Kodachrome Basin State Park

Kodachrome Basin Table of Contents

• Map of the state park
• Photographs
• Kodachrome activities and facilities
• Surroundings
• Hiking in Kodachrome Basin; 3 trails
• Nearby places
• Similar places

Map of Kodachrome Basin State Park

Photographs

All Kodachrome photographs.

Kodachrome Activities and Facilities

The main activities in the state park are camping and hiking, and all trails and features can be explored in one day, or at most two. The easiest place to see the sand pipes and other formations is the Grand Parade area on the east side of the park road, and two short footpaths wind through the nearby rocks, both 1.5 miles (round trip) and not too steep - the Grand Parade Trail and the Angel's Palace Trail. The road ends at a 31 site campground, where facilities include rest rooms, firepits and hot showers. Free primitive camping is available along side tracks off Cottonwood Canyon Road, a few miles southeast. The short (quarter of a mile) but rather steep and narrow Eagles View Trail begins near the park campground, climbing 460 feet to a pass at the top of the cliffs encircling the basin, and linking with another route, outside the park boundaries, that descends a valley towards Henrieville. The Eagle's View Trail offers the best overall views of the park, but because of erosion it has been closed since 2010. The longest hiking route is the Panorama Trail, a 6 mile loop past more sand pipes, an elevated viewpoint, several narrow ravines and other formations. A cut-off path allows for a shorter, 3.8 mile loop. Also starting at the campground, the half mile (loop) Nature Trail is accompanied by notices about the common plants of this arid, semi-desert region. An unpaved road forks east from near the ranger residence, past a smaller, more primitive campground to a junction; the north branch leads to Chimney Rock, the largest sand pipe in the park, while the other heads south towards (the remains of) Shakespeare Arch, reachable by a quarter mile trail that continues around a series of cliffs to make a 1.4 mile loop.

Surroundings

The surrounding country is also worth exploring, for example to see Grosvenor Arch, one of the largest of such structures in the state, which is located 10 miles southeast. Dirt tracks lead from the near the park into a large wilderness area, at the south edge of which is Lake Powell. Many colorful canyons, mesas and arches can be explored by 4WD vehicle and hiking trails; particularly notable areas are Cottonwood Canyon and the Paria River and its tributaries. All this region falls within the boundaries of Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument.

Trails of Kodachrome Basin

Kodachrome Basin - Nearby Places

• Bryce Canyon National Park (10 miles) - beautiful, heavily eroded cliff face with thousands of delicate hoodoos
• Willis Creek (20 miles) - short slot canyon containing a permanent stream

Kodachrome Basin - Similar Places

• Smoky Mountain Road, Glen Canyon - a scenic unpaved track that passes through the same rock layers that occur at Kodachrome Basin