Middle Fork Taylor Creek Trail – Kolob Canyons
We started this hike in July… but got a late start on it, and wasn’t prepared enough with enough water for all of us during the heat, so we didn’t get to finish this in July. We went back in November, much more prepared with cooler weather, and we were able to finish the whole hike, even though rain did threaten us a bit on the way back to the truck. So in the pictures, you’ll see us in shorts, those were obviously taken in July, and then in pants, in November, where it was much cooler. We were warned that there are many rattlesnakes along this trail… We were lucky enough not to see any..in July or November… This trail criss crosses many times over the creek. In July, there wasn’t any water, but in November, there was..so sometimes it made crossing a little more fun since you didn’t want to get wet feet!
This was Cole’s first major hike… 5 miles round trip, at age 5, and even though he did need a little piggybacking on the way back to the truck…he did walk most of it himself.
The route begins at the Middle Fork of Taylor Creek Trailhead about 2 miles past the Visitor Center in Kolob Canyons. This is a 5.4 mile, easy to moderate hike, leading to a double arch alcove. The ascent is 450′. There are a couple of charming historic cabins along the way.
Larsen Cabin: The Larsen Cabin is located among a grove of Pines and of Juniper trees 1.2 miles up the trail, a little off the trail on the left. The 1930s cabin marks the confluence of the two forks. Tucupit Point towers above the cabin. To the left of this point is the North Fork of Taylor Creek. The limestone capped mountain behind Tucupit is, Horse Ranch Mountain, the highest point in Zion National Park at 8726’/2660m.
Fife Cabin: SUSC instructor, Arthur Fife also built his cabin in 1930. When not at the college in Cedar City, he lived in the cabin and raised goats. This cabin rests in a grove of maple, oak and fir trees. The trail bends to the right after the Fife cabin.
Double Arch Alcove: Continue following the creek bed to where the canyon ends at two blind arches in one rock face. This was amazing to see…definitely worth the hike we took to get there. Check out the other pictures from the hike here.