Scott Chandler
Wildness is a necessity- John Muir
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2014
- Messages
- 1,099
11/6/14
Ever since I knew the Red Mountain Wilderness Trailhead existed I wondered what was back there. We're talking a couple years of me wondering about it but not getting around to it. So finally I went.
The main attraction of this hike is the western rim of Snow Canyon. It looks like someone can get all the way to the southern end of the mesa and look down at Santa Clara if they wanted to but I just wanted to see the canyon and the rimland.
I was surprised at the amount of fall colors I found. While the rim was mostly a juniper/pinon pine forest there were many small trees that were yellowing.
After a couple miles of walking, including a weird mile in a barbed wire corridor, I reached the Snow Canyon Overlook.
Seeing Snow Canyon from this angle was pretty neat. There were also some nice sandstone domes nearby.
It was still early in the day so I set out to follow the trail along the canyon rim. I eventually hit a sweet slickrock area around half way down the canyon.
I was amazed at the colors that existed up there.
And by this crazy forest of stunted Ponderosa Pine
I even found a water hole
I ate lunch right on the rim. Twas a very nice spot to soak in the view, think about life, and enjoy the leftover Moab Brewery IPA I had.
(Phone pic)
From here I decided to head back. On the way I cut through more of the slickrock pocket I was in.
It turns out that there is some pretty neat country on that Red Mountain Trail.
Featured image for home page:
Ever since I knew the Red Mountain Wilderness Trailhead existed I wondered what was back there. We're talking a couple years of me wondering about it but not getting around to it. So finally I went.
The main attraction of this hike is the western rim of Snow Canyon. It looks like someone can get all the way to the southern end of the mesa and look down at Santa Clara if they wanted to but I just wanted to see the canyon and the rimland.
I was surprised at the amount of fall colors I found. While the rim was mostly a juniper/pinon pine forest there were many small trees that were yellowing.
After a couple miles of walking, including a weird mile in a barbed wire corridor, I reached the Snow Canyon Overlook.
Seeing Snow Canyon from this angle was pretty neat. There were also some nice sandstone domes nearby.
It was still early in the day so I set out to follow the trail along the canyon rim. I eventually hit a sweet slickrock area around half way down the canyon.
I was amazed at the colors that existed up there.
And by this crazy forest of stunted Ponderosa Pine
I even found a water hole
I ate lunch right on the rim. Twas a very nice spot to soak in the view, think about life, and enjoy the leftover Moab Brewery IPA I had.
From here I decided to head back. On the way I cut through more of the slickrock pocket I was in.
It turns out that there is some pretty neat country on that Red Mountain Trail.
Featured image for home page:
