Lower Pleasant Creek

Lower Pleasant Creek is an informal 6.8-mile out-and-back from Pleasant Creek Road to a fence near the park's east boundary and back. The sandy banks and streamside paths are faint in places, and the creek repeatedly interrupts them, so route-finding and crossings make this more demanding than the gentle elevation profile suggests. Allow about four to five hours for the walk and stops. The route corridor on the map is about 3.3 miles each way; the actual path shifts as you choose crossings, so treat the total as an estimate.

Start on the footpath east of the parking area. At about 0.3 mile, cross to the south side near a tall cottonwood grove, then follow sandy benches and streambanks, crossing whenever the canyon's walls or bends require it. Around 2.1 miles, Pleasant Creek runs over slickrock through a short red-sandstone chute. About a quarter mile later the canyon opens and a side canyon enters from the south; explore it only until obstacles stop you. Roughly half a mile farther on, a low sandstone saddle beside the north wall bypasses a large bend. Drop back to the creek and continue to the fence at about 3.4 miles. Turn around there: private property lies just beyond it. Return the same way.

Expect numerous crossings. Some can be rock-hopped, but wading may be necessary, and the number and best crossing points change with the route you find along the banks. This is a year-round stream canyon with a serious flash-flood hazard: do not go if rain is possible. Bring all drinking water; bacteria such as E. coli can occur in the creek, so do not drink it or fully submerge yourself. The informal tread can fade, so carry a map and be ready to retrace your route rather than following an uncertain track toward private land.

The small parking area and vault toilet are at the end of Pleasant Creek Road, 2.8 miles beyond the paved Scenic Drive. The unpaved access sometimes requires a high-clearance vehicle; check road conditions with the visitor center before setting out. Stop at the parking area and do not continue onto rugged South Draw Road. There is no food or potable water listed at the trailhead. Pets are not allowed on park trails or in off-trail and backcountry areas.

The red slickrock chute is the route's most distinctive narrow passage. The canyon walls change color and character along the creek, with red Wingate, ledgy Kayenta, and paler Navajo sandstone described through the lower canyon. The first crossing's cottonwoods can turn yellow-orange in fall. Around mid-October, ranchers may move cattle through the canyon; give a herd plenty of room. For a photo, frame the creek against the sandstone walls, with some bank or vegetation in the foreground to show the scale of the canyon.