Mountain View Trail, Antelope Island - March 8, 2026

scatman

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The family headed back out to the Lope to do some more hiking/exploring this past weekend. This time we hiked the Mountain View Trail, which runs 11.4 miles from just off the northern causeway and down the east side of the island to the Garr Ranch. I had forgotten about the time change, so we started off before sunrise. It was 39 degrees at the trailhead and the wind was blowing which made for a chilly first hour or so. Once the sun burned the clouds off though, it was perfect hiking weather with a high of 59 degrees. The trail crosses the road twice on its way south to the ranch and is popular with mountain bikers. We saw maybe 12 people on trail riding their bikes. Of course, meadowlarks, black-winged blackbirds and rock wrens were plentiful the entire day. So much fun to hike and listen to birds signing all the time. We also saw some ducks, two sandhill cranes, seagulls, beetles, and some bison here and there. When we arrived at the ranch, our friend Danny picked us up and shuttled us back to the Subaru. When all was said and done we headed to Roosters Brewery in Layton for some drink and food.

Here are some pictures of our hike:

Review Photo
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Overview maps of the hike

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Sign at the trailhead

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View of the northern Wasatch from the trailhead parking lot

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And we are off. We saw three deer running across the trail up ahead, but there was not enough light for me to get a good picture
of them. :(

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The ever present Frary Peak - northern view

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Seagulls above were making a racket.

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Caught a glimpse of the moon between the clouds

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Sunrise on the Wellsville Mountains to the northeast

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Got some fence posts and rolled up chain link. I wonder what the purpose of this was/is?

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Looking back to the north, sunrise on the Promontory Range

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Welp, I made it the first mile which is always a good sign. :)

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The sun trying to break through the clouds above the Wasatch Front

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Now we can warm up! :cold: Making our way along Buffalo Bay

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To the north again with the sun hitting Castle Rock (the high point) on Fremont Island

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A rock wren signing its tune

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Mile marker two

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A red-winged blackbird

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A meadowlark

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Starting to round the first point with long shadows this time of the day

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The trail ahead

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Beacon Knob

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3 mile marker

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A few bison up near the road

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My hiking partners for today's hike

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Tin Lambing Shed Basin

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Frary Peak

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Rounding the bend into Camera Flats with a good view of Frary Peak and Dooly Knob

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Mile marker 4

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Badger hole

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A different perspective on Beacon Knob

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Dooly Knob

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Crossing the road for the first time at approximately 4.66 miles. Some nice benches and a bicycle station

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View of Frary and Dooly from the west side of the road

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The Tour de Antelope peloton passes us by. I'm pretty sure that @b.stark is leading the peloton. :thumbsup:

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Mile marker 5

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Sheila has taken off her puffy and is enjoying a beautiful day.

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Camera Flats

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Some spring parsley

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Getting closer to Dooly Knob

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There are a few access points to the Mountain View Trail. This one is located at the road up to the Frary Peak Trailhead. We
stopped here to use the restrooms.

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Now she looks like she is having fun. :D

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Mile marker 6 - this is where we stopped for lunch

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Views from where we took our lunch break

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Common storksbill

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My lunch

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And here comes @b.stark and the peloton back

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The workhorse today is the Canon EOS 60D

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Along with the Canon PowerShot SX530 HS

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From out lunch break on, we ran into a lot of these beetles

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Views of the northern Wasatch

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Fire ants out and about

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Me and Frary

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The trail ahead

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Mile marker 7
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Working our way along Frary Peak

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Better sun angle now

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The Mountain View Trail

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Mile marker 8 - all mile markers from this point on have Frary peak as a backdrop

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Another access point to the Mountain View Trail. This on is at 8.7 miles

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Katie and Frary

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As the morning progressed, the Wasatch Mountains got prettier and prettier

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Mile marker 9

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The southern hills of the island finally come into view with the snow peaked Oquirrhs way off in the distance

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This was interesting, that is a grove of mulberry trees

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Crossing the road for the second time and this sign explained the reason for the mulberry trees

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An old plow and a pile of rocks

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Southern end of Daddy Stump Ridge. Molly's Nipple is the furthest peak along the ridge.

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Mile marker 10 - we took a quick break here

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View to the south from our break site

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Let's see if we can get this last 1.4 miles done.

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View to the southeast

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Daddy Stump Ridge

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Looking out in the direction of Sea Gull Point

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Mile marker 11

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The Sentry

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Arriving at Garr Ranch

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We made it.

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Garr Ranch

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The silo at Garr Ranch, back in the day used to store wheat

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Some horses at the ranch

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The old springhouse

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Just a little water in the springhouse. I visited the ranch when I was in high schools and this was full 45 years ago.

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I think @TractorDoc and I will be using this misery whip on Cache Creek later this summer. :)

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On our way back to the trailhead

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Views of the Wasatch from the trailhead parking lot in the afternoon

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Back at the Sube

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Seen while driving out

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Roosters Brewery

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Cuppa Joe Stout

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Naught brussels sprouts and a pint of Cuppa Joe

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Junction City Chocolate Stout

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A Brewhouse burger and some Junction City


The End.
 
Last edited:
Mighty nice scenery on that hike!

The only time I lead a peloton is the brief moment between when one catches me then passes me (and then leaves me far behind).
 

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