Canyoneering Route Description
Benson Creek Canyon - 3B II
Dixie National Forest (Cedar City Dist.), Utah.
Pictures 10-25-08
Quick Facts
10-25-08, 3 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 4.75 hours)
This was the full canyon, NOT recommended.
Full Canyon Distance - 3.3 miles Total, 0.2 miles Technical
Rappels - 4 Rappels, Longest Rappel 105 feet.
See the
Canyoneer Trip Report Explanation Notes page
for an explanation of how the technical mileage or the gear used
list is determined.
Gear Used for Canyon
Rappelling and anchor gear, 200 foot rope, 200 foot pull cord and 30
feet of 1” webbing for sling placement. Depending on time of year,
neoprene pants, socks and possibly gloves are recommended if it is
cold and the canyon is flowing with spring snow run off. Water
contact is short lived but can be cold with spring snow run off. It
is pretty easy to keep your upper body mostly dry except for the
occasional splash so neoprene on the upper body would be over kill
(maybe a windbreaker).
General Comments
Benson Creek Canyon done from the top is not something I recommend.
The 2.7 mile approach through Benson Creek entails a lot of bush
whacking. So much so it becomes frustrating. This is rewarded with
4 rappels over a distance of less than 1000 feet. The first rappel
is very cool and I would love to recommend the canyon to people just
for this rap. Unfortunately the amount of bush whacking deters me
from recommending the canyon (at least done from this route) to
anyone.
To date the top down route is all I have done so that's all I have
to go on t the moment. There is a short route in from the bottom
that will allow Benson Creek Canyon to be done from the bottom then
do only the lower technical section. I have not explored this route
yet. When I do this page will get updated.
Getting to the Trailhead and Exit Vehicle (Escape Pod) Parking
To get to the Trailhead
The best way to do the canyon is to approach from the bottom and
do the lower portion of Benson Creek Canyon (which is the only
part with any technical stuff). Traveling north on I-15,
take the exit for highway 143 (exit 75) to the city of Parowan.
From the exit drive about 2.5 miles to an intersection with a
gas station on the right. Turn left and follow the signs for
highway 143 toward Brian Head.
5.8 miles from the intersection is a turn out on the right side
of the road. This is the best place to park. The route
starts from here and ends here if doing the lower portion of
Benson Creek Canyon, since the route will be done as a loop.
The trail for Benson Creek Canyon is directly across the street
(left side).
If you decide to do the full canyon (you won't like it) follow
the directions below to get to the head of the canyon.
After getting to the trailhead as described above, leave an exit
vehicle. Then continue driving 6.6 miles further up the
highway to a dirt road on the left (signage marks this as the
entry to the Thunder Ridge Scout Camp). A few hundred feet after
turning onto the dirt road will be a gate. 2 miles after
turning onto the dirt road will be a fork. The right fork is
off limits to vehicles and goes to the Thunder Ridge Scout
Camp. Turn left at this fork. 1.1 miles from the fork, the
road dips down as it crosses Benson Creek. This is the entry
point for the route. There are 2 small spots where a vehicle can
be parked while keeping off the road and out of the way of
through traffic. The dirt road leading to the trailhead does
not require four wheel drive but a vehicle with a little bit of
clearance will be needed. A low clearance car can make it to
within about 700 feet of the trailhead.
To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod
Doing the lower portion of Benson Creek Canyon (the preferred
route) requires no exit vehicle as this will be done as a loop
route.
If you decide to do the full canyon follow the
directions above to the upper trailhead. Be sure to leave an exit
vehicle at the trailhead for doing only the lower portion.
Maps
Map showing entire route.
Click for High-Res version.
Right Click then select "Save Target As" to save the Hi-Res version.
GPS Waypoint Information
Approach Waypoints
tBensonCreekTp
Top trailhead for Benson Creek Canyon.
N37 44.478 W112 49.050, Elevation 8781 ft
wBensonUprRP-1
A wash joins in from RDC and creates a concrete looking wall
about 12 feet high.
N37 45.066 W112 49.492
wBensonUprRP-2
What looks like an old road leaves the creek and heads northwest
up the bank. Stay in the creek.
N37 45.965 W112 49.611
yBensonTp
Top entry for Benson Creek. Stay on trails to the right until a
major drop in the wash.
