PAGE, AZ
This place looks like the surface of the moon!
I decided to check this trail out, despite having just 28 reviews on AllTrails. It's just 30 minutes north of Page and, as you can see, I really lucked out on parking.
One cool thing about the hikes around here: you get to the trailhead and there is nothing around you, but you follow the trail and bam! Total change of scenery. The picture above is a perfect example of that.
Wiregrass Canyon is a flat out-and-back trail. I did a total of 6.6 miles with a 404' elevation gain. You can go farther if you like, and if you'd prefer shorter, no problem because the best part of the hike is just 1.5 miles in.
The trail starts out flat and boring, but here's where things start to get interesting. We are going down into that gully there. It's not as deep as Cathedral Wash, but still fun.
And here is an even deeper gully:
Not sure what this thing is below, but it looks like a fourth grader's lousy science project thrown together the night before it's due, and that tower of glue and sand is definitely falling apart during his presentation. He's definitely getting a C-.
Shortly after reaching the gully, I came to this drop-off. I had read comments from a solo female hiker (sound familiar?) who turned around at this point because she's just 5 feet tall (ok, that is definitely not me) because she was worried she wouldn't be able to get back up this ledge without a boost.
Once I got to the bottom, I understood her hesitation - that IS a high ledge to get back on to! When you stand on that pile of rocks, the next little area to climb to is a good 5' up and there wasn't much to hang on to. Obviously, I made it back. Less obvious, I made it back without incident. Whew!
Ok, here is the fun stuff. I love these formations below - how crazy looking is this?
Isn't this how you imagine the surface of the moon to look?
I didn't see a single person on the trail, nor was anyone parked at the trailhead when I got back. That coupled with the fact that this trail has just 28 reviews on AllTrails makes me think it's a bit of a hidden gem. I kind of get how Buzz Aldrin feels - I wasn't the first person to step foot there, but I was one of the few who did. :)