Desert Dawgs

Written By : Hunter Page

Instagram : @hunterpagephotography

We took a sigh of relief as we watched the last building leave our sight and the truck tires hit the dirt. There’s no other feeling like being far away, out of service and out of touch with the technological filled world we live in today. 

After 33 miles on a rumbling dirt road our butts were numb, it was time to hop out. We jaunted down a trail and into a canyon that squeezes you tight, forcing you to turn your head and walk sideways to make it through. With just enough time for a second canyon; it was filled with arches and passageways, time to find camp.

Cooking up dinner in the dark, the four of us sat in the bed of my truck, protected from the outside wind. As we stepped out, eyes were reflecting off our headlights, running around our camp. Coyotes? Two cattle dogs that, we later found out, had been roaming/chasing cattle through the desert for 8 days without food or water! They camped with us for the night and we fed them any extra food we had. A glimpse of service allowed us to cross paths with the rancher early the next morning.

Our plans had changed from a backpacking trip, to a day hike, as we lowered our packs 600ft down into a canyon. We reached the river and followed a faint trail upstream. The canyon walls towered 2,000 plus feet above us. We felt insignificant and were completely alone. With countless river crossings, we decided to walk straight up-stream. The water’s so clear and so cold, we watched our feet turn pale with every step. After miles of hiking with excitement around each bend, the light was turning gold, it was time to head out. Once ascending 600 feet back up, we were greeted to soft reflecting light at the canyon rim. We enjoyed the last of the light as it faded into a starry night.