Heading up the wash while following red hillsides to our right:
Looking off at some of the colorful peaks and mountains in the distance:
The hillsides to the right were our guide to follow 5 Mile Rock Canyon for the first 6 miles:
Looking back at a very prominent peak behind us which stands out tall:
Two pictures of high rocky cliffs which we passed by in the middle area of 5 Mile Rock Canyon:
Steve getting a picture by a natural arch which we passed by:
These black bands gave us a glimpse of the greater things which were to come later:
A large undercut or cave which my fellow hikers called "the cat's den":
Here we have reached the spot which I called "5 Mile Rock" (out of view in this picture but seen in my Upper Hidden Bridge Canyon report). It marks progress of 5 miles up the canyon and also is an important dividing point. Turning right here heads for Upper Hidden Bridge Canyon, while turning left kept us on route towards Upper Big Fall Canyon:
Jeremy and Jordan hiking into the short gorge area of 5 Mile Rock Canyon:
More black bands on display on the canyon wall:
We hiked through the short gorge area, took another side canyon, and then finally attained the ridge which divides the side canyon washes with the washes heading towards Big Fall Canyon, which cuts straight down the middle to the right in this picture:
Diagonal bands on the wall at the beginning of Upper Big Fall Canyon:
Check out the unique characteristics of the right and left canyon walls in the next two pictures:
Heading past the first minor dry fall in the next three pictures:
The high cliffs above Big Fall Canyon became more evident as we moved down canyon:
First sign of the golden glow on the upper canyon walls which was very evident in the lower canyon:
In the next five pictures, the golden glow becomes more evident as the canyon narrows down:
Entering the 1st Narrows of Upper Big Fall Canyon:
The narrows were amazing right from the beginning:
Notice the variety of colors right from the start, with orange, white, blue, and grey:
The narrows also had considerable height right as they started:
Two pictures of Steve in the 1st Narrows of Upper Big Fall Canyon:
This is where the turquoise or Caribbean blue first caught my attention. I've never seen narrows with this shade of light blue:
Along with the blue color, the golden glow of the upper canyon walls also extended down to the wash:
The canyon walls had gotten so high that I couldn't get the wash in the picture. This is an overhang which turns sharply in the narrows:
There was no shortage of spectacular scenery in the 1st Narrows:
Another angle of the last picture, but showing more height of the walls:
A breathtaking panoramic putting you in the middle of a dramatic bend in the 1st Narrows:
A rounded area on the wall with pretty streaks across the smooth rock:
Sunshine was creeping into the narrows in the early afternoon of our visit:
The 1st Narrows continued to be spectacular for quite some time:
This picture of Steve gives some perspective of how small a person feels when walking through here:
This canyon wall angles out into the middle of the canyon as it heads upward:
More stunning colors on display within the 1st Narrows in the next two pictures:
A true perspective picture as the canyon walls bend to the left near the end of the 1st Narrows:
At any point in the 1st Narrows, we expected our hike to come to an end at the top of Big Fall. However, Big Fall was nowhere to be found as the towering narrows and canyon continued:
Notice how close the walls come together up ahead. They are almost touching each other:
Finally exiting the 1st Narrows after being amazed for such a long time:
The canyon opened up a bit for a while, but not too much:
Passing by a smooth slab on the left canyon wall:
A couple of polished dry falls which we passed by in the mid canyon:
The canyon constricted up ahead as we rounded this bend:
As you can see in the next two pictures, the walls were close together. But this was not yet the 2nd Narrows:
Climbing down a minor dry fall at this very pretty spot in the canyon:
Exiting the constriction around this bend. Notice the great contrast between the colors on opposing sides of the canyon walls:
The famous golden glow of Big Fall Canyon was once again standing out as the canyon widened:
Check out the sharp ridges and stripes on the rock in the next three pictures:
Another beautiful spot in Upper Big Fall Canyon. In the next two pictures, we are preparing to enter the 2nd Narrows:
Getting a close-up of the blue rock of the 2nd Narrows:
The 2nd Narrows are about to drop steeply down:
The turquoise or Caribbean water blue from the 1st Narrows is also evident in the 2nd Narrows:
Continuing to drop down through the narrows in the next two pictures:
Check out the turquoise glow towards the bottom middle of this picture. It was even more beautiful to behold in person:
The turquoise glow contrasting with the golden glow of the upper canyon walls:
Even though the narrows were dropping elevation, there were no problem dry falls anywhere up to this point:
As you can clearly see, there was not much space to walk through between the two canyon walls:
Another perfect contrast in colors as we slid down this blue polished minor dry fall:
Notice how much the 2nd Narrows twisted as shown in the next two pictures:
Black bands crossing the rocks. There was always something interesting to see in the narrows. We could have easily spent the whole day there. And that's why a backpacking trip is better than a day hike when it comes to exploring this area:
A short corridor like passage through the narrows:
Notice the surface of the ground we were walking on. Sometimes gravel and sometimes solid rock connecting the two sides of the canyon:
Yet another extremely colorful spot in the 2nd Narrows:
The two sides of the canyon are only separated by arms length here:
One final bend in the 2nd Narrows before...
Arriving at the edge of Big Fall, a titanic 125 foot dry fall:
Big Fall is made up of the same beautiful blue rock which highlighted the narrows:
On the right side of this picture, you can see one of our hikers looking down. There is a way to wrap around from Big Fall to where he is standing to get an alternate view:
125 feet down below Big Fall, the wash continues by passing through what are probably the most dramatic narrows in the park:
Here is an outstanding view of the narrows beyond Big Fall. If you follow the wash below with you eyes, you can see what is likely the 2nd dry fall (15 feet) starting by the large boulder:
Looking back at Big Fall from the alternate viewpoint which we found:
And looking down at the wash below from the alternate viewpoint:
Jeremy overlooking Big Fall and the titanic narrows below:
A couple of pictures of Steve as he carefully looks over Big Fall. After enjoying our lunch here, we hiked the 9 miles back to our vehicle and called it a day:
