Backpacker Magazine – November/December 2005

Utah Hikes: The Case For Glen Canyon

Drought is giving Glen Canyon--and those who love it--a second chance. Here are four spectacular reasons why we should protect this Southwest wilderness by making it America's next national park.

by: Annette McGivney, BACKPACKER Southwest Editor

Tags:
• Adventures
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• Nature
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• Feature stories
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• Canyonlands
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• Utah
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DESTINATION PLANNER

Season Spring and fall. Winter can be pleasant if you avoid canyons that require swimming.

Getting Around You'll need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle for the Llewelleyn, Twilight, and Smith Fork trailheads.

Hazards Flash floods make slot canyoneering dangerous during the summer monsoon season (July-early September). The safest times for exploring slots, to avoid flash floods (and hypothermia in cooler months), are spring and fall.

Permits No permits are required for backcountry camping in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but anyone camping within .25 mile of Lake Powell is required to pack out human waste in a river-runner-style container (no plastic bags). A voluntary GCNRA policy asks that human waste be packed out of slot canyons and other areas where it cannot be adequately buried.

Contact GCNRA backcountry office: (928) 608-6200; www.nps.gov/glca

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