jackson's trail

After we did Pritchett Canyon (so pretty!), we hung around the BLM parking lot for beers and snacks, and watched a number of trail runners heading out on Jackson's Trail.  "We should do that," we said.  A couple weeks later, we did.

Colorado River below

Jackson's Trail is both a MTB trail and a hiking trail, rated very difficult (for MTBing) because of its steep, exposed sections.  It is recommended that you ride it in the reverse direction from how we hiked it, starting from the Amasa Back trailhead.  I don't see how a person could ride up what we hiked but I sure would have liked to have seen a good MTBer ride down some of those sections.

The boys at a pour-off

It starts out easy enough, crossing Kane Creek as it enters the Colorado River (with spring run-off, this section is likely to be flooded), and then following the base of the cliffs along the river.  The climb is gradual at first and then we gained elevation quickly in steep, rocky/sandy switchbacks until the river was far, far below us.  There were a couple of exposed spots but it wasn't nearly as vertigo-inducing as the Portal trail.  I had been concerned about Milton but he showed good trail smarts, trotting calmly along without wandering further afield until the trail had climbed high enough to pull away from the cliff edge.

The boys with Behind the Rocks WSA and the La Sals

When we reached a trail intersection, we had a decision to make: take the Rockstacker trail (extremely difficult for MTBers with "consequences" along cliff edges) or the 4x4 trail to connect to the Pothole Arch trail.  Because we had the dog with us, we opted for the 4x4 trail, thinking to limit our time along the cliffs.  We'd like to go back and check it out sometime when it's just us people.

Ease on down the [jeep] road

And anyway, it wasn't like the 4x4 trail (connecting with the Amasa Back trails via Cliffhanger) wasn't stupidly scenic - there are spectacular views this whole hike, either the Colorado River or out across Behind the Rocks WSA to the La Sal mountains.  Absolutely stunning.  We got to another trail junction (this whole area is very well-signed which is wonderful) and checked out GPS.  Pothole Arch was another two miles one way, which would have made this hike 10+ miles round trip, a little long this early in the season.  So we had snacks, waved hello to the two MTBers and two dirtbikers who passed us, and then retraced our steps.

Napping

The return went very quickly - even having to stop to gawk at the views - and we were soon enough back at the parking lot, just as the sun came out for a few minutes, long enough for beers and snacks.  Milton sprawled out, face in the dirt, possibly because he overdid it chasing birds up on the mesa, or possibly because he loves to bake himself in the sun and there haven't been many opportunities for that so far this spring.

Hike stats:  6.02 miles; moving time 2:15 / 2.7 m.p.h.; overall 2:40 / 2.3 m.p.h.; 1,160' elevation