Bell Canyon Waterfall

Tis the season for hiking to waterfalls. With the snow melting and the water flowing, spring is the perfect time to check out the local waterfalls.  Bell Canyon waterfall is a beauty! 

The Granite trailhead for this hike is located on 3470 East Little Cottonwood Road in Sandy.  It is just a half mile hike to the lower Bells Canyon Reservoir which is a really nice hiking destination in and of itself.  Bring your fishing rods to the reservoir - it is catch and release.   But today it was all about waterfalls.

Once you reach the reservoir you will see a utility road on the left.  Follow this road for about 100 yards and you will find a small sign pointing the way to Bells Canyon.  From here you walk through a lovely meadow with nice views of the mountains ahead.  In less than a mile you will come to a sturdy foot bridge crossing a pretty stream.  From here the trail gets quite a bit steeper and is scattered with good sized granite rocks.  You will definitely get a stairmaster workout the rest of the way to the falls.  The tricky part is knowing where to turn off the main trail to find the falls.  The waterfall is found several yards to the left of the main trail.  You will come to a giant pine and well marked up aspens at the turn off plus you will ear the roaring sound of the falls.

The hike to the waterfall is almost exactly 5 miles with an elevation gain of 1310 feet.

Enjoy a snack

Bells Towers

Nice view of the valley from the falls

I have been experiencing a little knee pain recently after hiking.  I know, I know something like this was bound to happen to me sooner or later.  I was just hoping for much, much later.  So I googled "help for knee pain while hiking" and here are some really helpful suggestions.

1. Take shorter steps going downhill and make your own mini switchbacks when possible.
2. Use trekking poles to reduce impact on the knees.
3. Slow down! Taking your time going downhill is safer and less damaging to the knees. (I like this one)
4. Use "Superfeet" insoles for hiking boots.  (I want to try this product)
5. Walk backwards at times. (I do this occasionally) 
6. Wear a knee brace.  I did use a knee brace this week and it really did help!
7. Glucosamine and chondroitin are supplements for joints.

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 Wildflower of the Week

This wildflower covered the meadows and open areas on our hike in Bell Canyon this week.  It is called Desert Groundsel and is a member of the sunflower family.  Even though it has desert as part of its name this wildflower can be found from high desert valleys to the alpine tundra.

Taking pictures of butterflys on the wildflowers.

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

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******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
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274.4

Adams Canyon

Adams Canyon is a Davis County hiking treasure which follows an abundant stream for much of the hike and ends with a stunning 40 foot waterfall.  Be prepared to get your feet wet on this hike because you must cross the stream to even get to see the plunging waterfall.  Good news is the stream is wide and not deep.  Some type of water shoe is advisable so you don't have to hike back in wet shoes. You will not want to miss seeing this waterfall!!

Adams Canyon is a very popular hiking trail and yet very poorly marked.  Somebody must be trying to keep this place a secret.  The trailhead is located just off highway 89 and east of Oak Hills Drive in Layton, Utah.  There isn't a right turn off 89 onto Oak Hills Drive to reach the trailhead so you will need to drive about a quarter mile beyond the sign for Oak Hills Drive and take a small frontage road to backtrack towards the trail parking area.  Nothing really there to let you know you are in the right place.  How rude!!

 

The trail begins by climbing a series of very sandy switchbacks.  Please stay on the trail . . .  there is evidence of erosion problems.  This portion of the trail could be very hot on a summer afternoon.  The trail also meets up with the Bonneville Shoreline trail before heading into Adams Canyon (a favorite of mountain bikers).  At this point you begin to follow Holmes Creek for the rest of the way to the waterfall.  Total round trip distance for this hike is 3.8 miles. 

After about 1.5 miles you will cross a footbridge and the trail becomes a little steeper.  The next obstacle is a giant slab of rock that blocks the trail and you must climb up and around this giant to connect back with the trail.  No big deal.

Adams Canyon is dog friendly, but please be courteous to other hikers and keep dogs on leash and take out the poop.   Here is an enthusiastic canine hiker.

There were several other good sized waterfalls on the trail to keep you entertained.

But of course, the main event is the 40 foot waterfall at the end of the trail!

Enjoy!!

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 Wildflower of the Week

This wildflower is a Utah Milkvetch also known as Locoweeds.  Too pretty to be called Locoweeds.  Look closely at the flower petals, they remind me of butterfly wings. You can't miss these bright colored flowers, they are everywhere on the foothills and benches this time of year.  Milkvetch are part of the pea family.