N37 46.244 W112 49.837,Elevation 7525 ft
Canyon / Technical Section Waypoints
yBensonTp
Top entry for Benson Creek. Stay on trails to the right until a
major drop in the wash.
N37 46.244 W112 49.837,Elevation 7525 ft
dBensonCrkR1-2
Raps 1 - 2 in Benson Creek Canyon.
Rap 1 anchored from a large pine LDC and drops about 105 feet
down a water fall in a flute in the canyon wall.
Rap 2 anchored from 2 bolt and hangers RDC and drops 45 feet
over 2 stages down a waterfall.
N37 46.245 W112 49.861
dBensonCrkR3
Rap 3 in Benson Creek Canyon. Anchored from a tree LDC and drops
about 40 feet down a water fall.
N37 46.269 W112 49.900
dBensonCrkR4
Rap 4 in Benson Creek. About 30 feet down a waterfall anchored
from a tree LDC.
N37 46.328 W112 49.951
yBensonBt
Bottom exit of Benson Canyon. Where the rock path from Rap 4
meets maintained trail.
N37 46.325 W112 49.988, Elevation 7310 ft
Exit Route Waypoints
yBensonBt
Bottom exit of Benson Canyon. Where the rock path from Rap 4
meets maintained trail.
N37 46.325 W112 49.988, Elevation 7310 ft
jBensonTrlJct1
Turn right on the way out of Benson Creek Canyon.
N37 46.366 W112 50.109
jBensonTrlJct2
Turn right on the way out of Benson Creek Canyon.
N37 46.486 W112 50.232
jBensonTrlJct3
Turn left on the way out of Benson Creek Canyon.
N37 46.503 W112 50.285
jBensonTrlJct4
Turn right on the way out of Benson Creek Canyon.
N37 46.492 W112 50.306
tBensonCreekBt
Bottom trailhead for Benson Creek.
N37 46.532 W112 50.308, Elevation 7109 ft
Details
The Approach:
Route info for doing only the lower section of Benson
Creek Canyon is not yet available. Info will be added here
when I get the chance to do it via that route.
If you want to do the full canyon (NOT Recommended),
follow these directions:
From the upper trailhead follow a series of faint
trails RDC. Resist the urge to take
one of the multiple trails that drop into the wash. Stay
on the trails running along the bank on the right for about the
first 0.5 miles. The trails are faint but there are a lot
of them intertwining all over.
About 0.5 miles from the upper trailhead is a small wash joining from RDC.
Drop in and follow it to the main creek then continue working
down canyon in the main wash. Here is
where the bush whacking starts and continues until you reach the
technical section at 2.6 miles in.
About 0.9 miles from the upper trailhead is another wash joining
from RDC and has created a 12 foot wall that looks like cement(wBensonUprRP-1).
Along the way are sections where there has been a lot of foot
traffic with faint trails mixed with sections
with no signs of foot traffic and very thick vegetation to work
your way through. It is almost confusing to see areas of
thick vegetation with no apparent human travel that separate
areas that look like they are occasionally traveled.
About 2.1 miles from the upper trailhead is a path heading
out of the creek LDC (wBensonUprRP-2). It heads up the bank to the northwest.
The path leads up to what looks
like an old forgotten dirt road. I
cannot find this road on any maps though. Do not go up
this path up the left bank. Continue down canyon in the
water course.
After more bushwhacking you will finally make it to the top of the
first rappel which is at the head of the canyon.
The Canyon / Technical Section:
Rap 1 (dBensonCrkR1-2) is anchored from a large pine tree LDC. Rap 1 drops
about 12 feet to a ledge in the water course then follows down a
water fall. The total length of Rap 1 is about 105 feet.
The ground at the anchor point is steep, so tying a safety to the
tree is a good idea while standing there setting up the rap or
getting on rap.
Rap 1 is by far the highlight of the entire route. It
drops along a water fall that drops down a flute in the tight
section of the canyon. There is moss growing in various
places along the rock adding to the visual candy. If you
are there during spring snow melt the water WILL be
cold. You may even get treated with ice formed on the
rocks along the way, which will only remind you of how cold it
is.
If the canyon is flowing you will get wet up to about mid calf
while rapping the water fall and get splashed enough to get damp
up to your waist or a little higher. The rest of the
technical section will have a few spots where you will need to
step into knee deep water. If the day is warm and the
water is not from snow run off this should not be a problem.
