A half-hour from our home are two popular trailheads. One trailhead leads to a well-known local hike where a person can reach the sixth largest natural bridge in the world.
Morning Glory Bridge
And just down from this trailhead is an internationally renowned mountain bike route.
Porcupine Rim Trail over the Colorado River
And in between? The lightly explored Grandstaff Canyon Wilderness Study Area with abandoned “ghost trails,” meandering canyons, Rock Images, and rim walks above the Colorado River.
Canyon Biscuit Root
All framed by the La Sals on the horizon.
A wet spring means lightly used trails.
Joan and I decided to “thread the needle” and make a loop taking advantage of the small window between the snows of winter and the crowds of the Moab spring.
And what a route it ended up being!
Ranger Joan explaining the geological layers.
A bit of wildness close to home.
I am not sure what is meant by “hiking season” or why person once wrote there is no backpacking in Moab, I just know we had a heck of weekend exploring our backyard.