Kanab Creek
Vital Statistics
Mileage
Colorado River to Scotty’s Hollow: 9 miles
Scotty’s Hollow to Jumpup Canyon: 7 miles
Jumpup Canyon to Kwagunt Hollow: 4 miles
Kwagunt Hollow to Sowats Point: 5 miles
Jumpup Canyon to Hack Canyon: 10.5 miles
Hack Canyon to Willow Springs TH: 7.5 miles
Jumpup Spring TH to Kwagunt Hollow: 7 miles
Maps
15’ Jumpup Canyon, Kanap Pt.
Trails Illustrated: Grand Canyon National Park
(Contains only a small part of Kanab Creek)
USFS: N Kaibab National Forest
BLM: Arizona Strip District
Elevation Changes
6200’ to 1920’
Trailhead Access
The Most popular access points to the Kanab Creek area are Sowats point, Jumpup Spring and Hack Canyon. Indian Hollow is used to complete a loop like starting at Indian Hollow Pt (see George Steck: Grand Canyon Loop Hikes I). Kwagunt Hollow (via Sowats Pt) is probably the quickest way in. The USFS and BLM maps provide direction to the points. Due to snow, Sowats Point, Indian Hollow Point, and Jumpup Spring may be inaccessible in late fall, winter and soaring. Four wheel drive is advisable on all these roads under wet conditions.
Trail Description
Sowats Point to Kanab Creek: The trail begins from the road about 200 yards before reaching Sowats Point. There is a Forest Service bulletin board introducing hikers to the Kanab Creek Wilderness Area. The trail is fairly easy to follow as it descends and contours around the point through the Kaibab, Toroweap and Coconino formations. This trail is steep and covered with loose gravel. Upon reaching a large group of cottonwood trees, you have a choice. The simplest and fastest is to head straight down the drainage of Kwagunt Hollow below the trees. For the most part this is open and involves minimal routefinding. Several falls are easily bypassed on the left side. Kwagunt Hollow joins Jumpup Canyon just above the Jumpup Narrows.
An alternative is to remain on the trail at the cottonwood trees and follow into Sowats Canyon. A large cairn supposedly mark the descent into Sowats Canyon, entering the canyon just below Bitter Springs. From here, boulder-hop down the drainage to Jumpup and then the top of the Jumpup narrows at Kwagunt Hollow. Indian Hollow enters fro the lefthand side about a mile into the narrows. The confluence with Kanab Creek is obvious where the narrows enter a spacious (by comparison) creek bed.
Jumpup/Kanab Confluence to Colorado River:
Follow the main creek bed to the Colorado River. The entire way involves tedious boulder hopping, wading and scrambling over and around large rocks. The walls of this canyon rise directly out of the creek bed for a thousand feet. Scotty’s Hollow is the largest side drainage on the west side of Kanab. The large spire at its mouth and across the creek bed identifies it. This should not be confused with another similar spire another mile downstream. Scotty’s Hollow is an interesting side trip but contains purveys and chock stones that will be accessible only to those with climbing skills and no aversion to heights. Continuing to the Colorado River below here is more boulder-hopping and stream crossings.
Hack Canyon to Kanab/Jumpup Confluence
Start at the Willow Springs Trailhead (Sunshine Point) or drive down Hack Canyon from the top as far as possible. From the corral at the Willow Springs TH descend to the west along the trail a little way and then switchback below the cliffs. Follow the trail through the Coconino and then on down to the bed of Hack Canyon. Willow Springs is a few hundred yards upstream. Kanab Creek is an easy walk downstream from here. The way to Jumpup involves more walking down an open streambed
Water Sources
The Kanab Creek drainage includes lands devoted to agriculture and livestock. As a result, the water is reported to be high in chemical content. Under dry conditions, the creek usually shows up a few miles below the Jumpup confluence. Other water sources are available in side canyons where seeps sometime occur. A large pothole of stagnant water under a pouroff is fairly reliable in Jumpup, about 2 miles up from the Jumpup/Kanab confluence. More springs will be found about 2-3 miles down Kanab Creek from the Kanab/Jumpup confluence.
Comments
Kanab Creek is a remote, beautiful deep gorge. Under wet or monsoon conditions, Kanab Creek can form an impassable raging torrent and the possibility of a flash flood anywhere in this drainage is real.
Tributaries to Kanab Creek include several narrow which are impressive places formed by vertical walls of polished Redwall (Jumpup and Indian Hollow, for example). There is virtually no protection during a slash flood and no rapid exits. These narrows should be entered with trepidation any time that rain is possible and especially during the monsoon season of July, August and September. Keep in mind that help may be several days away in the event of an emergency.
Tennis shoes or sandals may be helpful for the numerous stream crossings.
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