Fern Canyon

White Rock Canyon Route

1. Starting from the trailhead, head down the hill into the wash and follow the wash down about a half-mile or so.
2. Continue down the wash until it turns into sandstone and gets narrow.
3. About an eigth of a mile into the sandstone part it will open back up to wash and there is a trail to the right and that's the turn off for the Liberty Bell Arch, Observation Point, and the mine.
4. Just follow the canyon downstream until you eventually will get to the Colorado River. Look for a trail sign on your left. Follow the use trail downstream of the Colorado.
5. There is a bit of scrambling on this route and it's easy to lose the trail but it's not hard to find it again. When you get close you won't be able to stay with the river and you will have to turn up the hill.
6. Once at the top of the ridge you should see a fairly worn trail heading down. Follow it down until you hit a very small wash. Usually there is water from the springs flowing just past this point. Turn right to see the beach area or turn left to head up to the springs.
7. Continute upstream until you hit the twenty-foot ladder. Climb the ladder and you should see the first pool on your right.
8. Retrace your route or head back up Ringbolt canyon and return via the short route, which has a significant hill to climb, or the petroglyph route, which is shorter than returning via White Rock Canyon.

Ringbolt Canyon (Short Route)

1. Starting from the trailhead, head down the hill into the wash and follow the wash down about a half-mile or so.
2. Look for a single track trail that goes up a hill to your left. Take that trail or continue just a bit further and make a left at what looks like a dirt road. Both end up in the same place.
3. Watch for some rusted barrels to your right down in a gully. There is a single track trail that goes to the right just past the barrels. You can take that trail or continue up the dirt road until gets to the top of the hill and turns left. You want to turn right.
4. Once you get to the saddle, you will see Fortress Butte right in front of you and the canyon flows down and to the right. Follow the trail down the canyon. The first part down the hills has a lot of loose rock so be careful. You will eventually get to a small wash. Look for the trail across the wash and don't go down the wash. You may see the larger wash which is Ringbolt Canyon but continue on the trail. You will turn the corner and have a hill down to the wash. Once at the wash you will typically see a large cairn and a line of rocks.
5. Cross the wash and use trail on the left. Continue down stream. You are about a mile from the springs at this point.
6. If you tend to stay to the left rather than in the wash, your hike will be much easier.
7. Eventually you come to a very narrow slot canyon with a huge boulder in blocking the right side. You are almost there. Just past the boulder is a nice place to change or you can go down just a bit and there's another area to change although there isn't as much dry space to leave your stuff. Don't worry about leaving your stuff behind. I've never had anyone mess with anything.
8. Retrace your steps to head back out the same way or continue past the pools to almost to the Colorado river to pick up the trail via Whiterock Canyon.

Ringbolt Canyon (Petroglyph Route)

1. Starting from the trailhead, head down the hill into the wash and follow the wash down about a half-mile or so.
2. Look for a single track trail that goes up a hill to your left. Take that trail or continue just a bit further and make a left at what looks like a dirt road. Both end up in the same place.
3. Continue up the hill until you get to a fork at the top of a hill. The "road" turns left and the short route turns right. Take the left and follow the trail as it wraps around from the left and down into a slot canyon.
4. Very quickly into the slot canyon you will come up on the first dry falls. You could scramble down the falls but it is very difficult. Otherwise, climb up to the right and then turn left and scramble down the wall. There are plenty of foot and hand holds but if you are not good with heights, this will be a challenge.
5. Continue down a little ways more and you get to the second dry falls. This one is pretty easy to get down and up.
6. Continue down about an eigth of a mile and you will see the petroglyphs on a couple boulders that are like ten-foot blocks, on your right. They are easy to miss when heading down.
7. You will eventually get to another fork where you can continue downstream or turn left to go to Fortress Butte.
8. About a quarter mile and you will come to the junction with the "short route". Continue downstream.
9. If you tend to stay to the left rather than in the wash, your hike will be much easier.
10. Eventually you come to a very narrow slot canyon with a huge boulder in blocking the right side. You are almost there. Just past the boulder is a nice place to change or you can go down just a bit and there's another area to change although there isn't as much dry space to leave your stuff. Don't worry about leaving your stuff behind. I've never had anyone mess with anything.
11. Retrace your steps to head back out the same way or continue past the pools to almost to the Colorado river to pick up the trail via Whiterock Canyon. If you decide to head back out the petroglyph route, there are two spots to pay special attention to. The first is where the short route turns left up the hill. Keep going up the wash. The second is the turn off for Fortress Butte. DO NOT take that route. Turn left into what will look like a box canyon.