Glass Eye Ruins

After completing our hike of Spring Point, and still having a good portion of the afternoon remaining (and the use of Tom's Can-Am), we decided to try and find Glass Eye Ruins.  Last week, after hiking Flag Point we tried to locate them on our way back to the Johnson Canyon staging area, but ran out of daylight. Fortunately, this time we were able to walk straight to Glass Eye Canyon and discovered them right under the rim.

We followed this foot path off the rim . . . it lead us directly to the ruins 

Glass Eye Ruins 

Pictograph . . .
Not sure what this symbol represents?

A decorative pottery shard . . . 
Makes you wonder if they didn't use their fingernails for the design?

Simple pictographs on the cliff overhang

The walls inside this room were charred from fires

Adobe mortar used to hold the stones in place

Little doors for little people
(Notice the smoke holes (?) on either side of the door)

The cliff overhang must have provided good protection from the weather 

An assortment of pottery shards laying beneath the ruins

Normally, we like to provide information that helps our readers find the areas we visit so that you might enjoy them for yourselves.  Being sensitive to the misuse/abuse of social media to bring unwanted damage to special areas such as these ruins, we have chosen not to post this information.  However, if in doing some "legwork", on your own, and you're still not able to ascertain their location, please contact us . . . we "might" be able to provide you with some helpful hints.  We hope you understand our desire to be good stewards.  Thanks!

Spring Point

After last week's hike (and Can-Am excursion) to Flag Point, we decided to cross off another hike on our winter list . . . that being Spring Point and the Clark Benchmark that was reportedly on top of it.  After a chilly ride to the base of Spring Point, we were all glad to "pile out" of the Can-Am and begin our hike on a beautiful sunny morning.  Although we didn't find the benchmark, we all agreed that the spectacular scenery made the hike worth our effort to get to the summit.

It was a cold 18 degree frosty morning!

Our goal is to recover the Clark Benchmark on the south end of Spring Point

The White Cliffs are actually multi-hued sandstone and stunning

Petrified Navajo sandstone

Walking on sandstone sure beats trudging through sand

We dropped into this wash hoping it would lead us up to the saddle . . . it did not!

Out of the wash and into the loose sand . . .
We have found a good route that leads up to a saddle

Neat rock formations began popping up all around us

A little hoodoo and balancing rock

At the saddle and beginning our final push for the summit
We have to wonder how many people have ever seen this place?!

A view of the hoodoo from above

Can you see Tom & Kent? It's my turn . . . up I go!

Colorful lichen

Looking north toward the Pink Cliffs

 The White Cliffs span many miles eastward from Zion . . .
That's Cutler Point, in the middle of the picture, and it has a benchmark on top . . . 
Possibly next week's hike??

Tom spotted a register hidden in this rock pile . . .
 Now we know at least one other person has been here before us

We have reached the south end of Spring Point
(Looking southwest towards Johnson Canyon and the road we took to begin our hike)

The 1954 Clark Benchmark 'should' be here somewhere

After much searching & digging (you can see the surveyor sticks in front of Tom),
Tom made the call that the benchmark was unrecoverable . . . or as Tom likes to say . . . 
"They don't pay me to do this!"

Moqui marbles

Back at the saddle
It was fun walking around these picturesque formations 

As far as the eye can see . . . so many different colors and shapes

Those white cliffs, on the other canyon wall, hide Montezuma Mine . . . a future trip!

This unique sandstone fin caught our eye just before heading back down the sandy ridge

As we were heading home from the staging area in Johnson Canyon, we noticed
this arch along the east side of the road.  Come to find out it is called Eagle Gate Arch,
but is located on private property and is not accessible.
. . .
We've driven along Johnson Canyon Road many times before.  How did we not see it? 
 It goes to show, that just because you think you've seen it all . . . you haven't !
  

The highlight of this trip were the rock formations at the saddle where we started our final section to the summit of Spring Point.  If you'd like to explore just the saddle it's only about a three mile round-trip hike to see this amazing landscape.  Please click here for a topo map and GPS tracks from Tom's Peakbagger.com post.

Flag Point

We had read several interesting articles about Flag Point and the dinosaur tracks and pictographs panels that are located in the vicinity.  However, ascending from the bottom of the precipice didn't seem like an option, as ropes are suggested, and we didn't have a side-by-side UTV to come in from the top.  After mentioning a possible outing to Flag Point to Tom, he became very interested when he learned there were dinosaur tracks . . . seems he's never seen one before.  Add in a 3.5 mile (r/t) hike to recover Navajo Wells benchmark atop Flag Point and he was on board!  Oh, did we mention he has a side-by-side?  What a friend . . . but then we already knew that!

The 20 miles of winding, sandy, snow covered road with huge mud puddles to Glass Eye Butte
is not suitable for vehicles . . . but it was perfect for Tom and his Can-Am    

We followed a trail down off the butte and within minutes we started to see dinosaur tracks! 

There were several tracks of all sizes along the edge of the Vermilion Cliffs
(This one looks like it was headed west then pivoted and went east)

Possibly a baby Dino?

Look at the size of this track compared to Tom & Kent 

Searching the cliff face we found the pictograph panel we had heard about
(Surprisingly, they were just below the dinosaur tracks)

Simple, yet meaningful pictographs

 Notice the dinosaur track surrounded by figures . . .
 This is the oldest known recording of a dinosaur footprint in North America . . .
 It dates from 900-1150 A.D.

So many different shapes . . . there's a lot going on here

Looking back at Glass Eye Butte . . . how did Tom get his Can-Am up there? 
By following the winding road, of course!

This large Juniper appears to be growing right out of the sandstone

We are headed for Flag Point . . . we weren't prepared for snow . . .
Thankfully it was primarily on the north facing slopes

We stopped to check out this little window along the way

We saw a lot of deer tracks and even a few deer while riding in the Can-Am

Looking back from where we have come . . .
The Vermilion Cliffs tower over the valley below

Tom with his crew taking a picture of the survey marker monument at Flag Point . . .
 The benchmark is right behind Tom in the rock by his right foot

Navajo Wells Benchmark (1954) was placed here by surveyors who arrived by helicopter 

Old wire

It appears that the surveyors wanted this cross to stand for a long time by
looking at the amount of wire they used to hold it together

Looking west from Flag Point towards Kanab

Time to load up and head out . . . it sure beats walking!

The long and winding road . . . 

The Kanab area never ceases to amaze us . . . so much to see and do!  If you would like road directions to Glass Eye Butte, where we parked Tom's Can-Am, you can click here to get our route on a topo map.  Once you've seen the dinosaur tracks and pictographs you might want enjoy a leisurely stroll out to Flag Point for some more amazing views.  If you'd like a topo map and GPS tracks for this portion of our outing you can click here for a link to Tom's Peakbagger.com post.