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

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******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
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269.4

Snow Canyon - Lava Flow and Whiterocks Trail

Every spring for the last several years I have the opportunity to visit Utah's Dixie and do a little hiking.  One of my favorite spots for an early morning hike is Snow Canyon State Park.  This week I explored the Lava Flow Overlook and Whiterocks Trail.  This trail is found near the park's north entrance just after passing the fee station with parking on the west side of the road.  There is a $6 day use fee and if you enter from the north end of the park you are on the honor system - this fee station doesn't usually have anyone there to take your money.  The trail passes through lava flows with breathtaking views of West Canyon and the Whiterocks Amphitheatre area.  The burnt orange and creamy white mixture of Navajo sandstone is so unique and beautiful.  And the cactus were blooming for me this year!

View of West Canyon and the orange and white Navajo sandstone.

 Blooming Cactus

 Even the sagebrush was blooming.

Here is another pretty little wildflower that was scattered across the desert floor.

You will always see a few of these lizards on the trail.

I hiked around for about 2.5 miles and spent a fair amount of time just soaking up the scenery.  I must say I love the desert in springtime!  Spend some time exploring Snow Canyon State Park  - It is pretty AWESOME!

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I came across this Chinese Proverb recently "Don't just listen to what they (or I) say.  GO SEE!!

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 Wildflower of the Week

This beautiful wildflower is found all over the desert this time of year.  It is a Palmer's Penstemon and is hard to miss.  The giant pink flowers really catch your attention.  Plus Palmer's Penstemon really smell good.

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
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265.6

Desolation Trail to the Salt Lake Overlook

The Desolation trail to the Salt Lake overlook is one of those great trails in Millcreek Canyon that can be repeated over and over and still be enjoyed each time.  The trailhead begins just east of the Millcreek Inn at the South Box Elder picnic area approximately 3 miles up Millcreek Canyon.  The hiking distance to the overlook rock is about 4.8 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 1250 feet.  The climb is gradual thanks to a series of easy switchbacks.  But best of all the hike is a lovely walk through a pine fragrant forest of fir and spruce.  The views are also pretty impressive.

 

I love this mossy area at the beginning of the trail which reminds me of a fairyland or the home of hobbits or leprechauns.  One mossy rock looked to have at least three different kinds of moss growing on the same rock.

Speaking of fairy tales, a wrong turn on one of the switchbacks will bring you to this "fairy shrine".

After a brief stop at the overlook for pictures and a snack, my friend and I decided to explore a little further and continue following the trail towards upper Thayne Canyon.  We hiked for another half mile before the snow became more frequent and we decided we were finished for the afternoon.

This overturned tree root looked like some kind of scary animal from the before mentioned fairy tale.  We got spooked (because of the snow not the tree) and turned around at this point.  Plus my legs were getting tired.

 

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 Wildflower of the Week

  

This is a Glacier Lily, one of my all time favorite early spring wildflowers.  They are everywhere this time of year in the lower canyon areas.  Even though these lilies are found in abundance take the time to appreciate their delicate beauty.

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
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257.7

Mount Van Cott

Mount Van Cott is a small mountain (more of a knoll really) just east of the University of Utah which has the nickname of the "Butt Burner".   Mount Van Cott was named after Lucy May Van Cott who was the first dean of women at the University of Utah from 1907 to 1931.  I wonder if she was also a hiker?   There are many paths leading to the summit of Mount Van Cott.  I picked a trail heading north from Red Butte Canyon and just started climbing up.  For me, this Easter Sunday morning hike was just about immersing myself in nature to find a little peace.  And it worked by the way!  Here is some of what I saw along the way.

Don't know what these flowers are.

Magpie

Monarch Butterfly

Ladybug

Field of Springbeauties

University of Utah campus.

Kickin' down the mountain trail!

Sometimes when I'm hiking alone I create lyrics about hiking to popular songs (I'm weird, I know!), but here is a sample. . . . . . 

Slow down you move too fast, you want to make the hiking last.

Just kickin' down the mountain trail,

Looking at nature and feeling groovy!

Life, I love you!  All is groovy!!

Looking up at Mount Van Cott elevation 6348 feet.

The highlight of my hike was finding this handsome fella!  It is a horned lizard.  And he is really good at camouflage!

Horned Lizard

One of my favorite John Muir quotes was right on today "Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees".  I felt so much more peaceful at the end of hiking than I did at the beginning.

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 Wildflower of the Week

This wildflower is called a Tufted Evening Primrose.  It will open in the morning to become a beautiful, large, white flower but then closes and turns pink in the evening.  You will find the Tufted Evening Primrose on open sunny slopes during April, May and June.

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers

so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous!"

Ed Abbey

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

******Miles hiked tally

beginning March 22, 2013
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251.9