The Pine Creek Box

It's definitely a time of transition.  Southern Utah is tottering right on the edge of summer and fall -- temperatures are still in the 80s, but the blistering edge is starting to wear down.  To escape the heat, we've spent all our summer weekends up in the mountains, which is wonderful, but after a while I start to crave red rock again.  

The Pine Creek Box in Dixie National Forest was a perfect compromise for this late-summer weekend.  The hike follows a creek through a scenic canyon on the southern foothills of the Aquarius Plateau.  It perfectly bridges the gap between mountain and desert -- you're surrounded by 1,000 ft rock cliffs and ponderosa pine.  It was also a great hike for our 16-week old puppy, Frankie.  Frankie is a trooper and a great adventure buddy, but she only has enough energy for about 3 hours of hiking before she gets tuckered out.  Consequently, we weren't able to hike the entire 8.8-mile trail, but it was still worthwhile to explore out-and-back from the lower trailhead.  We'd definitely like to come back when the dog is a little older to do the whole thing.

To hike the entire Pine Creek Box, you'll need a shuttle vehicle or a bike. To get to the trailheads, drive north from the town of Escalante towards Boulder on the Hells Backbone Road.  It's a good gravel road that's okay for passenger cars.  After 8 miles, you'll see a sign for the "Lower Box Access."  You can only drive a short distant before the road washes out, but it's a easy walk the rest of the way.  Leave a car here.  Continue driving north on the Hells Backbone Road 10.8 miles until you see a sign that says "Upper Box Access."  Start your hike here.

There isn't really a formal trail, but it's easy to just follow the creek downstream.  You'll be crossing the creek regularly, so don't try too hard to keep your feet dry.  The path is easy, there isn't any rock-scrambling involved, and the creek rarely gets more than shin-deep.  Basically, this is an mellow, refreshing hike that's great for puppies.  :)