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The Lower Subway

Zion National Park, Utah

The Subway

View upstream of the very dramatic undercut and curving walls of the Lower Subway.  Past this point there are a series of alternating grottos with water pools ending in a pour-off with a shallow cave underneath.  The Lower Subway ends at this shallow cave.  The cliff band visible in this image at top-center must be scaled to proceed to the Upper Subway.


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The Subway

View upstream toward the Lower Subway from just outside of the slot.

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The Subway

Very linear ground plane cracks in the wide flat solid rock streambed as you approach the Lower Subway.


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The Subway

View downstream from the Lower Subway.  The canyon walls are several hundred feet high.

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The Subway

A small cascade downstream from the Lower Subway.  There are a series of cascades downstream from the Lower Subway running for about 1/4 mile.  The rock in the streambed is always wet and with enough iron-oxide content is also a very rich red color.

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The Subway

A linear deep and narrow crack provides a path for water to escape one of the many pools upstream.

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The Subway

View downstream of the wide red solid rock streambed of the Left Fork of North Creek.

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The Subway

View across the streambed at the largest cascade.

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The Subway

View of cascade from below.

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The Subway

View of cascade from the middle of the streambed.

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The Subway

Overview of streambed, cascade and surrounding canyon walls.


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The Subway

Another very nice series of small cascades farther downstream

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The Subway

Cascades in red sandstone.

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The Subway

Composite image of the massive undercut along the Left Fork of North Creek at near the end of the cascades.

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The Subway

This is the end of the wide open rock streambed that is typical for about 1/4 mile downstream from the Lower Subway.  From this point  you will be treated to what may be one of the most rock choked, streambeds in the United States.

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The Subway

This view or something like this view will greet you for the next 2 3/4 miles until the 750 foot straight up hike out climb at the Left Fork Trailhead.  There is no designated trail.  Pieces of trail exist along the route on both sides of this massively boulder choked Creek.  As you get closer to the hike out climb you cross the creek several dozen times.  A serious obstacle course.

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