Believed to be evil, greedy, or mischievous, goblins are mythical creatures who bring trouble to humans, appearing in the folklore of multiple European cultures first attested in stories from the Middle Ages. Goblin Valley State Park, off Highway 24 at the San Rafael Swell in Utah includes an area where soft sandstone has eroded into interesting shapes, somewhat resembling these mythological goblins. In some spots the rock formations are close together and produce a maze-like playground ideal for exploration.

Paula and I visited Goblin Valley on December 26, 2020 on the first day of a five-day swing through canyon country in southern Utah. Most of our time there was spent walking in the Valley of Goblins, spanning nearly three square miles of free-roaming area that can be explored without need of rigid route finding. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit, having a great deal of fun. There were a lot of “wonder where this goes,” and “what’s over there?” comments throughout.

Late in the afternoon we also visited nearby Little Wild Horse Canyon, but didn’t go very far into the slots as dark was fast approaching. Paula was disappointed because she really wanted to experience a true slot canyon. We will find one for her as our future adventures continue.

When we left the area, we headed out on Scenic Highway 24 to Torrey, UT for our next day at Capitol Reef National Park. We were treated to a remarkable sunset along the way, with several stops for pictures. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Utah red rock country, so this trip brought back many fond memories of earlier excursions. It was so nice to share them now with Paula.

This gallery includes pictures from Goblin Valley State Park, Little Wild Horse Canyon, and a sunset along Highway 24. Enjoy the photos, and please feel free to comment.

Located in the high desert canyon country of western Colorado, McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area consists of approximately 123,430 acres of BLM-administered land near Fruita, Colorado. Originally known as Colorado Canyons National Conservation Area, the NCA was established by Congress on October 24, 2000. Internationally important fossils have been uncovered during more than a century of excavation. Pictograph and petroglyph sites abound, and the Old Spanish Trail, once referred to as the “longest, crookedest, most arduous mule route in the history of America,” runs through the NCA.

Twenty-five miles of the Colorado River wind their way through the NCA, attracting boaters and rafters who value a relaxing float through spectacular multi-hued sandstone canyons. The NCA is a recreation destination, drawing visitors to the world-class mountain biking on Mack Ridge and along the 142-mile Kokopelli Trail, which extends to Moab, Utah. Among its unique natural resources are the more than 75,000 acres of the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness, which includes the second-largest concentration of natural arches in North America.

McInnis surrounds Colorado National Monument leading to speculation this entire area may some day reach national park status. Hiking trails are abundant throughout with separate trailhead areas that include Devils Canyon, the Fruita Paleontological Area (FPA), Rustler’s Roost, and Horsethief Canyon among many others. Paula fell in love with the diversity of McInnis during her stay in Loma. Upon my arrival, I would have to agree. I had previously been to nearby CNM a handful of times over four decades, but had somehow missed McInnis. I’m so happy she took me, and shared her love of the canyons with me.

The week before Christmas 2020, Paula and I explored these trails several times, a nearby destination for after work evening exercise. The Fruita Paleontological Area, a small, half-mile square of bentonite just a few minutes from Fruita, particularly appealed to us. This tiny spot between the Colorado River and the soaring uplifts of McInnis Canyons preserves a diverse piece of prehistoric life from the Jurassic Period, dating back 150 million years. The terrain seems otherworldly, generally leaving us in awe. A feature of the FPA is Skinner Cabin, built in 1909.

Devils Canyon is a wildly diverse section of McInnis that has miles of trails through gorgeous canyons and to the river. We followed arroyos along pockmarked canyon walls and discovered red rock hoodoos that seemed like Earth’s natural architecture. A lot of “wonder where this goes” was happening. Wander on.

This gallery includes pictures from Devils Canyon and the FPA taken during several excursions into the area. Enjoy the photos, and please feel free to comment.

One of these days you are likely to look up and see that Colorado National Monument, along with McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, has become a full-fledged national park. The stunning scenery certainly qualifies. With the acreage included in MCNCA, the size is there as well. The combination of NPS units offers a myriad of front country hiking trails and backcountry adventure.

A fellow named John Otto is who we can thank for the development of this picturesque and historic region of western Colorado near the small town of Fruita. Beginning in 1906 he built trails and started work on what would become the Rim Road. Otto once said, “I came here last year and found these canyons, and they feel like the heart of the world to me. I’m going to stay and build trails and promote this place, because it should be a national park.” Not long after, in 1911, President Taft signed the proclamation that established Colorado National Monument.

When I left North Carolina to join Paula out west, our home base was the little town of Loma, also near CNM. So we spent many days after her work, and on weekends exploring the region. I have been to Colorado National Monument a few times before when my brother lived in Colorado and have written trail reports, including this one of Monument Canyon. This post also includes some pictures from Monument Canyon, with a winter contrast.

