Have you seen cool photos of Moab on the Instagram. You may think they are either very hard to get to, or if not they are over ran with tourist. Well think again.
Mill Creek Falls is a very popular trail in Moab Ut and there is lots of info on the web about it. But anyone who has ever hiked that trail was bound to notice the split in the creek and that the larger creek went to the right or south. However, there is no obvious trail so very few people actually go that way. As is always the case for me I just could not stand not knowing where something went so I just had to check it out.
Once you get around the first cliff at the split Mill Creek Canyon opens up and a lightly used trail develops. It's not long before you reach a sandy area with small cascades. Though not nearly as interesting as Left Fork Falls this would be a great area to take a break with the kids and get away from crowds from more popular trails.
As you can see there is not really a trail in the canyon so you will be finding your own way but it is impossible to get lost, just head upstream. One interesting this about Mill Creek Canyon is its proximity to Moab Valley / Spanish Valley. Just over the cliffs on the right of the picture is Moab. You can even see a few homes built along the ridge, but in the canyon, you feel lost in a different time.
After about two miles the canyon will open up to the north side and you will see a large alcove here. This area must have at one time been prime farming land for the Indians who lived here. Inside the alcove you will find a sign telling you not to disturb anything in the alcoves but to be honest there was nothing in them anyway. Whatever was there has been taken away by time.
Near the end of this hike and its confluence with Flat Pass Jeep Trail you will find a large petroglyph panel. Regrettably, this panel has been nearly destroyed by contemporary gratify. It is such a shame that someone would deface this rock art.
Just past this panel, you will be in a modern plowed field. There will be a clearly marked road here to follow up and out of the canyon. You will need a shuttle to get back to the Mill Creek parking area. It is possible to extend this hike as far as you like and it will eventually go to La Sal Loop Road.
If you are considering a Moab adventure we would recommend checking out the town homes at Moab Adventure Condo. We stayed with them and it was so nice to have room to relax and not be stuck in a cramped hotel room. Since the cost of the rental was split between two families it actually ended up being cheaper than a hotel room and much nicer. Not to mention the pool and hot tub were just sets from our condo.