Paul Bunyan's Woodpile

Paul Bunyan's Woodpile

(Juab County) I'm not 100% sure who Paul Bunyan is. Or was. However, I know I have heard of him from somewhere in my childhood. He was some kind of an American folk hero who chopped wood and lived in the forest. A larger than life type guy with a beard and flannel shirt. I don't know what else he did but chop wood, but it was the kind of name many that stuck in my early memories for some reason. So, when I was looking at hiking trail maps to find something different and came across Paul Bunyan's Woodpile trail, I knew it was my next hiking adventure.

Trails signs for Paul Bunyan's Wood Pile. Or is it Woodpile?

Having a sort of OCD for numbers and spacing of letters, as soon as I got to the trailhead, I wasn't sure what to think. One trail sign said Paul Bunyan's Wood Pile. But the sign behind it said Paul Bunyan's Woodpile. Wood Pile vs. Woodpile. Ugh. I don't know why these little things cause me to slightly short circuit because it's not big deal, but it left me wondering how the heck I was going to properly write the name of this trail on my completed list. Ha! I have issues. Either way, I knew I was going to like this trail because it ended at something pretty cool. I love trails that lead you to something.

Timber at the beginning of the Paul Bunyan's Woodpile trail

Timber and Kylie joined me for this trail, but right away, we noticed the sand on the 2-track trail at the start was very hot. Timber was trying to be delicate on her paws. I reached down to touch the sand and I knew it was too hot for her to try and walk on without burning her pads. So I carried her back to the Jeep. Kylie said she would stay back with Timber and do some reading while I did the trail. Since Kylie doesn't love hiking, I think she was absolutely okay with this arrangement! Timber would've loved this one, so I'll have to bring her back one day when it's cooler.

Burned trees and land from a recent wildfire

The first little bit of the trail isn't all that exciting. A lot of the trees, sagebrush, and land are burned from a wildfire that came through this area in the past few years. It feels lifeless, and with as hot as it was on the July day I was doing this trail, it was enough to make you consider turning around. But since there was something called Paul Bunyan's Woodpile ahead, I knew I wanted to see it. Plus, the trail itself is a little less than 2-miles roundtrip. That means only 1-mile to the actual wood pile, and anyone can hike for a simple mile. So I kept going.

The rock columns that make up Paul Bunyan's Woodpile

At some point, you turn a corner and you can see the rock columns up a small hill that make up Paul Bunyan's Woodpile. It's pretty cool to see and makes you want to keep going. It's hard to tell how big these formations are when you first see them, but if you look closely, you can make out the trail that switchbacks up the left side that takes you to them. Since I'm not a big fan of snakes, I kept thinking I would come across one. This seems like snake country, but I never saw one.

The first section of Paul Bunyan's Woodpile on the trail

As you make your way up the hill, the first rock formation you get to makes you immediately realize why this is called a woodpile. The columns of rock look like neatly stacked logs. They're also big, which makes sense why only a big brawny dude like Paul Bunyan could stack them. Of course, he could only stack them after he chopped the trees down because, like my I think my memories remember, all he does is chop wood.

The view from the top

The view from the top of Paul Bunyan's Woodpile is incredible. You can see the little trail you hiked up as well as the dirt road you drove in on. Can you see the green trees in the middle of the photo above? That's the area where you park your car. I knew Kylie and Timber were there probably taking a relaxing nap in the shade. I also knew there was no rush for me to get back because Kylie likes me to take my time on these hikes. It let me do a little exploring and reflection. The backdrop of mountains makes this a very peaceful place.

Some of the "logs" that make up the wood pile

The main attraction is the piles of rocks, of course. They are so neatly stacked, it really does make you wonder if some larger than life figure stacked them. They're also leaning to the side a little, so it gives you the impression these formations are really old. Not even Paul Bunyan would let them lean to the side like this if he were still around.

My attempt at getting a selfie in the woodpiles

There wasn't anybody else here when I visited, so you could just find a nice rock to sit on and listen to the gentle breeze. Traffic is too far away to hear so it really is quiet. You can even hear your own heartbeat after a few minutes and your ears start ringing a little straining to hear something. We don't get enough of this feeling in life and it's great to experience it every now and then. That feeling is why I love hiking and exploring. I imagine it's that same kind of magic for most people who enjoy getting into nature and the outdoors. Plus, here, you get to ponder what in the world these rock piles are and how they got here.

A sign at the top of the woodpile explaining how they formed

There's a sign at the top of the rock piles telling how these formations came about. Right at the beginning, the sign says these piles are a "geological curiosity." It's a cluster of lava logs that were formed 30 millions years ago. The logs were formed when the lava flows cooled into orderly columns. The joints had three to six sides. The formations were on the rim of a caldera that collapsed and that's what caused the woodpile to tilt to one side. 

The neat stacks of lava logs that make up the woodpile

I think it's amazing how nature formed these neat stacks. It really does look like a woodpile, but they're lava rocks. I saw similar formations just outside of Yosemite National Park in California. There, instead of Paul Bunyan, it's called Devil's Postpile National Monument. The logs there were formed in a similar way, but they're still standing up right instead of a pile that's tilting. If you ever get the chance to visit, definitely take the time to go. 

Some of the broken "logs" of the woodpile

Even with some time hanging out at the top, this hike can be completed in an hour and a half. Again, it's about 2-miles roundtrip. You gain roughly 500 feet in elevation. Even though the sign at the trailhead says it's a moderately difficult trail, it's not really that bad. The most difficult part is when you get to the switchbacks at the base of the woodpile. Before that, it's a gradual slope uphill but easy. 

The hills and mountains south of Paul Bunyan's Woodpile

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Most people who drive to the trailhead come from Nephi or Eureka. Delta is in the opposite direction. If you're coming from Nephi on Highway 132, look for the Little Sahara Sand Dunes sign and turn right. Then go nine miles to Highway 6. About four miles later on the right hand side of the road, which is the east side, you'll see a little dirt road. This is the dirt road you want. If you're coming from Eureka or Delta, you're already on Highway 6. About four miles north of the Highway 132 intersection, you'll find that little dirt road on the east side. Once you're on that dirt road, you should see a sign for Paul Bunyan's Woodpile. Just go all the way to the end of that road and you'll hit the fence and dirt trailhead spot to park your car. 

Me at the woodpile

There aren't any restrooms here if you're looking for a civilized potty. I guess that makes a lot of dudes uncivilized :) 

Take your time here and enjoy! Besides the rocks, you can also ponder why the trailhead signs call it woodpile and wood pile. Ugh.

A cactus growing within the lava rock tubes

Paul Bunyan's Woodpile

They really do look like logs stacked on top of each other ready for winter

Trailhead Sign