![]() Plus, driving the ~45 miles back in to town would be less than ideal in the dark. I can see where it would be challenging after dark, even with cairns/compass/map. The hike back to the Moki lot is tiring after a long day. Again, rope was not necessary, but was very helpful. Didn’t feel dangerous on the way up, but was definitely a workout. It’s a tough cardio workout going back up to the top. For the ascent, it’s also possible without the rope although at the very bottom it’s helpful to have a boost up the first several feet. That’s all you need to know about the canyon. Once at the bottom, it’s absolutely worth it. Even with a rope there today, we had someone who refused to try. I’ll repeat: if you have anyone in the party who is afraid of heights or is unsure at all on their feet, this is probably not the route for you-even with a rope. To drive all this way on this horrible road and then hike an hour to the canyon through a desert, your best bet is to bring your own 200ft rope. Two teenage kids with good trail shoes had no major problem with the descent. The descent is certainly possible without a rope but as above there can be no fear of heights, and I think good grip shoes are a must also. We had one in our party, and she ruled it out after evaluating the descent (even with a rope present). Even with a rope, if there is a fear of heights, it’s probably not a good idea to try. Here’s the hard part: getting down into the canyon. I can see how this would be unbearably hot in the summer. Weather was ideal with a high around 55 degrees. I was worried about getting lost on this hike, but I never found it difficult with all the cairns and a (minimally used)compass. Just be careful around corners and over hills.) The hike to the white “bird” at the canyon is well marked as of today (Mar 31 2021). ![]() I found that driving in excess of about 35mph was less bumpy than traveling slow such as about 15-20mph. (Bonus tip: the ~45 mile drive over the washboard road is actually a little more bearable at higher speeds. I was in a Suburban with all wheel drive and never felt uneasy, but I was definitely careful. For dry conditions like this week, apparently cars can make it, but I’d still recommend a truck/SUV/jeep/etc even in the best conditions. In fact, I would say 4X4 is mandatory if there’s been any recent rain. If it was muddy/wet at all, the cars would not have made it. I would not recommend this drive without a high clearance vehicle. There were a couple sedans in the Moki lot, but I’m surprised they made it. The last couple miles to the parking lot are pretty rutted. The drive to the Moki parking area from Escalante is at least an hour. I did a lot of research and tried it today. Here’s the lowdown on the Jacob Hamlin arch via the sneaker route from an average hiker with teenage kids.
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