If it is cold and there is snow run off creating the water flow
in the canyon, you might want to consider neoprene gloves,
booties and pants.
When pulling the ropes for rap 1, be careful. There are a
couple cracks near the top that can grab your rope. We
found it best to pull the rope as far back from the rap as
possible and to move as far to the left as possible as well.
This seemed to do a pretty good job of keeping the ropes free of
the cracks.
Rap 2 is right at the bottom of rap 1. Rap 2 is anchored
from 2 bolt and hangers RDC. Rap 2 drops down a total of
about 45 feet. It is over 2 stages each being a little
over 20 feet. This rap is also down waterfalls.
Rap 3 (dBensonCrkR3) is a little over 300 feet down canyon from rap 2.
Rap 3 is anchored from a tree LDC which is about 20 feet from
the rappel. Rap 3 drops about 40 feet down a water fall.
Lots of ice forms here when it is cold enough. Be careful
if there is ice here. The chunks can easily break off and
hurt someone below.
Rap 4 is about 500 feet down canyon from rap 3. Rap 4 is
the final rappel of the canyon and drops about 30 feet down
another water fall. The anchor is a tree LDC. A
great angle for pictures on this rap is a ledge RDC near the top
of the rappel.
The Exit:
After finishing rap 4 do not continue down the wash. Instead
climb up a path at the bottom of the rap RDC to a rock field.
There is a path near the bottom of the rock field that travels
down canyon just above the creek. About 135 feet from rap 4 the
path in the rock field will drop onto a well maintained trail.
Hike this trail 0.5 miles to the highway where the exit vehicle
was parked. Along the way you will come across 4 trail
junctions. Turn right at the first and second junctions, turn
left at the third and right at the forth junctions.
Shortly after will be the lower trailhead (tBensonCreekBt)and
the completion of the route.
GPS Waypoint Information
In the future I may start to have GPX
files for down load but not quite yet.
Most
GPS units and mapping software use the common gpx file format
including Google Earth.
National Geographic TOPO! hides the feature
to import GPX files. To find the feature........
1. Click on "Handhelds" in the menu at the top.
2. Select the option for "Import (from GPS or .txt)
Wizard..
3. Select "In a .gpx file....... and click
on Next
4. Use the window that opens to navigate to the GPX file
you wish to open.
Garmin MapSource will open a GPX file in
the same way it opens other formats by simply using the File
then Open.
If you wish to convert between formats to
get your data from one software title to another you can use the
free GPSBabel software.
Elevations are approximate. Waypoints with no elevation
data will display NaN in place of the elevation.
Elevations are in meters so multiplying by 3.28083 is necessary
to get elevations in feet.
The first letter of a waypoint denotes the type of point.
Rappels start with d. Technical top and bottom of canyons
start with y. the letter w denotes a generic point.
Scenic spots start with s. Trailheads start with t.
Junctions of trails or canyons start with j.
Notes for GPS information:
Waypoint coordinates are listed with
WGS84 datum and in Lat/Lon hddd.ddddd° format.
Waypoints are listed alphabetically by waypoint name
(not in order on the route).
BEFORE entering coordinates from this website, please ensure
your system (GPS or mapping software) is set to the same datum
used here (WGS84). Entering coordinate information with
inconsistent datum's can result in the waypoints being off by
hundreds of feet. It is important to keep this in mind
when entering waypoints from any source.
tStrike2Cyn |
- Place to start up the wash toward Strike 2 Canyon. Be sure to check out the incredible arches on the hills to the west. Walk up under them to see double arches and incredible views.
- N37.87477252073586 W-111.04432057589293
Elevation 1,776.98
Meters - (for feet multiply by 3.28083)
|
yStrike2Tp |
- Top entry for Strike 2 Canyon on a saddle. Rap 1 starts from here and is anchored from a rock about 15 feet back embedded in dirt at the base of the saddle. Rap 1 drops about 200 feet to the top of a down climbable slope IF the webbing is extended a minimum of 30 feet down from the anchor. A longer extension is recommended, see route description.
- N37.876566667109728 W-111.04138330556452
Elevation 1,812.34
Meters - (for feet multiply by 3.28083)
|
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