The weather was perfect today for a hike. It was 34 degrees when we got to the trailhead about 10 AM, eventually warming to the low Fifties. We layered up, then peeled off the layers as we went. It was a four hour hike on my favorite trail called the Goldenwall Trail in Red Canyon about 7 miles west of Bryce Canyon Nat’l Park in south central Utah. We live only forty minutes from the trailhead.
The photo above gives you an idea what the general terrain is like. The altitude at the trailhead is 7,100’ and we crest at about 7,800’ at the top. There is plenty of up and down to make it interesting and physically challenging. The trail takes us past loads of bizarre rock formations, hoodoos, spires, a few arches and the like.
We took a friend who had never been there before, which added to the pleasure of the experience, since she was doing a lot of ooohing and aaahing along the way. The “golden wall” itself is about halfway into the trail and a good spot to stop for a brief snack. The contrast of the salmon colored rock with the clear blue sky was outstanding. I don’t know why they didn’t call the place Salmon Canyon, which would more accurately describe the rock than “red” or “golden.”
I’ve probably hiked this trail about a dozen times now, in every season of the year, and I’ve only seen another human being on it once. I brought a good cigar with me this time and lit up when we finished our snack at the wall, then enjoyed it all the way down. Once you are descending and have gravity on your side, you almost don’t want the hike to end. Returning to the truck, we were all tired but aglow with the experience of enjoying a beautiful, untrammeled place.