The road to and through Bryce Canyon National Park is UT-63. However, to get to Mossy Cave’s trailhead and the Water Canyon waterfall, we drive past the junction about four miles on UT-12. On our right is a small parking area and our destination. It is 8am and only five other cars are parked. Getting an early start is a must to secure parking here. This lot will soon be full and will be all day long. Plus the temperature is still cool and the trail inviting. Let’s go my friend!
Heading about 40 minutes northwest from my cabin in Bluff, UT, is Butler Wash Interpretive Trail. The drive up was beautiful, but black clouds are popping up on all horizons. The sun is bright with no clouds overhead, so let’s park and find the trailhead. What a view of Comb Ridge’s east side! There’s the trail, let’s go.
About eight miles west of Bluff, UT, US-163 cuts through a stunning monocline called Comb Ridge. This fold in the earth’s crust, developing 65 million years ago, is similar to folds we’ve seen and especially the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park. How do these rock folds develop? It is all about tectonic plates. What kind of plates? Let’s go . . .
Exploring Cottonwood Canyon Road in April 2017, I could find no way down into the Cottonwood Narrows at this northern end. No signs, no trails, just wandering around finding four to six foot drops into the canyon. I can jump down, BUT how do I get back up? Good to think ahead. Hoping the access they created for us is easy. Come on along into the Narrows!
Here we go . . .