On December 19, 2020 Paula and I drove the Rim Road from Devils Kitchen in the east to Balanced Rock at the west entrance. The Rim Road is 17 miles of stunning red rock scenery. Each curve will leave you breathless from the natural beauty that surrounds you. The photo at the top of this post is looking down into Monument Canyon from above. Then, on December 31 we took an afternoon hike up the lower section of Monument Canyon after a fresh snowfall. Simply delightful.

This gallery will give you a small idea of what Colorado National Monument is all about… from above, and from below. Enjoy the photos, and feel free to comment.

Golden hour is special for any place with picturesque scenic beauty, especially if you also happen to like photography. There aren’t many places more stunning during the golden hour — that time right after sunrise and right before sunset — than Bryce Canyon. There are even viewpoints named for these wonderful times… Sunrise Point and Sunset Point. So how about a trail that goes from one to the other while also diving down amidst the wondrous hoodoos and pine forest that give Bryce Canyon its majesty and character? That would be Queens Garden. My brother Dave and I hiked the Queens Garden Trail on Sunday, June 3, 2018 beginning at 6:00AM and finishing about 8:45AM. Our plan was to start at Sunset Point, crossing the Rim Trail over to Sunrise Point, arriving before dawn. As the sunrise began we would descend Queens Garden Trail from Sunrise Point, taking the loop in a clockwise direction. We would climb back up out of the hoodoos to Sunset Point, completing the loop.

The crowd was beginning to arrive already as we walked the half mile from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point in the daybreak twilight. It’s a daily ritual at Bryce Canyon as the tourists, campers and hikers all arrive before dawn for the light show that turns the world famous hoodoos from grey darkness to bright orange.

There were perhaps as many as two dozen already there when we arrived at Sunrise Point. Mostly dressed in jackets and hats for the morning chill at 8,000′, many would go back to their campfires for breakfast as soon as the sun broke the horizon. Dave and I already had ours and we started down the Queens Garden Trail right away, hoping to beat the rest of the hikers, and to find a dazzling view spot farther down into the canyon.

Our plan worked, as we didn’t see another hiker for at least the next hour. Bryce Canyon is brilliant enough in the middle of the day. I’ve now had the opportunity to experience a sunrise amongst the hoodoos twice. It simply takes your breath away. Consider every shade of pink and orange imaginable. The shadows on the tall pines and the taller hoodoo spires are long. Everything surrounding you begins to glow during the golden hour.

The sky is a cerulean blue. The moon hangs above the cliffs of the canyon rim. The chipmunks chatter. Birds form a chorus. Deer scamper and graze. The breeze whispers through the canyon passageways. Everything is in unison as it welcomes and delights in the promise of a new day. I felt privileged just to be there.

As you plunge deeper and deeper into the canyon you are surrounded by hoodoos on both sides. If you don’t know, hoodoos are tall skinny spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins. They are created over many centuries through slow erosion of the soft rock and dirt sediment layers. Here in Bryce Canyon their color tends to be mostly various shades of orange, but there are some with more of a whitish or pinkish hue.

The forest that grows in the canyon is evergreen. It is a combination of juniper, ponderosa pine and the ageless bristlecone pine. A few wildflowers manage to bloom sporadically on the otherwise barren dirt. When you reach the bottom of the trail after about three quarters of a mile, there are white and pink and orange and red mounds of dirt interspersed among the hoodoos and pines signalling the entrance to what is known as Peekaboo Canyon. You can hike down in there. Dave and I talked about doing just that on a future visit.

This is the scene at the entrance to Peekaboo Canyon.

Once you reach the bottom of the canyon, the trail is like a maze through a series of passageways, curling in, around, and among the towering hoodoos. In a couple of places where you would otherwise be stymied by limestone walls, the trail builders have carved short tunnels through the stone.

At 0.8 mile you reach a short spur trail that takes you to what is known as Queen Victoria’s Garden, a collection of hoodoos that are clustered together between two hills. At one time, decades ago, one of these hoodoos looked eerily similar to a statue of Queen Victoria found in England. Over time, though, erosion has continued to do its own sculpting on the hoodoo, so you really have to use your imagination to conjure the namesake.

The next couple miles of trail wanders among more hoodoos and follows a wash through the forest. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife in this area. There is more vegetation for them to feed on. The hiking is easy as the trail is mostly level. We found a log bench to take a brief break, and were greeted by chipmunks who wanted to share our snacks.

By now, a couple hours into this hike, we were beginning to see other folks. A few had caught up from behind, but most of them were coming down the other side of the loop. We went a bit farther and came to the junction with the Navajo Trail. It had been our original plan to take that to complete this loop hike, but it was closed for repairs. So we began the ascent of the south side of Queens Garden Trail.

As you start the ascent, the hoodoo walls get tighter and tighter. The trail becomes almost like a slot canyon. There isn’t much light. The trees are few, and the tread is dustier. We reached a feature known as Two Bridges, an alcove where twin natural bridges span a gap between hoodoos.

