HIR 4x4 Route with photos - Lake Canyon to Lake Powell v6-13-2025.kmz

Original pioneer rd. closed to vehicles

Road to wagon wheel - 1st right turn

Spanish Cave Rd

Little HIR-upper

The Dugway

The Chute

Top of Cottonwood Hill - end of the jeep rd.

Little HIR-mid

Little HIR-lower

The Sand Hill

Cribbing
This is the beginning of the pioneers’ ascent out of Cottonwood Canyon. Today highway engineers refer to this as cribbing. The pioneers referred to this road work as a dugway. Numerous dugways were built throughout their route, requiring the hauling and placement of thousands of rocks. Some were of considerable size and weight.

Register Rocks
The pioneers' names were destroyed by high lake level.

Rincon Rd turnoff

2nd right turn

Highway turnoff

Nokai Rd. turnoff

HIR Trail / Lake Canyon intersection

Risky jeep path

Pioneer dugway

Pioneer cuts for footing

Wagon Wheel
Scattered wagon parts discovered by Lynn Lyman, Clarence Rogers, and Hugh Kirkham on the original pioneers’ route from Lake Pagahrit. In 1972 they, with the help of the BLM, anchored the remnants to the sandstone to prevent their loss. The BLM erected an interpretive sign at the site. However, the sign has since succumbed to the harsh environment.

Lake Canyon turnoff - west of airport

Remnants of pioneers' path from Lake Canyon

Half-track

Last trailer drop off

Spanish / Cowboy Cave

HIR Turnoff

HIR Rd - Lake Canyon

Rincon Trail

Turn off to pioneers' descent path

Pioneer path

Pioneers' Slick Rocks path - bottom blasted dugway

View of the Great Bend of San Juan River

Challenging jeep path!!
Do not proceed down the drop unless you are sure you can make it back up! Large wheels and high clearance are essential! Short wheelbase vechicles are prone to flip backward when ascending. The path has worsened considerably since this 2023 photo was taken.

Cottonwood Canyon

Mid blasted dugway

Portion of upper blasted dugway

Cheese Camp

Nokai Dome Rd.

Hermit Lake / Lake Pagahrit
Here a natural dam formed a small lake, which the pioneers initially called Hermit Lake. After learning the Native American name for it, most referred to it as Lake Pagahrit. The pioneers crossed the canyon by driving their wagons over the dam. After the pioneers established Bluff, Platte D. Lyman and possibly others kept cattle herds at the lake. On the left remanent of the dam is a black area. This is a thick layer of decomposed manure from those cattle operations. In 1915 the dam washed out.

Road to Lake Canyon

Lake Canyon Rd.

Lake Canyon Road Intersection

Lake Canyon - North Arm

Lake Canyon - South Arm

Pioneers' Route - closed to vehicles
The pioneer's route goes through the lower elevation valley in this area.

Pioneers' Route

Trunoff to HIR Trail - from Nokai Road

Jeep path to Pioneer Descent

Nokai Rd fron half track

Highway to halftrack near airport

Lake Canyon Rd - via airport

Lake Canyon - via halftrack

Lake Cayon from the south

Highway 276 turnoff

Wash /road turnoff to wagon wheel

2nd turn to wagon wheel

Turn off - steep not advisable for trailers

Cottonwood Hill
The pioneers simply named their ascent out of Cottonwood Canyon - Cottonwood Hill. In David Miller’s Hole-in-the-Rock book (first published in 1966), he subdivided this ascent into three sections, the “Sand Hill”, the “Dugway”, and the “Little Hole-in-the-Rock.” This image shows the Cottonwood Hill incline with the exception of the lower cribbing and the Sand Hill. This ascent is considered by many to the most difficult part of their journey. Pulling a wagon up the incline required 14 animals. Four wagon rollovers took place here. No other rollovers are known to have occurred throughout their journey to Bluff.