2021 Hike: Bryce to Bears Ears

I’m VERY excited to announce that next week I’ll be setting off on another big hike across a portion of southern Utah! 😀🎉

Last year was strange and difficult for many — myself included. Besides the drama of the world and our our nation, I had my share of personal drama. It didn’t help that for the first time in 15+ years I didn’t do a spring hiking trip in Utah. I really missed it. Before 2020 I didn’t realize how much I relied on that spring trip each year to “reset” my body and mind. So… maybe more than ever before I’m ready to get back out there! Well… mentally I am. Physically I’m out of shape and feel more disorganized than any of my previous trips. So, we will see how it all plays out!

I’m currently finishing prepping in a snowy Salt Lake (seriously — does it snow every mid-April in SLC?!) This weekend I will head south to do a few caches and then hopefully begin on Monday. The plan this time is to hike from Bryce Canyon to Bears Ears in just over three weeks. After that… I might do a bit more “stuff” depending on how things go. 😉 Hiking B2BE will be nearly 300 miles and along the way I hope to connect several new-to-me areas as well as some old favorites. I plan these trips in excruciating detail, but… seldom do things go exactly how I draw them up, so stay tuned to see where/how I end up!

Whatever the route/destination, I’m ready to get out on the trail and purge myself of all things 2020. I have several great segments planned and, as always, I’ll be taking lots of pics and video as I go. My electronics kit is still an ultralight hiker’s nightmare — so again I hope to justify it!

If you would like to “follow along” as I go, my tracking device should be going again. So… starting next week check this link for a daily progress map:

https://share.garmin.com/AcrossUtah

NOTE: Thanks to a tip from a follower, I was able to hide my old trips to avoid any confusion. Until I start hiking though the map will be blank — but all should work once I start posting. TBD how often my track will be updated pending battery consumption. 👍

Also, when possible I hope to post to the Across Utah Facebook Page and associated Instagram account:

www.Facebook.com/AcrossUtah

www.Instagram/AcrossUtah

Full report when I return… in June… or July! 🙂

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15 Comments

  1. Frederick Sramek

    So glad you’re able to embark on another of your wonderful long hikes! I love to visit southern Utah vicariously through these postings! Looking forward to reading about this hike! (I plan to spend a few days day-hiking on the Cedar Mesa this autumn, so maybe your hike posting will give me some ideas of what to see!)

  2. Hello there! Sniffing around your website for an update. We were playing games thinking about you. Hope the hike is shaping up to be a fun adventure. 😀

  3. I just discovered your page. Im in southern utah and im very excited to see your longer hikes! Id love to complete some of these longer hikes. For now, weekend hikes in zion will have to do!

  4. Hey Jamal!
    Very good choice: the route and the hike itself… It definitely is time to pick up your old routine of long spring hikes 😉 and I hope all goes well for you. Especially your muscles and bones….

    So thanks for sharing and I envy you a little since we as Germans are not even allowed to travel into the US and can only dream of a trip like your’s….

    Enjoy it and have fun
    Bernhard

  5. I’ll be following along! I think your route is a great choice. Yes, a Southern Utah hike is ESSENTIAL to keep one’s sanity!! Best of luck!

    • Thanks! Some of the route has been “planned” for years, but something else has always come up. Hope it’s not jinxed and this is the year it happens!

  6. Awesome news! I am really happy for you that you hit the sand again! Stay safe out there. COVID shouldn’t be a problem for you during these three weeks.

  7. Really glad to hear that you’re heading back out there. I will be in southern Utah at the end of May (if stars align) but closer to Zion. I’m looking forward to tracking your progress. Stay cool!

  8. How exciting! Since you’re ending at Bear’s Ears, are you planning on coming up Woodenshoe via Dark Canyon? I love that canyon so much; I went down there last year for 4 nights and the year before for 4 nights (as part of a trip to Young’s). Aside from the no-see-ums at the camp where I stayed 3 nights, it’s just amazing.

    Enjoy your trip, and will look forward to the video/report and other updates!

    • I hope so. It’s one of my potential routes that I’d like to do as I’ve never done the full canyon. There’s a lot of TBD for this hike — so we will see. 🙂

  9. I look forward to seeing more of the Bryce back country. I hiked there in the late 60’s/early 70’s, but my last visit was 2016 and, unfortunately, the canyon was overrun with visitors. You are my Utah hiking experience these days, so have a good one!

  10. My childhood sunset was always over Bears Ears. Hope you have a great hike and that everything goes well.

  11. Exciting. Can’t wait to see your adventure.

  12. Hope you get great weather. Looking forward to sharing your adventure!

  13. Good luck! We so enjoy your travels, your videos, your photos. Can’t wait for this new adventure! Be careful!