Soon after, the climb back to Sunset Point begins in earnest. There is a series of about a dozen switchbacks that takes you between hoodoo walls. The crowd of hikers was really coming down the trail now as we were within a quarter mile of the rim. After clearing the switchbacks, you pop out into the bright sunlight of the Bryce Amphitheater. The orange glow from the hoodoo pipes and spires seems to permeate your senses.

Across the way a lone mule deer was in peaceful repose in a gap between the towers, completely oblivious to the crowd of humans in proximity. She too was reveling in the splendor that is a Bryce Canyon morning.

We reached Sunset Point. The view over the south side into the Silent City collection of hoodoos was stunning in the early morning light. We stared at the scenery for 10-15 minutes. It wasn’t even 9:00 yet. As we sauntered back to the car, we still had nearly the entire day to look for other adventures at the wonderful Bryce Canyon.

Summarizing Queens Garden Trail, this is an excellent means of “walking among the hoodoos.” While there is some exertion involved to climb back out of the canyon, it isn’t too tough. Take your time. This entire loop can be hiked in less than three hours and offers a stimulating Bryce Canyon experience. You can make it even that much more enjoyable by checking it out at sunrise. I hope you enjoy the photos below. I especially liked putting this gallery together.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Arriving at Bryce Canyon mid-afternoon, Dave and I headed for the short Mossy Cave Trail to get our feet wet among the majestic hoodoos. This trail actually begins outside the park at the far northern reaches, then enters the park boundary on foot. The trail is a streamside walk up to a mossy overhang and small waterfall. Mossy Cave isn’t a cavern, but is a grotto, created by an underground spring. We hiked to Mossy Cave on Saturday, June 2, 2018 beginning at 3:00PM and finishing about 4:00PM. Our plan was to explore this northern portion of Bryce Canyon National Park.

Mossy Cave Trail Map

At first, as you enter the trail, this small drainage known as Water Canyon, might look like any ordinary Bryce kind of canyon. But it’s not. From 1890-1892 Mormon pioneers labored with picks and shovels to carve an irrigation canal known as the Tropic Ditch from the East Fork of the Sevier River, through the Paunsaugunt Plateau, into this canyon.

Except for a severe drought in 2002, the water has flowed continuously for more than a century, and the lives of families living in and around the nearby town of Tropic still benefit from the effort of the pioneers.

As you hike up the Mossy Cave Trail, notice how the higher elevations of this “canyon” have the lumpy, broken, and random texture typical of Bryce Canyon National Park and its hoodoos. You will also see how the lower section is without hoodoos, and has smooth angled sides looking like a ‘V’ in cross-section. Because of this little water course, it is unlikely that any more hoodoos will form here. The existing hoodoos will eventually crumble and Water Canyon will have completed the metamorphosis, becoming a “real canyon.”

Soon after crossing a small rise you see the water… the pale green water. It is readily apparent that this is a mineral rich environment, simply by the color of the water in Tropic Ditch.

You are surrounded by hoodoos on both sides of the canyon. Hoodoos are tall skinny spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins. They are created over many centuries through slow erosion of the soft rock and dirt sediment layers. While the hoodoos here at Mossy Cave aren’t nearly as spectacular as the ones in the heart of the national park, they were a good reminder to us of what we had to look forward to throughout this visit to Bryce.

There is a small, perhaps 40 foot long foot bridge over Tropic Ditch, and then as you round a bend in the trail you see the unexpected. A waterfall. That’s the last thing I expected to see in Bryce Canyon National Park. Sure enough. Those Mormon pioneers had a playful nature apparently as they took the Tropic Ditch over a 10 foot drop in the canyon floor.

The trail forks, and you can take the right fork to the waterfall. Here, the rapid trenching of the stream has been delayed by a layer of dolomite, a special form of limestone fortified by magnesium. Dolomite is not only harder than regular limestone; it also can’t be dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater. Dolomite is what has created this waterfall and it is also the cap rock for the more famous and durable hoodoos.

The young kids who were also out hiking with their parents on this day made a beeline straight for the waterfall, and could be seen splashing and playing there for the duration of our visit.

Take the left fork in the trail to Mossy Cave. This isn’t a cave in the walking underground sense. It’s more of a shelter cave. Here depending on the season, you will see a large overhang either filled with moss, or with giant icicles. The icicles sometimes last as late in the season as May. Mossy Cave is created by an underground spring. It was so dark and contrasty inside that I didn’t even try to get a picture. Frankly, the waterfall is a lot more interesting.

The trail continues along the Tropic Ditch water course for another quarter mile or so, but the Park Service has this section closed as they work on native vegetation rehabilitation. All you’re missing out on is a chance to get a bit closer to some hoodoos.

