Hiking Beta

[Enoch309]

Cloud Splitter is a good time. Nice top out and view.
Indian Staircase - Can be done as a loop. The staircase is a little heady for those unaccustomed to the exposure. Might bring a short rope so the kids, wife have something to hold on to. But it's one of the best hikes in the area.
Auxier Ridge is really nice. Includes the scramble down to Haystack Rock, as well as going on to Courthouse rock.

[bcircell]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. We did the Auxier Ridge trail today and greatly enjoyed it, some really great views. Definitely want to go back and hit up the Indian Staircase and WoD.

[Brentucky]

Whittleton Arch is a very nice hike with good scenery too. It's not the same kind of views as Auxier, but very nice creeks and a huge Arch with plenty of fun scrambling to do.

[Wolf]

Gray's Arch is one of the most impressive arch's in the Red and well-worth a visit: http://tinyurl.com/l853xdm

Hanson's Point is very pretty and provides excellent views of Cloud Splitter, Chimney Top, and Half Moon. http://tinyurl.com/mdtek42

Double Arch is awesome, and it can be combined with Auxier Ridge to make an excellent longer hike. http://tinyurl.com/kzg86pb

Rock Bridge is a great short hike, but I like to do it after a heavy rain when Creation Falls is impressive instead of a trickle. http://tinyurl.com/lfpl6mq

Indian Staircase is awesome, but don't just hike to the top of it. Make sure you go around the whole rim of the horseshoe canyon.

The Douglas Trail ( the trail to Wall of Denial ) is beautiful, and it actually keeps going after the turn up to Wall of Denial. If you take it across Clifty Creek, it gets overgrown for a bit, but then it opens up and goes past some pretty cliff and eventually heads up away from the Red and comes to a very nice waterfall.

The Red is filled with great hikes. Have fun.

[milspecmark]

Nice write up Wolf. I would like to add Raven Rock to the list. If you are coming from the nada tunnel, park in the little driveway on the right just before the Steel bridge. Walk back along the road towards nada tunnel. You will notice that when you are walking towards nada tunnel, the right side of the road (side towards raven rock) drops off about 10 or 15 feet to the floor and you cant really enter the woods. If you hike down the road about 100 yards or so you will eventually be able to enter the woods. Enter the woods and bushwack perpendicular to the road about 70 yards or so (you will cross a small stream, until you eventually hit the old road (You cant miss it). Turn right and follow this old road for about a mile and a half to the top of Raven Rock. The view is amazing. The only reason I recommend bushwwacking vs. going to the start of the road is because the road goes through some private property in the beggining and the people do not like the traffic. The first mile of the hike is flat and easy, it runs next to the river. Then it turns uphill and is very steep to the top. I like to take my video camera with 30x zoom and get a shot from the steel bridge and zoom all the way into the top of Raven rock, then at the top of Raven rock I zoom all the way in to the bridge.

[TradMike]

The first mile of the hike that is flat and easy along the river back to Raven Rock was the scene of terror. I was attacked by a giant turkey. I was beat down by a freaking bird.

[TradMike]

Cloud Splitter is a really cool hike. You have to go inside the cave at night and turn off the lights. The walls glow green from whatever it is growing on them.

[Syphur]

Bioluminescent algae?

[Wolf]

Raven Rock is cool, but I would go across the steel bridge and park on the right to avoid blocking that small driveway that's on the right before the bridge. It does get used occasionally.

[dustonian]

Anyone taking up the nearby landowner's offer of $5 offer for parking and a "new trail"?