May 4, 2019
Moab, UT
Our MFFW (Moab Friends For Wheelin) club ride for May 4th was Deadman Springs. It was a new trail for us and I was excited it had been planned. It is an easy 32 mile (off-rode) experience with slick rock, occasional small ledges, and dirt and rocks.
It's an EJS trail that Carole (a friend and fellow MFFW member) had participated in and she was willing to lead for us.
Our first stop for the day was the actual springs and a short hike to a beautiful alcove. I did read that back in the 1890s, this was a functioning stock reservoir. The story goes that two old cowboys found a dead cowhand at the springs...hence the name.
The short hike to the alcove only had a little bit of water.
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| Hiking to the alcove... |
The wall was very tall and the air so cool.
The ride to our second stop which was the first Spring Canyon overlook was full of wide open vistas, wildflowers, and rocks.
In addition to the showy Whipple's Cacti and Claretcup Cacti which were plentiful, we saw...
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| Spiny Hopsage |
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| Desert Lupine |
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| Howell's Phacelia |
and Queen's Rock.
At the first overlook, we could see the bottom of the very deep Spring Canyon and the valley below. The jagged rocks make for a careful step when walking along the edge .
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| There was even some water in the spring. |
Remember Tombstone Rock? With a zoom, we could see it!
And Secret Spire? I could even zoom in on it too !
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| If you look closely in the center of the photo you will see the trail to the bottom of the canyon. We did Spring Canyon Bottom last year. It's a gorgeous trail too...steep, but not too narrow. |
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| Dee pointing out Spring Canyon Bottom trail. |
The slickrock at this overlook was covered with Indian paintbrush. It was such a vibrant color and so showy against the pale rock.
The cliff rose were blooming too, filling the air with their sweet perfume.
So, until next time...
HAPPY TRAILS !
The desert is amazing--all those flowers and colors!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see so many flowers still in bloom along a new-to-you trail, that looks like it offers a bit of variety.
ReplyDeleteGreat trail! The rocks are just so fascinating and each set has its own character. Queen Rock is certainly the perfect title for that one. Hiking in Utah with the abundance of Cliff Rose is wonderful. There was so much along the road as we traveled to Kanab. Yesterday, I could smell it before I saw it on the trails. Heavenly scent. Thanks for sharing your new adventure!
ReplyDeleteLove the combination of the delicate blooms and hard rocks!
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