Summarizing Mossy Cave Trail, this is one that’s great for the whole family. Especially if you have little kids, they will love the small waterfall. The hiking is short and easy and a good introduction to Bryce Canyon National Park. If you’re traveling on a very limited budget, you can save some money on the national park entrance fee because this trailhead is actually located outside the park boundary.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

I think of the Hell Canyon Trail in Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota as two hikes. There’s the stroll through the canyon with lush trees and bushes and a wide assortment of colorful wildflowers. Then, there’s the path along the canyon rim that exposes the devastation of the 2000 Jasper Fire, the largest in Black Hills history. The undergrowth is recovering nicely from the wildfire, but the trees may be gone for a century or more. One can only imagine the beauty that must have once existed here. My brother Dave and I hiked this loop on Sunday, May 27, 2018 beginning at 6:30AM and finishing about 11:15AM. Our plan was to hike the loop counter-clockwise, starting in the canyon and finishing on the rim.

As we typically do, Dave and I started this hike just past dawn, so we enjoyed seeing the sun rising over the east canyon wall and lighting up the cliffs of the west side with its brightness. Almost immediately there was a patch of wild dwarf iris, a portent of things to come.

It was recommended to us by our new friend at the Custer Econolodge that we start in the canyon, because the grade to the rim at the far end is a lot more gentle. As it turns out, she was exactly right. If you start out climbing the rim, it is pretty darn steep. Waiting until the north end to climb to the rim is definitely the way to go.

The first half mile gives you a good idea of the size of the canyon. The rock cliffs on each side rise a couple hundred feet and dominate the landscape. The canyon is narrower here. One thing that seemed odd to me is there’s no evidence of the creek or river that carved this canyon eons ago.

The next mile the canyon widens, and is surrounded by unburned forest. Mostly ponderosa pine, there is also some birch and aspen to help make things really, really green in late May. Because of the lush ground level vegetation, I suspect this trail may even become a bit overgrown in the summer months… unless there are friendly local volunteers who come out to cut it back.

We passed evidence of old Civilian Conservation Corps camps. They were apparently busy in Hell Canyon back in their day. Look for occasional #32 signs posted on trees as your trail markers. This is Black Hills National Forest trail #32.

After nearly a week of perfect weather in western South Dakota, on this day Dave and I had to confront a pretty powerful wind that was in our face whipping through the canyon. It even got a bit chilly, as we each pulled long sleeves out of our packs. I don’t know if this is common because of the canyon, or if we just happened to hit a windy day.

The farther we progressed into the canyon, the more the wildflowers came to life. What impressed me the most was not necessarily the abundance of flowers, but the wide variety. I bet we saw more than 30 different wildflowers through the canyon, from white and blue violets to an interesting species of columbine, from the dainty shooting stars and star solomon seal to the large clusters of hawthorne blossoms concealing the nasty, nasty spikes on the stems.

The hawthorne blossoms hide the very long spikes that grow from the stems of the bush.

As you complete the 2nd mile, the canyon narrows again and the pines become taller and larger. We encountered a horse rider coming the other way, our first contact of the day. Just past two miles, the trail makes a hard left turn and begins the ascent to the rim.

I’m going to do something a little different here from my traditional trail reports. Usually, I place the photo gallery at the bottom of the report. Since this loop is really two entirely different hikes, I’m going to post two photo galleries. The first will include pictures from down inside the canyon. Then, after viewing those, come back here and scroll below the gallery of thumbnails to a continuation of the report. Lastly, there will be another gallery from the rim portion of the hike.

For the next half mile you climb gently through stunning pine forest, with patches of deep purple harebell lining the trail. You turn to a decidedly southerly direction for the return along the bench that is below the tallest of the cliffs.

Then you see it. You pop out of the forest into the bright sunshine and see the immense devastation of the Jasper fire. It’s like a nuclear bomb went off. The trees that weren’t completely consumed in the fire are flattened, laying on the ground. It is now a treeless landscape. The only vegetation is at ground level. You can tell there used to be a lot of trees simply from all the fallen lumber, but it is now a wide open expanse.

The fire started on August 24, 2000 just west of nearby Jewel Cave National Monument. Over the next week it burned a total of 83,508 acres in the southern Black Hills and approximately 90% of the land area of Jewel Cave, including the rim of Hell Canyon. But now, 18 years later, the forest floor, no longer thick with ash, hosts a variety of plants that have rebounded since the fire. It is still ugly, but it is recovering. However, it will take a long, long time for the trees to come back.

Perhaps the most predominant wildflowers found on the slopes of the canyon rim now are the prairie goldenpea and the harebell. It seemed through the week that everywhere we went we found the delightful goldenpea. Their bright yellow clusters always brought a smile. We even wondered if maybe the goldenpea was the state flower of South Dakota because they seem everpresent. (No.)

We began to see other hikers, taking the loop in the opposite direction. Later, as we looked down into the canyon, we could see the same hikers now below, traversing the trail we had been on hours before.

