This is one of the most spectacular spots in the Swell.
If you're looking for a fairly easy hike to a splendiferous view, or for a challenging technical canyoneering adventure, wet or dry, this is the hike for you.
Route 1 ascends a mining road, then a steep gully to gain the top of the escarpment above Hidden Splendor Mine. Fantastic views are to be had. Return the way you came.
Route 2 gains the top of the escarpment, then follows it along the rim, before dropping into Knotted Rope. The Canyon is quickly exited up a steep slab, then a slickrock ridge is traversed and a gully descended to a dramatic overlook of the Grand Canyon of Muddy Creek. A 4th class ridge is then followed to a long rappel back into Knotted Rope, which is then followed to the front of the reef.
Route 3 drops into Knotted Rope, and follows the Canyon through a difficult and interesting technical pothole section. The beautiful lower section of Knotted Rope is followed to the front of the Reef and a return up Muddy Creek.
Getting There: Spot a car at the Air Strip (if doing Route 2 or 3), or as far down Muddy River Gorge as common sense allows. Drive 2.2 miles northeast from the Air Strip at Hidden Splendor Mine. A small parking lot and mining road appear on the right side of the road. Cars park here, 4WDs can go another 3/4 mile. Drive or walk the road past one 4WD section, toward the obvious opening in the reef, Ramp Canyon. The road forks - turn right, past a dead car (park here) and toward a gunsight notch between the reef (on the left) and a very large Wingate tower on the right. The road disappears into the wash. Follow the wash. The canyon steepens and narrows, and an old mining track appears on the right. Follow this right and then left, easily up to a notch in the Wingate wall on the left, and into a delightful bowl at the top of Quandary Canyon.
Climbing the Gulley: Follow the wash. It turns left and narrows. (This is Quandary Canyon). Don't follow it, instead, go straight ahead up a gully with a large rock blocking it near the top. Climb steeply up the gully, cut around the rock and into Wayne's Wriggle, a steep little chimney at the very top of the gully. Climb through this section (Class 4, but not exposed). (60 - 80 minutes to top of the Wriggle.)
Note the cairns marking the top of the chimney. Turn right and follow the crest of the ridge directly to the edge of the escarpment. Enjoy the views. Follow the rim of the escarpment to the left. (Route 1: return at your leisure).
Follow the edge of the escarpment to the left. Eventually, the edge runs into some Navajo sandstone towers. About 1/4 mile before the towers, cut down and to the left, into the Knotted Rope drainage and locate some mining ruins, 1/4 mile from the rim. There are several ruins of shacks, and an iron pipe heading off across the landscape. Apparently, the miners planned to pump water 1000 feet up the escarpment from the Muddy River!
Follow the pipe over to the base of the towers, then descend a slickrock ramp toward the bottom of the canyon.
The Ridgewalk and the Directissima divide here.
For the Ridgewalk, descend almost all the way to the canyon floor, staying right, against the canyon wall. Locate a fairly smooth wall with a shallow corner that leads to a notch in the canyon wall above. Climb this wall (3rd to 4th class). This is the lowest place in the canyon where it is possible to surmount the canyon wall. Follow the ridge down and left to the next notch. Traverse left on easy ledges back out to the edge of the canyon. Traverse slightly down
but at the same level past the next gully and into a lovely sandstone bowl. From here, ascend steeply up a slabby ridge directly toward a white pinnacle. Pass the white pinnacle and drop into the top of a secret canyon.
A nice little pocket canyon is found, behind a ridge of pinnacles. Follow this to where it drops into a steeper gulley. Follow to a dramatic viewpoint at the edge of the Muddy River Gorge.
3 Different Ways 
