April 13 - Snow Canyon State Park

Oh what a beautiful morning and a wonderful park.

Started off on the Petrified Dunes trail --- this was basically a "make your own way" trail up these huge petrified orange dunes. Once to the top, the views were great of the area.

Wasn't quite sure which way to go but just simply go in the southernly direction. There were metal markers once in a blue moon but at least it kept me on course. Then to get off, I took a narrow crack in the rock -- this was sketchy as at one point I had my back against one wall and my toes against another and I was basically stuck. I had no choice but to drop down and hope I didn't break/bruise/scape anything -- I made it with none of the before mentioned happening :)

Then a quick stop at a viewpoint and then down the 3 Ponds Trail. (I think I know what to expect at the end :)) But first, a sego lily

AND finally a butterfly (a duskywing, one of those I couldn't catch up to yesterday) basking morning sunlight - got him!!! (He's a Rocky Mt Duskwing -- another lifer!!)

Then lots of sand...deep sand for about a mile up a wash. It was my workout for the day. The views great!

Snuck up on a jackrabbit. Actually I didn't see him until his buddy off hopping. He really didn't care that I was there.

Also saw another checkerspot - this time a Sagebrush Checkerspot (or Desert Checkerspot subspecies/variant). I've seen Sagebrush before but the Desert is a lifer.

The trail ended at a pond, more like a little hole with water that hadn't quite dried up.

But it was cool. I could see over the rocks in back of the pond and there appeared to be another but without a sure way of getting over the rocks, I leave it to my imagination. I tried the trail on the left but it got too rugged and the trail on the right led to a dry up pond (and a cute little redbud tree in full bloom). Snacktime; it was shady and quiet; and I saw a Mourning Cloak (actually saw 2). Then backtracked to the trailhead.

Walked the bike trail (gravel yea!) until it intersected the Lava Flow Trail. And back to sand and uphill. Could see black lava rocks and when I got on top there was a lava cave which was pretty neat.

There were a bunch of folks down in the cave so I decided not to go down. Just took the Butterfly trail back (no bflys on this trail). Finished back on the Petrified Dunes Trail; enjoyed the view and aor a quick lunch then back to my car. (About a 5.5 mile loop) Fun place to visit!

Drove out of the park and stopped at a trailhead for the White Rock Amplitheater.  Fantastic!

Good day!