TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
Mummy Canyon becomes visible off to the left as you are driving on Hwy 190 toward the eastern park entrance:
Mummy Canyon cuts a path through the foothills of the Funeral Mountains:
The parking spot for the hike is located at the park entrance sign:
After an easy 10 minute walk on the gravel safely off the highway, you reach the mouth of Mummy Canyon:
Our hike was a true family hike with Stefan in his backpack carrier, wearing his infant helmet for safety purposes:
Mummy Canyon looks majestic right from the start. It is a wonder that this location has never before been published. It truly was hidden in plain sight:
A unique rock type and texture on the canyon walls:
This is the first picture showing the mummy. Here, the back of the mummy is visible on the right side:
In this wider view, note how the mummy stands guard over the canyon:
Daria hiking up the wash on a warm November afternoon:
Mummy Canyon begins narrowing down and slowly curving around to the right:
The canyon walls are covered with displays of honeycomb weathering or cavernous weathering up high:
Sunlight shining into the canyon and making picture taking difficult:
There are very few obstacles in the canyon before the major dry fall. This is fairly easy family hiking:
A small peak above the canyon bathed in sunlight:
The white bands which were visible earlier now come into focus in the middle canyon:
The canyon walls appear to be closing in close together:
Up ahead, we could see a short section of narrows taking shape:
Steve and Stefan outside of the narrows:
Looking straight down the middle of the narrows:
Another angle showing the height of the canyon walls:
The narrows quickly dead-end at this impassable dry fall:
We looked up and had our first view of Jensen Natural Bridge:
Jensen Bridge forms a tunnel-like opening for water to flow through during floods:
While Jensen Bridge is not very large, it is quite impressive as it connects the two sides of the canyon just above the dry fall:
If a mountain lion or Bighorn sheep tried to walk across Jensen Bridge, there is a good chance that it would collapse:
Jensen Bridge is the second most easily accessible natural bridge in the park. Only Natural Bridge is easier to hike to:
Two pictures showing Steve, Stefan, and Daria standing below Jensen Bridge:
Looking out the narrow passage that we walked through:
On the hike back out, we could clearly make out the shape of the mummy:
Zooming in on the wrapped face and arms of the mummy:
Saying goodbye to the mummy and Mummy Canyon:
Back out in the sunny wash, we spotted an arch up on the hillside:
Three years later, I returned to Mummy Canyon with my friend Josh and decided to climb up to the western ridge. Here, we are climbing up the hillside from the canyon wash not far from the highway:
Looking over at the canyon entrance while climbing the hillside:
The walls of Mummy Canyon already look majestic from this vantage point:
Picking up a sheep trail made climbing the hillside a little bit easier:
Our route circled wide around the backside of the canyon on the western side:
One of our rewards in doing this extra hike was magnificent views of Pyramid Peak:
Continuing to follow sheep trails as we headed over closer to the canyon rim. If you do this hike, be careful as the sheep get too close to the edge for comfort. Please stay far away from the edge of the cliffs in order to stay safe:
Nearly parallel with the towering canyon walls which mark the canyon entrance:
Our first view into the section of Mummy Canyon which turns sharply to the right:
An incredible view looking down into the spot where Mummy Canyon turns into a narrow slot:
The eastern rim of Mummy Canyon seen with Pyramid Peak in the background:
Notice how the honeycomb weathering extends all the way to the top of the walls:
These narrows sure look outstanding from above. Sadly, there is no way to zoom in on Jensen Bridge:
The incredible eastern wall of Mummy Canyon is truly a sheer cliff:
Looking back out the canyon mouth from high above on the western rim:
A very unique view of the mummy of Mummy Canyon. The mummy's head is at the top of the left section of rock, while the body shifts over to the middle section of rock:
Looking in the distance to the head of Mummy Canyon. Simple rolling hills without anything real interesting:
This view down into upper Mummy Canyon shows why a visit shouldn't be attempted:
