Grand Wash Cliffs Middle Bench Trail

View south from Tweeds Point to the middle bench of the Grand Wash Cliffs (green vegetated area on the right). Hidden Canyon is below the photo location and disappears in the upper left. Hudson Point stands tall above the Middle Bench. Snap Point is seen just past Hudson Point in the distance.

J. Axel - NPS

 

Visit our Map webpage for information on how to purchase or download a detailed map of the area.

BLM

Distance: 11.5 miles/18.5 km one way
Elevation Gain: 1,076ft/328m - Expect a few hundred feet of additional elevation changes due to terrain.
North Trailhead in Hidden Canyon: 3,688 feet/1,124 meters
South Trailhead: 4,764 feet/1,452 meters

If you plan to use two vehicles and stage one at each trailhead, for an easier one-way hike through the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness, the southern trailhead is 1,000 feet higher in elevation than the northern trailhead. If you are hiking north, you also won't be looking into the sun.

The northern trailhead in Hidden Canyon is on BLM1003. Drive to this trailhead from the north via the steps below.

It may look shorter to take BLM1007 south into the Grand Wash then east on BLM1003 but the westernmost 2 miles of BLM1003 is for extreme 4x4s only, not stock 4x4 pickups or SUVs. From Jump Canyon/BLM1033 east to County Road 103 the BLM1003 is passable but can be very rough for most stock high clearance 4x4s. Expect washouts after a summer storm that make all of BLM1003 impassible.

 

1. Take BLM1069 south from St. George until you reach Wolf Hole Valley. Take a right on BLM1004 for 1/4 mile appx.
2. Turn left on Mohave County Road 101. Follow the 101 until you reach the left turn onto BLM1032. Follow this through Upper Jump Canyon. BLM1032 meets BLM1034. Veer right and continue on BLM1032 past the sign to Tweeds Point.
3. Turn left onto BLM1033 into the main stretch of Jump Canyon. Continue down the canyon until you reach BLM1003.
4. Turn left on BLM1003 and travel until you reach the trailhead. The trailhead can be hard to spot. Just look for a sign in register by a faint road going south from BLM1003. If you have Avenza PDF Maps and the downloaded BLM visitor map, the blue dot will show you were you are relative to the trailhead.

 

If you plan to start your hike from the southern trailhead near the Grand Gulch Mine below Hudson Point, follow the directions as follows:

 

2016 BLM Arizona Strip Visitor Map

BLM

1. From St. George travel south on BLM1069. The road will turn into Mohave County Road 5 in Wolf Hole Valley. Continues straight south until the Y with County Road 103.
2. Turn right onto CR103. Pass the Poverty Mountain vault toilet and continue southwest on CR103 until the road opens back up out of the pinyon/juniper forest.
3. Turn right to the Grand Gulch Mine on BLM1002. Follow BLM1002 through Upper Pigeon Canyon all the way to the spur road to the Grand Gulch Mine but continue on 1002 as it makes a sharp right to the northeast.
4. Turn onto the dashed line road (road number coming soon). Follow to the trailhead. Look for the black square on the map at left with TH and a white triangle that points left. It is just to the left of Hudson Point.