I was on a work-related trip back to St George, after having been there two weeks earlier for spring break. On my way home I thought I'd take a little detour to Kanarraville to hike Kanarra creek, which I had first seen through Bill's photos from last summer.
To get to Kanarra Creek, just head East up 100 North off Main street and you'll come to a parking lot right before the road is fenced off. Park there and follow the well-marked maintenance road from here on out.
Recently we've had some serious rain storms, coupled by a 200% snow pack, so the creek was running really high and really fast. I did some creek hopping a couple of times in order to stay dry, but after the 3rd time I was done; I removed my shoes and rolled up my pants. The water was COLD and running fast. I needed a stick to keep my balance or I would have gone down for sure.
The canyon was beautiful once you get back into it, but as you can see from my pictures, I didn't get as far as I would have liked to (see Bill's pic's; they got into the narrows section and to the awesome water fall). I was very close to that area, but it was impossible for me to keep going without risking being swept down the creek by the massive rush of water.
I really want to go back, possibly this summer. It's so close to the freeway and pretty quick to get to.
The first big crossing; had to find a skinnier spot down stream
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s8H9-qWunpXli5iWZXLQhm9JcvA9hREQCXiKK0S5ExVT3TNdN9PRhsM9R8pTZ5ol1_UX3Ho6SnL5x5RXOJbbjXRBIfyLd9qX6ilOvqYptRc412F99oIGFNx8AtJIMpsw4=s0-d)
The trail gets skinnier for a bit, but I can imagine when the water is not as fast, that people just hike right up through the creek at this point
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ucHiiPhWoRWUJM9-MX3mYyOdasTQLMUuq2sfcoNE0vcGUOH-JgXkIsQDwDJOvgGU8mKlMF6i209asGgilfSdExADwKGM1WPEcqCgU8WSexEr6vqBm_qYED-SjA5G_PiA=s0-d)
Water supply pipe is getting exposed
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_svL1qSAjkQ5DA89m3cWGYH60rql_V-VQ5IR5_nNlIWRXIyP6P-KNCiPHm-LL-5CTn_YRN7JkKzKu2gtc127DXOo73QL1Z_6QBrDH3fekRhPBfoHDbWiSsynEQKXEPYx_I=s0-d)
A second crossing. I went up stream a bit, barely finding some rocks to climb over and hop to the other side to continue
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uvMKQMgOKqBCKRc5sd0lsJn2Z_qFF5O5TnBL7FHmy6kWARa18oOdF6aAxULlirlp-UvxfNGEkGgsXczUvnezhkniQaC7pcdtB77JvLmfPsUajyK63zDWfWLlvOTkEoTQ=s0-d)
Another crossing (can you see how this is getting a bit tiresome?)
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tBLgavBlsSmjBrD6_4y3fFFolKcAlVGS_ToBq0sDoelHZ9C4kTEi10aim8SpCuIHRYlNliXsRjDVCZTQORAthMVFmhxixV7CzQpDPZd24038owNRZizGo8kvyQ53XoSMw=s0-d)
Canyon is getting a bit skinnier in the background
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tgvG3Z-tPAsyKnbh30KJJCCLCfijNYjCGLs9vvTYgHoXzD93T4ffeWNRo2DTigHE2PV10tI94inTWn8d8lxcqN5-i1smdw-X8HYl-e_VGr9xwXtyS1stIWvylYGdGeoLo=s0-d)
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sh0vDrXnLr0FIuP_jadXbhOU_9KnW7PU_3BQrxDp3Kpx7DrC4eALWYZT5D3HXKu5iI9Q25NJRnwK_ClY4PBYxGkds15ZusMnth8SIgHSuAhNQB_2xx9AQk3-yKkZ2Y8jg=s0-d)
The first crossing with bare feet. I had considered trying the log with my shoes on, but I thought I'd be safer just wading through the water bare foot.
