Day 6

Day 6 - Woke up to rain at 6:30, but it didn't last long. River back to normal level, but running very silty. Very overcast until about noon, but no more rain. Late start - everything wet and dirty. Only took about 20 minutes to get to Trail Canyon and the old dirt road/OHV trail. Trail Canyon must have been the source of the first flash flood, because it is washed out and full of mud and still has a little stream coming out of it. Really nice rock art panel just above it, includes some red pictographs on an inaccessible overhang. Road makes walking quick, but wet-weather packing job is killing my back. Found a crappy panel of petroglyphs I called Squiggles just before the road goes high up over a shoulder. Lots of mud and standing water on road. Finally come out of Book Cliffs. Saw nice modern rock art of a cow skull, as well as a dead snake in the road. Stopped at kayak put-in and tried to find a way across river, but no luck. A little further down the road I did a serious bushwhack to a rapid and got across the river (4th crossing). More bushwhacking to get to open land, then over a couple of ridges and through a couple of washes until I found a good campsite. Can occasionally hear the highway (about 1.5 miles away, and I think I can see a building at Woodside. River hard to get to, as washes enter about 6-7 feet above the water. Lot of work to get a little water with all the silt. Awesome sunset. Feeling much better about the trip than last night. A lot of bats, something big splashing in the river a couple of times. Very nice night.