We encountered these hikers with their dog up on the rim an hour before.

After about a mile, mile and a half on the rim, there is one stretch where the trail is fit tightly at the base of a cliff, with a steep dropoff on the left side. The danger isn’t really too bad, but if you are prone to vertigo, you certainly wouldn’t want to lose your balance here. Just warning… there is exposure.

Another warning. On a bright sunny day you definitely want sunscreen and a hat when hiking the rim. There is no shade. Also, hold on to your hat because of that wind I mentioned before.

Perhaps a mile from the end, the trail reaches undulating, rolling hills. So there is a bit of up and down, but nothing particularly strenuous. Soon after you reach the point where the rim begins to drop off the edge. You have views now beyond the canyon, and can see just how far the vast Jasper fire extended throughout the national forest.

The descent is about a half mile in length, with lots of switchbacks. During the whole time I was thinking to myself how glad I was to have not gone up this direction. It is considerably steeper than the gradual grade at the north end. Thank you Echo, for the tip.

Summarizing the Hell Canyon Trail, be prepared for a stark contrast of scenery. Down in the canyon it is lush and green. Along the canyon rim it is total devastation. The difference is striking. Wildfire has incredible power. This was one of my favorite hikes during the week in western South Dakota, especially the lower portion. Despite the destruction, I think you would enjoy it too. Thankfully the wildfire spared the canyon itself. If you like, just go out to the end of the canyon, then come back the same way.

I don’t normally promote businesses in my trail reports, but Dave and I had such an excellent experience at the Econolodge in Custer that I had to mention it. The staff that works there are all super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We stayed with them for six nights and were completely satisfied. The price is very reasonable and the amenities are all that we needed. If you’re staying in Custer, SD I highly recommend the Econolodge.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

This hike in the heart of Wind Cave National Park combines two trails to make a 5-mile loop, and the two couldn’t be any more different. Centennial Trail takes you through lush meadows, and a rocky canyon lined with pine, while Lookout Point Trail experiences the wide open spaces of the South Dakotan prairie. Centennial follows the path of Beaver Creek through the canyon. Then, watch for wildlife on Lookout Point trail including prairie dogs, bison and pronghorn. My brother Dave and I hiked this combined loop on Friday, May 25, 2018 beginning about 6:30AM and finishing at 10:15AM. Our plan was to circuit the loop clockwise, starting on Centennial and finishing up with Lookout Point.

Centennial Trail was built in 1989 to mark the 100th anniversary of South Dakota’s statehood. It is 111-miles total length that will take you through prairies and mountainous areas. The trail begins at Bear Butte State Park, travels through the Fort Mead Recreation Area, Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park and ends in Wind Cave National Park. It was this latter, southern end, where Dave and I picked up the trail.

From the trailhead, Centennial Trail (#6) starts in the forest and descends steeply about 140 feet into a fresh, grassy meadow that on this morning was covered with a heavy coating of dew. Almost immediately, as we popped into the open, we were greeted by a white-tailed deer scampering across the meadow. She paused for a moment to check us out, and allow a picture, then continued her bounding journey up the hillside on the opposite side of the canyon.

The canyon that surrounds Centennial Trail has been carved by Beaver Creek. Don’t think of it like the slot canyons in Utah with narrow chutes and high walls. This is a wide U-shaped canyon with tall stone outcrops and ponderosa forest that stands 100 feet on either side. The creek is small, no more than 5-6 feet wide, and meanders gently through the center of the grassy meadows.

The canyon, and therefore the trail, twists and turns around and through the high outcroppings thereby presenting surprises and new meadows around each corner. There are a handful of wooden foot bridges that cross Beaver Creek. It was the dew that got our feet wet… not the creek.

Because of our early start just past dawn, we were chasing the sun around every corner. The grasses and wildflowers were waking up to the morning brightness and warmth as the dew glistened from the verdure tips. We found bluebells and larkspur, shooting stars and ragwort. The water in the creek is fresh and clear, assuring the lush meadows will be nourished.

Just as we would pop into the bright sunshine, so too would we enter shady areas with ponderosa canopies and cool air emanating from the flowing stream. It was, to put it simply, an absolutely delightful morning, our best at Wind Cave.

Moving from the shadows into the light.

At about the two mile mark you reach a trail junction at the last creek crossing. Centennial Trail continues up the hill and on for another 109 miles to northern South Dakota. You want to get on Highland Creek Trail (#7) at this point, for just about a quarter mile, until it reaches another junction with Lookout Point Trail (#4). Take a right turn (to the south) on Lookout Point Trail at the second junction and you will stay on it for the remainder of this hike.

When you turn onto Lookout Point Trail, it begins a moderate climb for about a half mile through the pine forest and back up to the ridge level. When you clear the forest, voilà, you are on the prairie. You did put on sunscreen and a hat didn’t you? Because you won’t get any more shade as you cross the prairie.

