Hiking the Entire Length of the Virgin River Gorge: Part 2

12 December 2023—Virgin River Gorge: Cedar Pockets to Littlefield, Arizona

We finally found a day that we all had free, and with no storm. After meeting at Hank's house we drove to McDonald's and ate breakfast, then into the gorge to Cedar Pockets. We parked at the trailhead and waited for the sun to rise.

A month had passed since we hiked the first half and temperatures had dropped since then⸺not considerably, but enough to be noticeable. We waited in the warm truck until we saw the first ray of light on the clifftop.

We weren't sure what to expect during this second half. Although it would be shorter mileage, we were told by someone that it was more difficult because the gorge in this section was narrower, thus creating deeper water.

Our first river-crossing came five minutes into the hike. It was a wide crossing, and as we stepped into the current the shock of ice-cold water jolted through our bodies. The water came to my knees. By the time I crossed my feet were numb. The silver-lining was that we didn't have to cross the river for another two miles.

First crossing of the river. Very frigid!

A look back at I-15, which we would parallel most of the way.

From this point we stayed on the Sullivan Canyon Trail, the only path of its sort we would see in the gorge. It took us along a horseshoe bend of the Virgin River and then up and over a hill where we had a good view of the freeway. After dropping into Sullivan Canyon it was just a 5-minute walk until we reunited with the river.

We were able to walk along the left bank for a while, but inevitably it was back into the water. It was just as frigid as the first time, only now it soaked up to my thighs. We still hadn't felt the sun and temperatures were only slightly above freezing.

Looking down-river from the mouth of Sullivan Canyon.

Second crossing of the day. (still cold)

This first section of the hike was miserable. We were in and out of the river several times and although everything from my thighs down were cold, it was my feet that were turning numb.There was little enjoyment of the scenery. I was in more of a survival mode, putting one foot in front of the other.

At least we weren't fighting tamarisk and willows like we had during the first half of the hike. There were exceptions, but for the most part thick vegetation was a thing of the past. Our challenge now was to find crossings where rapids were minimal and water wasn't too deep.

 

South side of bridge #1.

Taking a break on north side of bridge #1.  Finally in the sun!

Beneath this bridge we passed from the south side of the freeway to the north; although our foray to the north side would be short-lived because after a small horseshoe bend, it would return to the south side.—But while on the north side we took our first real break. We enjoyed our first touch of sunlight. I took some ibuprofen, which seemed to help with the pain.

This small break was a turning point for me. It now felt as if the misery had melted away and I was able to enjoy the beauty of the gorge. It even felt as if the temperature of the river went up a few degrees. The touch of the water no longer stung like it once did.

Looking back at bridge #1, from north side.

As an aside, I should interject some words on the majesty of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge.

Until the project was completed in1973, there was absolutely no motorized traffic through the gorge. Instead, vehicles traveling between Las Vegas and Salt Lake would have to circumvent the rugged chasm by traveling on Highway 91 and over Utah Hill.

Construction of the project began in the early 1960's and lasted nine years. They say it was the most expensive rural freeway project to date. The undertaking included seven bridges and diverted the river twelve times.

A story is told about a 50-foot pile that workers thought they had planted into bedrock, only to have it sink into the ground, leaving no trace the next morning! In some places workers had to rappel 400 feet down a sheer ledge to plant charges of dynamite. One worker, Jimmie Hughes, died while on the project.

Nowadays thousands of drivers cruise at seventy miles an hour without a thought of what it took to build this road. There are two lanes of traffic in each direction. Even with that in mind, it is still a white-knuckle experience to venture through here. Walls are sheer on both sides and the route is anything but straight. Oftentimes when I drive through there will be a concrete guardrail with no shoulder on one side and a semi-truck with eighteen wheels barreling on the other!

Bridge #2, looking from south side.

Straight section with freeway just above us.

