Most hikers go up Mara Canyon on a trail knows as “The Hoodoos” or “Cinnamon Ridge.”   This unique trail goes up the south-facing slopes then drops into the bottom of the canyon following the dry streambed for a fun route before it opens up below the summit.   There is a loop route possible, coming down along the ridge on the east side back to the start.   There are other routes, however, and one of my favorites is up the gully to the west.   This route is a scramble with only traces of a trail and lots of loose material and steep slopes, but it passes by a number of unusual features.   At the bottom is a picturesque standing rock.

In the back gully hidden from view are a number of hoodoos, columns, cavities, and eroded, ragged faces.

The main hike is along the ridge west of the gully, a scenic route with many geological features below on both sides.

These gnomes are along the top of the ridge.

Some of the features can be seen from the bottom of the gully, but the scramble route provides a view from above.

At the top of the ridge the area opens up, but there are barren slopes with many shaped features to explore.

We hiked up to the end of the ridge and then descended down through some of the erosion gullies to the regular trail, watching for many of the Utah-like features on our route.

Our loop route came down the Mara Canyon Trail, where several hoodoos can be spotted, sometimes with a bit of climbing to get to a better viewpoint.

Some old trees age with grace in the canyon.   This one is close to the canyon entry/exit.

There are a number of possible routes to take on the south side of Mount Mara that are easier, but to see some of the wonderful features it may take a bit of scrambling.   Safety is always the first priority, so take all the common-sense precautions if you choose to explore this area.

More information:

• Mara Scramble Route
• Mara Canyon Trail