The trail now turns in a westerly direction, so the morning sun is behind you, and you’re no longer staring right into the brightness like you do in the canyon. It’s breezy. There is a near-constant wind over the wide open plains. Better tighten your hat strap under your chin.

The flowers are different now too. They are less the ephemeral varieties, and more of the small shrubs and herbs like milkvetch.

After about a half mile on the prairie you begin to hear it. It starts as quiet chirps, then as you continue it evolves into a chorus, and then a crescendo as you walk right through prairie dog town. These little guys really give it their all to warn their friends and siblings that big ole human interlopers are in the neighborhood. They really put a lot into it. With each chirp, their tails bob up and down, like cranking a water pump. It’s humorous to watch.

The trail winds among rolling hills on the plains, and the prairie dog town seemingly goes on for a mile. We happened upon one lone bison grazing on a hill to the south of us. I wondered when the bison run across the grassland if they ever step into the myriad of prairie dog holes and injure themselves. Maybe they just don’t run as much as we see on TV.

The rolling plains are home to prairie dogs, bison, and pronghorn.

Most of the other hikers we saw on this day we passed on the prairie. They had started later than us, and were headed the other direction. Probably there were others behind us as well that we just never saw because we were on the same pace. Even on a Friday in June, we mostly had these trails to ourselves. I think most of the Wind Cave visitors are going underground to see the caverns. That means more solitude for those of us who like to explore above ground.

After about two miles of crossing the prairie, the trail makes a decidedly northern turn and heads for home along the final half mile. There’s a dip into a narrow barranca with a different creek and scrubby vegetation, then a final climb back up to the original starting point in the ponderosa forest.

In summary, this moderate hike of just over five miles was, to us, the most enjoyable of the three hikes we did in Wind Cave National Park. It offers a good overview of all that the park’s above ground trails have to offer, including rolling plains, verdant meadows, wildlife and wildflowers, and a sense of grand expanse. I would recommend this hike for your entire family.

By the way, there is no requirement within Wind Cave to remain on designated trails. So, if you happen upon an area that you deem worthy of extra exploration, feel free to blaze your own path.

I don’t normally promote businesses in my trail reports, but Dave and I had such an excellent experience at the Econolodge in Custer that I had to mention it. The staff that works there are all super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We stayed with them for six nights and were completely satisfied. The price is very reasonable and the amenities are all that we needed. If you’re staying in Custer, SD I highly recommend the Econolodge.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

There are three short trails that share the same trailhead on the far eastern section of Badlands National Park. The Window and Door Trails are boardwalks that explore the spires and buttes of the Badlands Wall. Notch Trail passes through the Wall and offers a great view of the White River Valley. There is even a fun rope ladder that takes you to the canyon rim as you head to the “Notch.” Some of the best views of The Badlands can be found on these short trails. My brother Dave and I hiked Notch Trail on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, and Door and Window on Monday, May 28th. Each were something we did at the end of longer hikes to fill out the day.

These three trails are on the right hand side of this map.

Notch Trail

Notch Trail begins by wandering through a canyon, surrounded by buttes and pinnacles on each side. About half way through you reach a rope and log ladder on your right that climbs to the rim about 40 feet above the canyon. The first half of the ladder can be walked, but as it steepens, getting on all fours is required to maintain balance. It really isn’t particularly dangerous.

Once on the rim, there is some exposure to the edge. Pay attention, and watch your step, as you don’t want to tumble into the canyon. Those with height fear may have a little trouble here.

After three quarters of a mile you reach the “Notch,” a dead end of the trail. From this vantage point you can see far away into the White River Valley and toward the small town of Interior, located just outside the southern boundary of the park. Later, as you continue south on the Badlands Loop Road, pause at the next pullout and look back over your left shoulder to see the “Notch” perched up on the cliff.

This is an out and back hike, so return is via the same pathway. It’s a little more difficult getting down the ladder, just because you’re backwards.

Door Trail

A wheelchair accessible ¼ mile boardwalk leads through a break in the Badlands Wall known as the “Door” and to a view of the Badlands. If you aren’t bound by a wheelchair, though, you should definitely continue out onto the clay surface beyond the boardwalk.

Follow the numbered stakes for an additional quarter mile into the heart of the maze of arroyos for the best views. While not the most colorful spires in the park, I think this section of the Badlands Wall is the most intricate and detailed. Definitely one of the best views to be found.

Window Trail

This very short trail leads to a natural window in the Badlands Wall with a view of an extremely eroded canyon. This one is also on a boardwalk for wheelchair access.

