explained before, the Shay Ridge Trail (FR 104) is located at Foy Lake, it's the trail to the right of the vault toilets.  A maintained (graded) dirt trail that is prone to landslides of mud when it rains heavily, so during monsoon season (usually the entire month of July) beware of the rains that come suddenly and without warning.  The landscape is beautiful, then again, when isn't the landscape stunning in the Abajo Mountains and Manti-LaSal National Forest!?!

At mile mark 3.4, a hiking/horseback riding trail is off to the left, past a large boulder; walking down the trail will reveal many more large boulders with striking shapes, native plants growing out from cracks, and one with a layer of stones as its outer covering.  There was evidence of camping in the area (stone fire rings) as well.

This tree points the way down the non-motorized trail.

The entire boulder was covered with this.

Mile 4.4, right side and looking up onto the ridge was an unusual site, a boulder was being held aloft by the roots of a fallen tree.  When I show you the wondrous Ponderosa Pines that are along this trail, you'll understand why the roots have to be so strong, they can lift up a boulder.















At mile mark 4.7 is another fallen tree whose roots look to form a sort of arch, or use the imagination and maybe you'll think it looks like an egret, heron or crane with uplifted wings.











Let's get to those wondrous Ponderosa Pine trees, they are huge, with bark resembling some sort of patchwork quilt.  Standing next to one, touching the bark; that's as close to hugging a tree as I'll ever get, thank you very much.  One of the photos has my hubby's Toyota FJ for size comparison; unfortunately, financial hard times caused him to lose that vehicle and we just couldn't get the back due monies together fast enough before it was sold off at auction.  At least we have some really great memories of places it took us that a car could never go. 

As close to being a tree hugger as I'll ever be.

Ponderosa Pine Bark

There was a nest inside this hollowed out tree.

Mile mark 5.2 is a split in the road and trail signs to tell you what's ahead on each.  Shay Mountain we did on the way back, after reading the 4 wheel drive section of the Shay Ridge road.

Bearing to the left hand trail and onward to the Shay Ridge trailhead; mile mark 5.7 though was too pretty a spot to pass up.  There are many downed trees there and it must be a popular spot for wood gathering, evidenced by the limbs that were obviously chain sawed off. 

Good thing I was watching where I walked, or I might have stepped on, and killed, a most adorable creature...a Great Horned toad aka Horny Toad, and this one was a baby!  Ok, you just said to yourself, "Adorable?  A horned toad?"  Yes, to me they are, then again, I like snakes and lizards too.

At mile mark 6.2, that is where the 4 wheel drive trail ends, and the Shay Ridge Trailhead begins; the only access is an opening in a  wooden fence large enough for an ATV, horse or hiker to go through.  I walked up the trail only about 100 feet to get a feel for it.  We still had to check out the trail to Shay Mountain and knowing a storm was coming in that day meant time could not be wasted.

Back to mile mark 5.2 and the right hand trail to Shay Mountain, 4-10ths of a mile in was trail #437 and only fit for ATVs or hiking.  8-10ths of a mile in was the actual beginning of the ATV trailhead to Shay Mountain itself..  Back in the 1930s, the leader of the Home of Truth cult, Marie Ogden would drive frequently drive, in her rather large, expensive car, to the mountain, climb to the summit and receive revelations from God.  Looking at the photo of the trail, like myself, you're wondering how did she get her car even a quarter of a mile up it.  Back then, the trails were wider and flatter, since many ranchers and locals needed to drive their own vehicles, and not all had pickup trucks.  Time, erosion from wind, rain, and the wider wheels of ATVs and larger sized 4 wheel drive vehicles, made a road into a two-track, narrow, deeply rutted trail.  Wandering around that area, there was some decent hiking and more large boulders to explore, but it was time to head home and beat the dark clouds that were coming in from the west.

There you have it, our adventure to Shay Ridge and Shay Mountain, well as far as we could get without ATVs.  Why didn't we hike it and camp out?  Yeah, I don't camp...no, just no.

Hope you enjoyed the story and remember, need a great rest stop, want to play with inter-active exhibits and maybe climb a rock wall; visit me at Canyon Country Discovery Center.  By the way, there is also information (free guides, brochures, maps) available on Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming for adventurous travelers.

Mary Cokenour