Grassy Canyon

May 4, 2017

As the weather finally heats up I have found the perfect lower elevation hike to keep you cool  because this little canyon called Grassy Canyon runs north and south so the only time it’s unpleasantly warm is high noon.  Grassy is only 25 minutes north of Beaver up Indian Creek and the drive is suitable for any passenger car.  Even though Indian Creek Road is very well maintained, be cautious because many spots are very narrow with blind corners.  I really want people who don’t own quads or 4x4s to be able to enjoy the mountains and forests near Beaver and my hope is to get YOU out for some good old-fashion calorie burning!  I started this hike after work just before 5 p.m.  and had plenty of daylight to walk the 2 miles up Grassy from the mouth of Twitchell Canyon,  enjoying the outstanding views of Mt. Baldy, Mt. Belknap, and Little Shelly Baldy, and return the same way I had come.  If you aren’t sweating after these first 2 miles, be my guest and reach the saddle at the head of Grassy and venture over into Wildcat Canyon via forest hiking trail 057.  You also have the option to make it a loop hike and return to your vehicle using the higher Twitchell canyon road, F.R. 1137, but I don’t like it on foot, because it feels like the dry, dusty ATV trail that it is.  Because of the heavy snowpack remaining above 9000’,  we will unfortunately be hiking on a few “wider trails” for now.  Not my first choice,  but it can really be refreshing to experience somewhere you’ve zipped by a hundred times before in a machine.  I have been up Grassy a dozen times, every time on a four-wheeler, with a mission to get to the 057 trail to do trail maintenance.  I had no idea I was missing so much!  I had it all to myself,  the evening temperature was perfection,  I could hear every bird’s song, and the intermittent trickling water next to the trail sounded like a creek!  I also took my time passing the tailings pile of the “Mystery Snifter Uranium Mine” from the early 1950’s.  This mine, discovered by Louis Lessing and Tom Harris, was operated by La Var Hollingshead for five years  (M. Bradley ; A history of Beaver County).  If you use google earth,  you can see just how many mine prospects and “roads to nowhere” there are near Indian Creek.  My dumbphone doesn’t have a Geiger counter Ap,  but if one of you techies does,  please let me know how much radiation there is on this hike. 801-243-0095.

To go hike Grassy Canyon (F.R. 1129) drive north from Beaver on highway 357 for seven miles, passing through Manderfield,  then veer right, leaving the asphalt, onto Indian Creek Rd.  In two miles go right at the “Y” and proceed up canyon to the USFS boundary where the road becomes F.R. 119.  2.5 miles up this road, you can park your car in the shade at the Twitchell Canyon sign.  Head north, along Twitchell stream, keeping in mind Grassy is one canyon to the west, so gain the switchback,  look behind you at the snowcapped peaks, and keep heading west.  You know you’re going up Grassy because there’s a big ol tailings pile here, 200’ above Indian Creek, and because of the GRASS, of course.  Have fun on all these “wide trails” that head Into the Tushars!