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_srZOulOGswk_mTaKzTzXNbwuBqM2yl3L-FfYkAy2LR5vc4OXHKuJ4J7qD40KbU2L5YcpiNQV-qsxtYQq836RQLZwTPO4K5sjXdM--W0IkWfgzFKYA_SinTCC1_JZ51tzA=s0-d)
View of the creek before I crossed it
There was a mini-alcove across the creek
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v8S6KUFvWV4cOI9wrJ64lAktzGdb_XserEuDryx8lyOsoT8obkMCOpl5vezqOEWdTXcZLwNC6DI8SqYY1G9TAh71lf5GC_SKrwntTyPn33VrwTkLvvz2gCIX2unaLlvLQ=s0-d)
And beyond the alcove just around the corner was a this tiny fall that had some massive water pouring over
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tYpSue3rkaa_63ojvc_rj3oMtBo8WqouAUN-uhPCzB0P5zAl1HRTziWi-07ilHo63fp7EjFUMjXvTPa8meODw92NFhWwExgIEmssv2to5TpJ_T78AlIfM-ZQxVMFOd_ZI=s0-d)
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_shRmbbBSSBUXIH7l6gaBF2UpHd2u2_MCMkYG3OCh8318M2qAGMZrMIdwpbthPmy3mQPlzkWM9jEldCri6FQ9kELJWDUymEiOH6uO_8wqrDCpND9VdTK34ThsgWxFOf80s=s0-d)
The rest was a bit un-eventful. Traveled off the path a bit to avoid getting too wet; climbed up high on a cliff to by-pass some areas that I couldn't pass (too fast and deep)
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t4QwmQTgzD3kihzaAuJzmQjS5O4ZPMKUNO93qANXidO2fD4Dj2cVH4A_T0WH1XPhrHVrhBpWIwloFw1SXLnxfQFzFh8T28kqZZN0EZEJv7yDXneXPSRt0ai2cjgsjJrA=s0-d)
Cold bare feet
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vGqEIBwTgDWPPQJXDyRBPhxWYyUbS0aLuP5uTVARjJNNVoFNzS3SKZb0-vNwaWHnqrLzPL6KnLBYdjn9jLbwjpig5cml9oup5bGm86tOjCHEllDZ0gAPF8V54LMPMg2A=s0-d)
My by-pass route
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uKhSPqEk8wIaxN9mqvF00gpCTR6yu2_ibYB4rA9JOs8r46qR2Z726yvZ2JI9s_ifsflsKcQ25ENsX5Jl6sQk1T2bDCevcbox7QkLUj9SyLfKN0eCcHyBVVbADKN6kMDPs=s0-d)
Selfie on the bypass route
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uF3uJ5GMmxFDGgtUjVlBUGMobCRRk7OH_FdUXTo3S0WpjFnZMQywkxS5S_wZbpj8ETPDdpTcMeEc-wycTp3RwydGeYxlkXqRyzEc6UhybS7Tuf-6Nq4eghT4GhVCwH3QM=s0-d)
This was as far as I got across the creek. I had ditched my shoes and decided to go barefoot, but found a ways up that it got to narrow (note my shoes across the creek)
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tOwk__4rnWJKbXEEmbLa2C5fjGVv9Hcs1s7oYF49k4qxoj2-JDrDPFMPTc2yjzvFTx_qxo7bIBdxGR2gzN-vemF8FcYQPUjHYkcxEaiJbDKLldsMagxOxmCGAv0vHjeqE=s0-d)
Too narrow to keep going
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uA5PQjhEHMRaotmaa_Ah_ZhbdTGC_MLCuXDBC2eo7xFYASf-0I8JS0JsOzVlT84m-RqANe1QG_YEeQxTlh2bSf2XOF-pa8craUUlky-1U7I-8MsYwoOpXhGGEtTbLm1g=s0-d)
Selfie after returning to the first barefoot crossing
![05.10.11 Kanarra Creek](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tBTS4eEQemz7iU17bStPAjlk7Q58D1a7U-Dud02tX0LRWCbE6IeuIeSvXtGBwd88EujUZonyliRk57zwhUZW9EtTpPphthD_ygG1Ijhu3HeN6QYKzQGM42G7iOweoNTdo=s0-d)
I had to get home quickly, so I high-tailed it back, running most of the way in wet pants. I can't wait to go back under better circumstances.
To get to Kanarra Creek, just head East up 100 North off Main street and you'll come to a parking lot right before the road is fenced off. Park there and follow the well-marked maintenance road from here on out.
Recently we've had some serious rain storms, coupled by a 200% snow pack, so the creek was running really high and really fast. I did some creek hopping a couple of times in order to stay dry, but after the 3rd time I was done; I removed my shoes and rolled up my pants. The water was COLD and running fast. I needed a stick to keep my balance or I would have gone down for sure.
The canyon was beautiful once you get back into it, but as you can see from my pictures, I didn't get as far as I would have liked to (see Bill's pic's; they got into the narrows section and to the awesome water fall). I was very close to that area, but it was impossible for me to keep going without risking being swept down the creek by the massive rush of water.
I really want to go back, possibly this summer. It's so close to the freeway and pretty quick to get to.
The first big crossing; had to find a skinnier spot down stream
The trail gets skinnier for a bit, but I can imagine when the water is not as fast, that people just hike right up through the creek at this point
Water supply pipe is getting exposed
A second crossing. I went up stream a bit, barely finding some rocks to climb over and hop to the other side to continue
Another crossing (can you see how this is getting a bit tiresome?)
Canyon is getting a bit skinnier in the background
The first crossing with bare feet. I had considered trying the log with my shoes on, but I thought I'd be safer just wading through the water bare foot.
View of the creek before I crossed it
There was a mini-alcove across the creek
And beyond the alcove just around the corner was a this tiny fall that had some massive water pouring over
The rest was a bit un-eventful. Traveled off the path a bit to avoid getting too wet; climbed up high on a cliff to by-pass some areas that I couldn't pass (too fast and deep)
Cold bare feet
My by-pass route
Selfie on the bypass route
This was as far as I got across the creek. I had ditched my shoes and decided to go barefoot, but found a ways up that it got to narrow (note my shoes across the creek)
Too narrow to keep going
Selfie after returning to the first barefoot crossing
I had to get home quickly, so I high-tailed it back, running most of the way in wet pants. I can't wait to go back under better circumstances.
1 comment:
Hiking on your own must be relaxing.
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