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The next post in my quest of doing everything in Page is all about the Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch hike. This is probably one that I had seen a long time ago and forgot about then saw on AllTrails again.
We did this on a perfect November day and didn’t see a single other person the whole time. It was a wonderfully quiet hike to a cool arch close to home.
Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.
It was a short drive to the parking area and we actually went to the wrong spot first. It’s just a small pullout on the side of the highway that isn’t marked but Google Maps takes you there.
We walked down the hill into the wash and got on our way. The whole trail is in the wash which makes it a little harder but easy to follow. Eventually you’ll come to a couple of little areas you have to scramble up but it isn’t difficult scrambling.
The second spot you’ll have to go around is a pothole but if you’re looking at the pothole, on your right you’ll be able to make your way up and around then back into the wash.
Not too far after this, you’ll be able to see Birthday Arch on the right and you’ll have to make your way up out of the wash and over to the hike. I don’t think there was much of a trail to follow right here, we just made our way over land to the rocky area below the arch.
This is a really straightforward trail in a wash. The scenery along the trail itself isn’t anything spectacular. It’s not bad, but it’s also not that exciting.
I did really enjoy the view looking out from the area below the arch. Is it the best view in Utah? No but it is enjoyable and it is very quiet.
We sat up here for a while and while we were there we heard rocks falling or something and I got very nervous. I’m terrified of mountain lions and that’s obviously the first thing I thought it was.
I even got up and looked around while yelling at myself in my head to not look around because what is this, a horror movie? I didn’t see anything. It was fine.
We stayed a little while longer then headed back down the hill to the wash and to the car. It was an easy hike out and my legs were so tired. Close to the car I was ready to just be dragged out.
My legs hurt a lot when I hike over like, three miles in deep sand and it’s the worst. It’s not the worst but I don’t like it. The same thing happened on the Lower Calf Creek Falls hike.
Overall, I enjoyed the hike to Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch. It’s not an all time favorite and if you’ve never been out here, I would do other things, but it’s a good choice if you’ve been here before and seen the more popular things.
It’s also a good choice if you want a hike in Utah that’s a little more off the beaten path. It’s a nice hike and nice area to explore with a cool arch at the end.
Where is the Buck Tank Draw trail?
The Buck Tank Draw trail head isn’t marked, it’s just a pullout near a bridge on Highway 89. It’s between Big Water and Church Wells, closer to Big Water. It’s about a 25 minute drive from Page.
How long is the hike to Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch?
About 4.2 miles but I think we hiked just over five miles in total. We walked around the base of the arch a bit which may have gotten mileage up a bit.
Is the Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch hike hard?
Not really but it is pretty sandy. And by pretty sandy I mean you’re walking in a wash the whole time so it’s really sandy. That usually makes it harder. It has 465 feet of elevation gain so it’s not flat but elevation wise it’s not bad. The deep sand is the worst part.
Is the Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch hike worth it?
I think so! It’s not a must-do if you’re in Page but if you’ve been to the area a few times and already done the major hikes and seen the major sights, this is a good option.
It’s also great if you just want a nice easy-moderate hike that isn’t crowded. It’s not 10/10 scenery but I did enjoy it and we didn’t see anyone else the whole time. Not my favorite trail ever but I did like it.
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Have you hiked to Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch? What did you think of it? Do you want to hike it?