WARNING The Badlands has a very arid climate with no trees for shade. Summer in particular can get quite hot in the afternoons, so carrying plenty of water and slathering on the sunscreen are important precautions. A hat and sunglasses are also recommended. Watch for quick moving storm clouds and take rain gear if the sky looks threatening. Sturdy boots will help protect your ankles from cactus spines, and from the mucky mud that forms after a thunderstorm. Otherwise, have fun!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Yellowstone Prong has some of the most rugged terrain in all of the Pisgah Ranger District. Paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway from Looking Glass Rock Overlook at milepost 417, and climbing the drainage from Skinny Dip Falls to Yellowstone Falls, this hike in, along, and above Yellowstone Prong may be the most challenging mile I have undertaken. You will scramble over car-size boulders in the prong. You will whack your way through rhododendron thickets and climb over massive hemlock and oak deadfall. Best of all, you will enjoy incredible beauty in the midst of the gorge carved by Yellowstone Prong. Ken and I tackled this one Tuesday, April 11, 2017 beginning at 9:15AM and ending about 1:45PM. Our plan was to climb the Yellowstone Prong drainage from Skinny Dip Falls to Yellowstone Falls. We made it about 90% of the way, but saved the rest for another adventure.

Start this hike directly across the road from the Looking Glass Rock Overlook at milepost 417 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Look for the stone marker with the white blaze mark of the Mountains to Sea Trail. For the first half mile you will follow the MST down into the drainage passing groves of beech trees, hillsides of galax, and a couple of branch crossings along the way. The trail descends about a hundred feet. Keep that in mind. You will have to climb back up when you return.

The U.S. Forest Service has done a lot of work along this section of the trail to improve erosion problems. This short walk to Skinny Dip Falls is extremely popular with the teenagers during warm summer months, and you will undoubtedly notice the many social trails that lead to overnight camping spots. When you reach a wooden stairway at Skinny Dip Falls you have entered Yellowstone Prong.

You may wonder, “what is a prong?” You’ve heard of river, stream, creek, brook, branch, fork. A prong is simply the branch of a stream. In this part of Pisgah National Forest and Shining Rock Wilderness you are in Little Pigeon River country. Because the water tumbles thousands of feet from the myriad sixers that dominate the area, it flows every which way, wherever it can find the quickest way to the bottom. Many of these branches or forks are known as prongs in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Cross the wooden foot bridge across Yellowstone Prong just below Skinny Dip Falls. You are now on your own. There are no trail markers to guide you. Head upstream, staying near the water and look for a social trail that heads west up the drainage. It’s not hard to find near the falls, but the farther up the drainage you go, the more a defined trail becomes obscure.

Not far beyond Skinny Dip Falls the forest is carpeted with ephemeral wildflowers in April including spring beauties, trout lilies, various species of violet, bluets, and sedge. Also look for mostly oak, pine and hemlock trees, with an occasional dogwood thrown in for springtime beauty. As you will soon discover, the rhododendron is also everywhere. By the time you have finished this hike you will have a love-hate relationship with rhododendron.

For the first quarter mile, the social trail stays fairly close to the prong and is not too tough to negotiate. As you continue upstream the prong gets rockier and the gorge walls steeper. We encountered a fly fisherman, obviously in fishing nirvana in this stream known for native brook trout.

You must decide whether to proceed in the prong by scrambling over and around the boulders, or to climb higher up the bank hoping for a dry egress. We chose the latter, changing our mind a half hour later.

Should we go this way, or fight with the rhododendron on the bank?

The social trail seemed to continue up the bank, away from the prong, at least for awhile. It kept going higher, and kept going higher, and then just for good measure it kept going higher. We became stymied from proceeding westward by rhododendron thickets and deadfall. So we kept going higher, hoping for a passage through or around the forest debris. After 30 minutes of searching and continually climbing the ever steeper grade, we were tired, and decided to give the boulder field on the prong a go.

So back down, down, down we went all the while cursing ourselves for thinking this would be the best choice. When we got back to the prong, we paused for a breather and to survey the best approach for crossing the boulders. Reminding each other that boulder scrambling is a great way to turn an ankle, or worse, we began the ascent step by careful step.

Some minutes later we topped the terrace and popped out on a stunning view of a multi-tiered cascade plunging through another massive boulder field. We wondered aloud if this was perhaps Yellowstone Falls. Regardless, it was time for lunch. We found a perfect large, flat boulder to sit on right at the base of a 25 foot cascade. What a wonderful day. The weather was ideal… Carolina blue sky with puffy white clouds and a light breeze generated by the moving water.

The water itself was as refreshing as you can imagine as we each splashed our face with cupped hands. The sights and the sounds were inspiring. This is wilderness at its best. The fisherman we had seen earlier was now high above us standing on a rocky perch casting about into the hidden pools. Apparently he had continued up the prong when we had made the dubious decision to climb the hillside.

By the time we finished lunch, he had descended the cascades and now joined us in tales of adventure. We asked what was up higher around the bend and he said Yellowstone Falls was there, just beyond sight, about another 300 feet above. So, we were not sitting at the base of Yellowstone Falls. Darn.

