Instead of following the marked Sylvester Trail west towards the famed “Priest and Nuns” rock towers, take the unmarked trail that drops into Professor Creek. The sandy path cuts across several small hills, and you quickly reach the cobbled streambed.
As you head upcanyon, the trail crisscrosses the shallow creek. The creek flows year-round, making for a refreshing slosh in the summer months. A few dry tributaries flow into Professor Creek, but stay in the main channel.
What starts as a broad, open drainage gradually narrows into a narrow slot, and for the last mile of the hike the sinuous walls are only about 10 to 15 feet apart. Around 4 miles in, you reach a double-tongued waterfall that flows overtop a chockstone, blocking forward progress.
Retrace your steps and mosey on back to the trailhead.
From Hwy 191 north of Moab, turn east onto Hwy 128 (River Road) and continue for 18.5 miles. Before mile marker 19, turn right onto a dirt road signed “Ranch Road Dead End.” Follow this road a little over 2 miles, staying to the right where the road forks. The road ends in a small parking area for both the Professor Creek and Sylvester trails.
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