Flume Canyon F1

Rating: 
Round Trip Distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 4463 - 5045 feet
Cellphone: 3-5 bars
Time: 2 hrs. 15 mins.
Trailhead: Pollock Bench
Fee: none
Attractions: Scenic trail

The F1 trail is located in the Flume Canyon/Pollock Canyon Area of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area near Grand Junction and Fruita, Colorado. The trail begins at the Pollock Bench trailhead and makes a 5 mile loop that takes it into the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness Area. The west side of the loop travels across the open area near the mouth of the canyon to the pink and white entrada cliffs that it skirts as it heads south. After about 2 1/2 miles the trail loops back toward the north where the east branch of the F1 follows along the rim of Flume Creek Canyon until it reaches the beginning of the loop and returns to the trailhead.

Lathrop Trail

Rating: 
Round Trip Distance: 12.2 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation: 4408 - 6129 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 6 hrs. 30 mins.
Trailhead: Lathrop
Fee: $30/vehicle
Attractions: Scenic views and geology

The Lathrop Trail is located in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. The trail begins on top of the mesa, crosses Gray's Pasture, descends several benches as it traverses the cliffs below the Lathrop overlook where it follows a seemingly endless number of switchbacks while working its way down the rock fall filled canyon to the desert floor. From there it continues for another 1.5 miles to the White Rim Road. At the White Rim Road, which is 6.1 miles from the trailhead on top of the mesa, there is an option to continue the hike another 4 miles down to a day use area on the Colorado River by following the Lathrop Canyon Road. The roundtrip distance to the White Rim Road and back is 12.2 miles while hiking to the Colorado River would increase it to about 21 miles. Permits are available at the Visitor Center for backpackers wanting to use one of the at-large campsites.

Canyon Rim/Window Rock

Rating: 
Round Trip Distance: 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5615 - 5791 feet
Cellphone: 3-5 bars
Time: 1 hr. 30 mins.
Trailhead: Visitor Center
Fee: $5 individual - $15 vehicle - $40 annual pass
Attractions: Scenic canyon views

The Canyon Rim and Window Rock trails begin at the Visitor Center on Colorado National Monument and traverses along the rim of Wedding Canyon. At times the trail comes close enough to the rim that you really have to keep a hand on any youngsters to keep them from straying too close to the edge.