After chatting with the fisherman for 20 minutes or so, Ken and I queried each other with our eyes about whether we still had it in us to do another boulder field climb. Had it not been for the needless excursion on dry land, perhaps we would have gone for it. As it was, we were already quite fatigued, and decided to save the rest for another day.

Wishing the fisherman adieu, we began our descent back through the boulder field we had previously climbed. Believe me when I tell you it is no easier going downhill. You have to be aware and alert of every step, placing your next one on an even surface where you are not likely to slip.

We reached a point where we could see the social trail on the north bank of the prong, so we scrambled up the side and back onto dry land. Even more wildflowers had popped out in the couple hours since we last passed through. It was delightful.

By the time we got back to Skinny Dip Falls, the crowd had arrived. There were probably two dozen folks there enjoying the cool refreshing mountain water on this exquisite April day. We paused at the top of the wooden stairway for a break, knowing we had that hundred foot climb remaining to get back to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was huffing and puffing when we finished.

In summary, this is an adventure that is not for everyone. Do not try this one alone! It is too easy to get hurt, and then there would be no one to go for help. This is likely the most difficult 2-mile round trip I have ever tried. It took us four and a half hours to hike just two miles because of all the resting we had to do. The rugged nature of the prong will sap all of your energy. So stay hydrated… stay nourished… and stay safe.

Updated September 20, 2017

After getting a taste of Yellowstone Prong in spring, I was determined to make it to Yellowstone Falls. This time Ken and I decided to tackle this wilderness from the top down, starting at Graveyard Fields at milepost 419 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

As you will see from the new photo gallery below, it was a gorgeous day in the high country. Fall was in its earliest stages of coloring the mountains and creeks. Should be a great day, right?

To make a 2.5 hour story short, we each returned a dirty, bloodied mess. There are scattered “volunteer” trails below Lower Falls at Graveyard Fields that will lead you to an area of the gorge near Yellowstone Falls. I eventually made it to the Yellowstone Falls basin. However, I’m not going to tell the story because I really don’t want to encourage others. This area really isn’t safe. You’re a lot better off coming up the drainage from below.

I will include the GPS track map I created so you can get the coordinates, but this is one you probably want to skip. Anyway, enjoy the pictures. Feel free to leave your comments below.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Río Grande del Norte National Monument is comprised of rugged, wide open plains at an average elevation of 7,000 feet, dotted by volcanic cones, and cut by steep canyons with rivers tucked away in their depths. The Río Grande River carves an 800 foot deep gorge through layers of volcanic basalt flows and ash. Among the volcanic cones in the Monument, Ute Mountain is the highest, reaching to 10,093 feet.

This area has attracted human activity since prehistoric times. Evidence of ancient use is found throughout the area in the form of petroglyphs, prehistoric dwellings, and many other types of archaeological sites. More recent activity includes abandoned homesteading from the 1930s.

The Monument is an important area for wintering animals, and provides a corridor by which wildlife move between the surrounding two mountain ranges.

The unique setting of the Monument also provides a wealth of recreational opportunities. Whitewater rafting, hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and camping are some of the more outstanding activities that can be enjoyed in the Monument.

The Monument is divided into multiple regions that used to be National Recreation Areas before President Obama joined them as a National Monument in 2013. The Wild Rivers Recreation Area is located near Questa and Cerro in the northern region high on a mesa that splits the Rio Grande and Red Rivers. The two rivers meet at La Junta Point below the tip of the mesa. A wild, and windy, overlook offers stunning views of the confluence and the hiking trails down below. Multiple campgrounds are available along NM Hwy 378 (also known as Wild Rivers Back Country Byway) that traverses the recreation area and leads to a Visitor Center about half way around the 13 mile loop.

The southern region of the Monument is found along NM Hwy 570. A second Visitor Center is located in Pilar, a small unincorporated community in Taos County. Unlike Wild Rivers that sits high above the gorge, the former Orilla Verde (Green Shore) Recreation Area lies within the gorge at river level. The many campgrounds in this area offer access to the nearby river.

Gentle waters with occasional small rapids through Orilla Verde provide an ideal area for canoeing, kayaking, and non-whitewater rafting. Anglers along the Río Grande will be challenged by brown trout, rainbow trout, and northern pike. Because of the dramatic changes in elevation from the river to the rims of the gorge and the diversity of plant life, Orilla Verde draws many species of animals, including eagles and hawks, songbirds, waterfowl, beaver, cougar, ringtail, mule deer, and more.

While brother Dave and I were just passing through on October 3, 2016 to get a sense of what was available, both Wild Rivers and Orilla Verde offer dozens of hiking trails that plunge from the mesa tops into the gorge, and follow the Rio Grande as it meanders through rugged volcanic backcountry. We will no doubt be back. As you can tell from the pictures, it was stormy in the morning at Wild Rivers, yielding to a beautiful afternoon at Orilla Verde. What a contrast.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.