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Ten Facts about Colorado National MonumentSnow Trails, Trails EverywhereBLM Trails: Great Hiking & Biking
  
  A HEAVENLY WINTER HIKE IN DEVILS CANYON By Bob Kretschman
That off-season dormancy is precisely why I prefer hiking the canyons in winter. A dusting of snow over the landscape gives canyons a vastly different character than they display in warmer weather. Piñon and juniper trees hold tufts of snow on every branch. Melting snow sends tiny rivulets of water cascading over warm, south-facing rocks and cliffs, while in the cold, shady side canyons, the tracks of rabbits, coyotes and other wildlife can remain for weeks, frozen into snowy crust. Human tracks are few, simply because few people venture out to hike the canyons in winter's chill. The sun, lying low in the southern sky, casts long shadows in the canyons during winter. Wingate sandstone that comprises the towering canyon walls takes on unique hues with the low angle of the light, making winter one of the best times for photographers and artists to capture canyon country's full range of colors and contrasts. One of the best wintertime hikes in the Grand Junction area is Devils Canyon, which lies west of the city, near Fruita. The canyon is part of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (formerly known, and still referred to on many maps, as Colorado Canyons NCA), a region of unique topography and beautiful vistas, laced with excellent hiking trails. The lower portion
From the main trailhead, follow Trail D1 for approximately eight-tenths of a mile to its intersection with Trail D4, which descends from a ridge into the lower Devils Canyon drainage. During winter, ice fills the tiny streambed in the shallow lower canyon, and you get your first glimpse of the different world that exists in the bottom of desert canyons. Uplands are dominated by piñon and juniper trees, cactus and sage. In the canyons, where water is more easily available, cottonwood trees grow from sandbars deposited by thousands of years of spring runoff and summertime flash floods. Stay on Trail D4 for a short distance until it connects to Trail D3, which is the trail that takes you into the upper reaches of Devils Canyon. To this point, the trail has been easy walking. But to access those upper reaches of the canyon, you'll need to hike up a steep escarpment made of hard, dark-colored stone. Geologists say this rock is some of the oldest on earth, dating back billions of years. When you reach the top of the escarpment and stop to catch your breath at the base of the red cliffs around you, you're standing atop a gap of more than 300 million years
Your hike gets much easier once you've climbed the escarpment. This section of trail makes a 3.8-mile loop up one side of the canyon and back. As you walk, watch closely for signs of desert bighorn sheep that live in this area. You might also see mule deer, rabbits, or a variety of birds. An old cabin built by cowboys who used to run cattle in the area marks the halfway point of your 7-mile hike. Take a few minutes to go inside and sign a visitor register that other hikers have left on the table. Although the cabin has a stove, don't build a fire to warm yourself, and don't plan to spend the night; fires and overnight camping aren't allowed in Devils Canyon. To reach the Devils Canyon trailhead, drive west from Grand Junction on Interstate 70 for about 10 miles and take the Fruita exit. Head southwest on Colorado Highway 340. Just after you cross the Colorado River, turn right on Kings View Road, following signs to McInnis Canyons NCA. After a short distance, the pavement ends; continue driving on the dirt road for about another half-mile until you see a side road to the Devils Canyon trailhead parking area. The aforementioned Trail D1 begins at the parking area; only hikers and horseback riders are allowed, no mountain bikes or motorized vehicles. It is helpful to carry a trail map of the area when hiking; maps are available from the Bureau of Land Management office in Grand Junction, 2815 H Road, phone 970-244-3000. |
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