
Starting up Painted Canyon before the junction with Ladder Canyon.


Entrance to Ladder Canyon on the left.

Various ladders within Ladder Canyon.


Ladder Canyon is pretty narrow, an excellent conglomerate slot canyon.


We hiked up Ladder Canyon's twisting narrows.


Another ladder within Ladder Canyon.


Ladder Canyon opens up after a bunch of twisting.

Another ladder within one of Ladder Canyon's branches.

The narrows open up and ascend to the tops of the badlands. There are a few different trail options to get our of Ladder Canyon and onto the badlands above.

View back along the trail above Painted Canyon.

Ascending the badlands of Mecca Hills.


Descending back into Painted Canyon.

Following Painted Canyon back down to complete the loop.

Solid rock formations, quite different from the muddy-looking badlands elsewhere.

The painted walls of Painted Canyon.

Painted Canyon is usually a sandy wash, but there are short rocky spurts.

There are a few side canyons you can access from within Painted Canyon. This shot is from the first side canyon, looking toward the main route (we came from the right, headed to the left).

Continuing down Painted Canyon.



A narrower side canyon excursion with a big ladder.

Up the side canyon.

More ladders within the side canyon.



We turned around within the side canyon about here.

Back in Painted Canyon, headed down toward the trailhead.


Approaching the last ladder section within Painted Canyon, shortly before reaching the junction with Ladder Canyon.

View back up at the ladders within Painted Canyon.

Painted Canyon soon met back up with Ladder Canyon, completing the loop.
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