On the last full day of a 5-day camping trip, I chose a nearby hike on which to take a group of 15 friends and family members. We parked near Sid’s Reservoir and hiked down Sid’s Draw, which was easy enough that the kids could do it. Since the youngest was only five years old I figured we’d just hike half a mile and then turn back. We saw some wild burros on the drive there, and some more on the flats above the reservoir.
Wild burros near Cottonwood Draw
Constructed stock trail leading into Sid’s Draw
More wild burros
Wild burros
Sid’s Reservoir has almost entirely silted since the dam was constructed nearly 90 years ago. We got to the dam, which was almost certainly a Civilian Conservation Corps project, and found many names written in the concrete from 1937.
Sid’s Reservoir
Sid’s Draw below the dam
Bob Shumaker
Castle Dale, UT
Thomas Hall, Ohio, Ironton
Cincy Scratch 9/23/1937
Below the dam is a series of potholes called Sid’s Holes that almost always hold water. The bottom of the canyon is almost all exposed sandstone which made for a fun hike, and not just for the kids. I had Delta with me and she enjoyed taking a dip in the water every chance she got.
Hiking down Sid’s Draw
Sid’s Reservoir dam
Delta in one of Sid’s Holes
Sid’s Draw
Champing at the bit
Sid’s Draw
Wet dog
Bypassing a pool
Final pool, and our turnaround point
At the end of the narrower slickrock part of the canyon it opened up again with a rocky, gravelly bottom, and we turned around there and headed back up the canyon. We’d hiked over a mile to our turnaround point and I was surprised all the kids were able to hike just over two miles round trip. Despite being an easy hike for kids, this grown-up really enjoyed it as well.
Sid’s Draw
Climbing on the dam
Constructed stock trail
Photo Gallery: Sid’s Draw