HAPPY CANYON

Happy Canyon is a side canyon of the Dirty Devil River, north of Poison Springs Road in the Robber's Roost area.  It is a particularly beautiful non-technical slot, that rivals Antelope Canyon for wondrous convolutions, spiral and conical domes, coloration, and rock sculptures.  The upside is that even with all this, it is rarely visited.  Although a few footprints showed that others had been there, nobody was anywhere in sight when I went in Oct. 2000.  The related downside is that it is a little difficult to get to.

Kelsey reasonably accurately describes the 4WD track access along an old mining road that itself branches left (going in) off the Poison Springs jeep road.  However, I'm not sure he ever drove it, because although it starts out OK, it gets quite rough, with several cross-track erosion ditches that I had to build up with rocks in order to get the Tundra across without burying its nose.  It's a fun-scary track, hanging out on a narrow, sometimes man-made, ledge between Bert Mesa above, and the Dirty Devil floor, way below.  Trouble is, the up-cliff side is prone to rockslides and if a major one occurs the track could easily close and you might have to back a long way down.  When I went there were a number of minor slides and erosion gullies across the track.  Eventually it does become impassable because of several such landslides.  You have to camp as shown in the reference, hike a couple miles north along the rubble to a ledge just across from Happy Canyon, then route find a way down to the Dirty Devil River.  Although at first it looks impossible, there is a way, just try and pick the right one first.  Carefully cross the Dirty Devil and you're in.  I saw a large herd of desert bighorn at very close range just at the entrance of Happy. 

Ref.  Kelsey, " Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau", Kelsey Publishing, 1999.

Disclaimer:  The goal of these trip notes is to suggest good photographic locations and what I consider pretty neat hikes.  These paragraphs should not be used as a canyoneering guide!  Seek out good maps and detailed information, and get properly prepared before entering any slot canyon.