I’ve found that nearly every canyon I’ve hiked in that cuts through the Curtis Formation in the San Rafael Swell contains rock art, and since I had never been through Mulligan Wash I decided to see if that supposition holds true there. My plan was to drop into one side canyon and follow it down to the main canyon, then go a distance up the main canyon before heading back downstream and exploring two more forks before climbing out one of them, putting me very close to my starting point. Since I had to pass by my exit point on the way in, I decided to look into the canyon there and realized there was a dryfall that would have prevented me from exiting there. No problem, I thought. I could just enter and exit through the same fork with only a little backtracking.
Chris Pond with East Cedar Mountain and Cedar Mountain on the horizon
Heading down toward Mulligan Wash
Small natural arch
Above a dryfall on my exit route
I hiked down another fork that had some interesting colors and textures in the sandstone. Again I encountered a dryfall that prevented me from descending this fork, and I made the mistake of climbing out the left side hoping to find a way back into the canyon further down. I never did find a way back into the canyon and, instead of backtracking, I decided to keep following the canyon rims and explore from above. If I’d initially climbed out the right side instead, I could have made my way to the main fork of the canyon and possibly descended it all the way.
Heading down another fork
Pool of water
Mud splatters on the canyon wall from a flash flood
Holes in the wall
Textured canyon floor
My shadow
Above another dryfall
I hiked along the rim and explored some large cracks and chambers in the rocks, but didn’t see much other than some chert flakes and a nice little scraper. Some of the views were okay, too.
On the canyon rim beyond the dryfall
Up on top
Scraper
Panorama of two forks of Mulligan Wash
Fence across the canyon
Entrada Sandstone formation
Inside a large chamber
View outside
Mulligan Wash
Chris Pond
Since I finished the hike earlier than expected, I came up with something else to do in the area. Not too long ago I discovered there’s a place called Dennises Well near South Salt Wash. The only reference I can find for this place is the 1953 USGS topo map–all other sources seem to have gotten its location from that map. I drove down the dirt road that follows South Salt Wash and parked adjacent to the well, then hiked a short distance over to it. The remains of a water trough and a very large corral were still there, along with the wheel from the drilling rig and lumber scattered all over that also may have been part of the rig. One old rusty pipe is probably the casing for the original well but there were several other more modern pipes extending from the ground. Judging by the trough and corral, I’d wager Dennises Well was a water well rathern than oil.
South Salt Wash
Former water trough
Corral fence posts
Newer drill pipes
Large posts and bricks
Drilling rig wheel
Drilling rig wheel
Scattered lumber
Casing of Dennises Well
Steel cable
Buried perforated PVC pipe
1953 USGS topo map showing Dennises Well
I made my way back to the truck and then headed home, still earlier than I’d planned, but it was an okay-ish day nonetheless. And there’s still some parts of Mulligan Wash that I haven’t explored so hopefully I’ll make it back there to test my rock art theory.
Photo Gallery: Mulligan Wash and Dennises Well