Five and six Frozen waterfall at Coalpits Wash foot waterfalls are around every bend and they all have beautiful ice formations that formed during the night, when the temperature reached down to the low 20's. Ice formed in layers on the surface of the stream. In the places where the sun rarely hit, the ice is thick enough to walk on, which makes for easier stream crossings. A few miles into the wash we reach the junction with the Chinle Trail another trail in the southwestern portion of the park. Just before we reach it the wash narrows down again into some of the most interesting formations yet.
Conglomerate rock forces the stream into narrow twists.
Then suddenly, the canyon opens up again. Before us is a small waterfall, frozen and framed with the Moenkopi cliffs of Zion Canyon in the background. The canyon opens up and we wind our way through the Juniper, Pi on, and Cottonwood forest, crossing and re-crossing the stream countless times. As the temperature rises to near sixty degrees, I am surprised to find myself looking for shade to hike in. We eventually reach the site of an old oil drilling operation.