On Friday, I slipped away for a quick trip to Freedom Utah near Fountain Green. I drove up Maple Canyon to the campground and then backtracked a ways to the mouth of Box Canyon.
Box Canyon is hard to see when driving up the road but I found it on the way down the canyon. Just look for the parked vehicles next to the road.
I hiked up the canyon for probably a little more than a quarter-mile, climbing over or around a few fallen choke stones until one of them required the use of a rope. Along the way, I found several rock climbers practicing their skills on the conglomerate rock walls.
The floor of the canyon is rocky with unstable rocks ready to twist your ankles. I was glad I had brought along a walking pole for stability. Since I really didn’t need to see further up the canyon, I turned around when it required a rope to continue.
Back in my vehicle, I drove back up the canyon to the campground again. Here I found a parking spot so I could hike up Middle Canyon of Maple Canyon for .7 mile to Maple Canyon Natural Arch.
It is early fall but there were some bushes and trees beginning to change color. This made the hike colorful and the overhanging trees made the hike comfortably shady. The trail does climb significantly but not too rocky. Again, along the way I passed several rock climbing groups.
I had visited this arch in 2002 and I remember having to search through the forage to finally locate the arch. Now the trail has signage and a side trail to take you to the base of the arch, hanging on the south wall.
The arch is a nice “B” class natural arch though it is strange to see an arch in conglomerate rock formations.
After sitting under the arch and enjoying a juicy apple, I make my way back down the trail to my pickup truck for the ride home.
Another perfect day!