Blue Pools Canyon Trailhead

Welcome, curious travelers, to the Blue Pools Canyon Trailhead. As an academic devoted to the geosciences and the rich tapestry of human history interwoven with these landscapes, it is my absolute pleasure to guide you through…

We now approach the very first obstacle of our journey, a section that immediately filters out the casual highway passerby. Here, just beneath the concrete bridge of US Highway 89, the canyon floor abruptly drops. …

Having successfully negotiated the entrance, we find ourselves enveloped by the narrow corridors of Blue Pool Wash. The walls here begin to close in, rising vertically on either side, isolating us from the vast expanse of the…

We have now reached the deepest depressions within the canyon floor, the very features that give Blue Pools Canyon its evocative name. Though currently filled with dry sand and settled debris, try to envision this space during…

As we continue our subterranean trek, I ask you to direct your gaze upward, toward the smoother, protected panels of the canyon walls. In these sheltered alcoves, shielded from the direct scouring of wind and rain, we find the…

We now step into the most dramatic architectural feature of the canyon, a sweeping, water-sculpted chamber that marks the terminus of the narrow slot. The walls here bell outward, creating a cavernous, echoing rotunda. …

Having circumvented the final drop via an alternative scramble, we now stand on the expansive floor of the valley below the canyon. The change in atmosphere is immediate. …

Our journey through Blue Pools Canyon concludes with a hike out along the foot of the slickrock. We follow a fairly well-defined trail that skirts the edge of the resurrected valley, aiming for the noise of the highway that…