We continued around the bend and under the second bridge to the south side. For some distance the river ran relatively straight with the freeway only a stone's throw away on the right. (This is the only hike I've ever done where I could hear traffic the entire time!) The river bank consisted of a concrete / road base / hard sludge that ran from the freeway above to the river below. I don't know exactly what it was, but it created some tricky diagonal walking and it was sharp on the hands.

It was along this stretch that we passed by another gauging station. Like the gauging station we saw on the first half, this was a concrete weir that stretched from one side of the river to the other, creating a small dam behind it. Water spilled over the weir. On that day the river measured 17.11 feet deep and flowed at 158 cubit feet per second.

Gauging station, just a stones throw from the freeway.

Scarring on rock wall where dynamite was used to blast rock.

At mile five the river passed beneath the freeway, again to the north side. Along this stretch was the first section where cars on the freeway could actually see us. The banks of the river were wider now, and sandy. Fewer strands of willow and tamarisk grew, making the walk much easier.

It was in this section where we first noticed the warm springs. I dipped my hand into a rivulet of water that issued from the cliff. It was not hot, but luke-warm. There was a distinct scent of sulfur. As we walked we found other springs.

South side of bridge #3.

Grafitti on pier below bridge #3.

First warm spring.

The further into the gorge we got, the narrower it became. The walls moved in so close that it became necessary to build the freeway on top of the river. As we hiked this section there were giant piers that came down into the river and we could hear the rumbling of the traffic directly overhead. Near this point we found two more warm springs, one of them fairly large in size.

I don't know if this counts as a bridge, but nevertheless, the freeway is built above the river.

Freeway still elevated above the river.

Another of many warm springs.

The freeway runs directly over the river.

In an unexpected move, primarily to relocate to the warm sun, we stopped and ate lunch by the side of the pavement. We actually walked alongside the road for a few minutes. At this point there is a pullout alongside the freeway where thrill-seekers can park and walk to a rock climbing area. We opted to go on the opposite side of a low hill that separated us from traffic. It was here that we ate our lunch.

From this location we were nearly out of the gorge, although we still had a few more miles to our final destination. From our lunch spot we could walk to the rim of the hill and see “the narrows.” It didn't look too much worse than anything we had already done.

After lunch we descended the steep embankment from the freeway down to the water. Immediately we had to cross the river and this time it was deeper than at any other place this day, coming up to my belly button. At least by now the air and water had warmed considerably.

Before we knew it we were out of the gorge, although still down in a ravine cut by the river. Even at this point we found more warm springs, one of them with sand bags around it where someone tried creating a little pool.

This section of the river is referred to as "The Narrows."

Hank and Rob at the end of a sheep tunnel.

We stayed down at the river for another mile before we found a dirt road that took us up onto dry ground. We stayed on this road, which paralleled the freeway for over two miles until we arrived at the gas station in Littlefield, Arizona where Hank's wife would meet us. We were grateful to be done, and especially with a little daylight left in the sky.

I kept track of how many times we crossed the river that day: twenty-four. The total length was just over 10 miles and it took us roughly 9 hours. We didn't get as battered on this last half. There was no crawling under tamarisk and no bleeding hands. We were happy. It was a satisfying accomplishment that most people cannot say they've done.

Looking at our overall hike, which includes the first half, the total distance was 27 miles, which we covered in 22 hours. We split it into two days, a month apart, primarily because after the first day we were just too beat!

We hiked from the southern part of St. George, Utah (Bloomington) to the Eagles Landing Travel Plaza, just outside the city limits of Littlefield, Arizona. We walked through very remote country with no road access as well as several miles directly under a major freeway.

Although I doubt that I will ever repeat this feat in my lifetime, I am confident that I will explore much more of the gorge, as well as the Beaver Dam Mountains. ♠

 

(L to R) Rob, Hank and John.

Finally out of the gorge.  Looking back at I-15 and the Beaver Dam Mountains.

Virgin River Gorge hike, Part 1