A little more planning went into today's visit to Kolob Canyons in Zions National Park's west side in New Harmony, UT. It was much later in the afternoon and the sun provided better lighting on the canyon walls.
It was also a bit warmer, so a short hike seemed like a good idea while waiting for the perfect light. The Timber Creek Overlook trail was listed as a "moderate" hike which seemed odd since it was short and pretty easy. It finally became clear that the park didn't grade the hike difficulty based on length alone, it was on elevation gain. This trail must have been right at the dividing line with 100 feet elevation gain, just nudging it out of the "easy" category (other easy hikes had as much as 98 feet). The trail was nice and provided a different perspective on the peaks across the canyon. It was also very quiet with less than 10 other people on the trail during our entire hike.
Sitting at one of the many turn-outs for a few minutes, you start to notice details that were missed because of the scale of the canyon. The afternoon sun seemed to make the sandstone pattern below stand out. I'm not sure I even noticed it the first day.
The weeping stains below many of the hanging canyons paint colorful pictures on the cliff faces. This one is below a valley descending from Timber Top Mountain, one of the highest peaks at 8,055 feet.
I think this may be a Pinyon Jay, but I'm by no means
certain.
The afternoon sun was a vast improvement, but it probably would look even better just before sunset and the sky could use a bit of cloud drama. We will have to watch the skies and plan a return visit on another day.
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