Heading to Snow Canyon State Park today. It's a beautiful park with red, black and white rolling rock formations some of which are Petrified Dunes.
We arrive around 9:20am and make our first stop at Jenny Canyon Trail. I've never been on this 1/2 mile one-way trail but it's time and a good warm-up.
Wonderful views of the park from the start of the trail.
The trail heads east with the desert landscape towards a huge red rock formations.
Thought there might be some flowers in bloom at the warmer lower elevation but no such luck - at least this location.
Shortly, we reach the little slot canyon - my first ever. It's about 100 ft deep and I enter.
There's a bird - perhaps a dove or raven/crow -- in the slot calling. It's sounds pretty interesting as it echoes in the canyon.
We then continue up to the Jenny Canyon overlook. Well, I think the views from below are actually better than up here.
But the little holes in the rock are pretty cool!
We leave to our next stop - the Petrified Sand Dunes.
Along the desert trail, I find some small pink flowers in bloom!!
Once reaching the dunes, there's no real trail here; you just find your own way up the dunes to some incredible views if you wander around.
From the dunes, we head to our last stop just outside the park - White Rock Amphitheater.
There's a short walk thru the desert (pink flowers here as well)
until reaching the white rocks.
To the amphitheater.
Lovely place - can't beat it!!!
On the way exiting the white rocks, we see a butterfly -- looks like a Comma.
Great trip this morning!
We head out for a quick bite to eat. Then then head up to the Temple Quarry Trail in St George. It's a spot unknown for the Desert Orangetip butterfly. And since we saw a Orangetip from afar at Red Cliffs, it's worth the 2 mile walk.
The walk is around a Lava rock quarry that existed from 1871-1874. The large lava rock was used for the foundation and basement walls of the St George Temple.
As we start around, we're seeing and hearing a few birds, including this one with an orange breast. I think is a Say's Phoebe.
A but further, we see 3 hawks doing awesome acrobatic maneuvers in the air --- wondering if they were mating battles. It was really cool to watch. And listen too because I can hear their wings flapping. Great sound!
We continue on but we're not seeing any butterflies. There's lot of green vegetation but still no flowers.
The trail description says the trail is 1.1 miles but I know we walked longer than that. In fact, I think they've made this trail a loop. We turn around -- just not seeing bflies.
On the way back, we're seeing quite a few small lizards.
And nice view in the other direction.
Well that's a wrap for the day and the trip! Fun time!!
