Broad Canyon tributaries - Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument

Broad Canyon

First falls

Second Canyon

Third falls

I've long been curious to see what lurks at the tops of the three tall dry waterfalls that empty into Broad Canyon in its deepest reaches. I've passed them many times looking up from below, but it wasn't until last Thursday (12/22/22) that I decided stay up above and hike these tributary canyons, It was a beautiful, cloudless winter day, warm enough that by the last miles of the hike  I was walking in short sleeves.

 The plateau above Broad Canyon gave no hint of any of the tributary arroyos, and one would never guess they were there if not for seeing the waterfalls where they terminate from down in Broad Canyon. All that is visible is the flat expanse of seemingly endless rocks blackened with desert varnish. It's a little disorienting at first, but eventually I veered slightly to my left and the first canyon came into view and down I went to the bottom. There's nothing really remarkable about these upper reaches and I tried staying on the banks as I walked downstream to avoid the relentlessly winding stream channel. 

Eventually, mountains on the far side of Broad Canyon came into view and then canyon deepened abruptly with rocky cliffs on either side. I climbed down to the very precipice and could see the smoothed- over basalt (with white mineralized streaks, appearing like splattered paint) continued all the way to the base of the falls.

It was an easy climb up and over to second waterfall, which also required a little climbing to get to the precipice. I had only planned on visiting two falls, but when I noticed there was obviously a third waterfall canyon while walking down to the second, I knew I would visit that one too.

 It's hard to take Broad Canyon for granted even with the many times I've been there, but seeing it from above really gave me a new appreciation for what fantastic place it really is.

 Once again the third falls had me doing a little climbing to get to the edge of the falls. I took a view steps back and that's where I had my lunch. Afterwards I followed this canyon back upstream, taking a slight detour in a side branch carved in the orange conglomerate, before getting back on top and walking back on the tableland.