Orderville Canyon
The Orderville Canyon is located in the southwest of the US state of Utah , partly in Zion National Park . It is an approximately 18 km long eastern side canyon of the Zion Narrows , which, together with Deep Creek and Kolob Creek, is one of the most important tributaries of the Virgin River . The canyon is more than 300 m deep in places, but much narrower than the Narrows.
geography
Orderville Canyon begins about 11 miles west of Utah State Route 9 and is accessible via a dirt road. At the beginning of the canyon, the trail descends 30 meters and then along the water. The canyon becomes narrower and the walls rise vertically. From here a strenuous hike begins on the stony canyon floor, often through waist-deep water, to the Virgin River, about 10 km away. After the Dryfall , the canyon walls made of Navajo sandstone have grown to 100 meters, the canyon floor is relatively wide and sandbars have formed on both sides of the river bank. There are numerous conifers and bushes here, as well as the occasional huge boulders that have fallen from above. Some narrow side canyons, including the Walker Gulch , flow into the Orderville Canyon.
After rainfall, loamy mud and sometimes deep water points are to be expected. Shortly before the border to the national park, the canyon narrows and is now completely covered by water in places. There is a rock fall of over three meters in one place, but it can be safely overcome with a rope. Beyond the border, the narrow canyon continues and is only three to five meters wide, while the gray-yellow rock walls rise up to 200 meters. The rocks on the canyon floor are colored reddish - the colored stripe becomes wider and wider and soon dominates the entire canyon. Then the gorge widens again and after the mouth of the Bullock Gulch from the north, water flows steadily in the canyon.
When hiking, there are now more disabilities, for example from alluvial, piled tree trunks. Then the canyon is blocked by a huge five meter high rock, followed by a water basin several meters deep. The canyon has clear, fast flowing water with cascades and low waterfalls. Two narrow, overgrown side canyons flow from the north into the main canyon, followed by two tributaries from the south. Most of the time the path now leads through water, which is hardly more than 60 cm deep here. About a kilometer before it joins the Narrows, the canyon is blocked again by a boulder, which creates a 1.8 meter deep waterfall called the Vellet Falls . This pours into a water basin that fills the entire canyon laterally. The obstacle can only be overcome by jumping from the rock into the water. Shortly thereafter, the confluence with the Virgin River in the Zion Narrows follows.
Hike through the canyon
For experienced hikers, a hike through or into the canyon is recommended. There are two variants: The first leads down the entire Orderville Canyon, then turns south into the Zion Narrows and ends at the Temple of Sinawava in Zion Canyon at the beginning of the Riverside Walk Trail . The total distance is around 18 km, for which between 7 and 10 hours should be planned. The second variant is intended for hikers in the Narrows who prefer a detour to Orderville Canyon. The section up to the first rock barrier one kilometer away is ideal here.
For entering the Orderville Canyon official permission (is Permit ) of the National Park management required. Only 80 hikers are allowed daily. Entry into the canyon is not permitted in the Zion Narrows when there is a risk of thunderstorms with heavy rain and when the water volume is more than 100 cubic feet per second. A permit is also required for overnight stays within the Narrows, for which the numbered campsite is allocated. It can be requested no earlier than three months before the planned date. Strict rules apply to such tours, compliance with which is monitored by park rangers .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Orderville Canyon , accessed September 10, 2013.
- ↑ a b Permits , accessed on September 10, 2013.
Web links
Coordinates: 37 ° 18 '42.98 " N , 112 ° 55' 59.26" W.