D3 - Devils Canyon Loop

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The dry wash is not always dry, so depending on the conditions and weather be prepared for some wet spots or tricky navigation to stay dry. If a summer storm is looming, best to avoid the washes all together due to flash flood potential.

Start at the main parking lot and head up the wide gravel road up D1 - Devils Canyon. Stay left at the first fork, straight at the K8 junction and left at the next junction. Right after you cross a small wooden bridge, take a right and drop down into the wash. The trail will weave from left to right across slick rock and sandy trail.

You might miss it, but the D4 - Devils Canyon trail climbs out of the canyon on the right as you head north into the canyon, stay in the wash. Before you have to ascend the metamorphic basement rock there are two options, you can head left and have a shorter outbound segment, or go right (highly recommended and mapped) so you get the climbing over sooner, and once you reach the cabin your return trip will be shorter and faster.

So, stay in the wash past the first junction on the left and then climb up the steep but short hill to reach the plateau. The next section is a wonderful stretch of rolling terrain below steep cliffs as you make your way back into the canyon towards the cabin. The cabin is pretty obvious and can be fun to check out (be careful since it is old and unmaintained), and when you are ready to finish the loop find the trail that heads downhill, to the west on the right side of the cabin.

A couple of steep wash descents/ascents await and some of the best tower scenery comes on the return trip. When you are back in the wash, continue all the way back to the parking lot.