This evening I went on my first hike since arriving in Moab. I had previously hiked along this trail during Thanksgiving weekend with a local artist, but today I'm on my own, sort of.
The locals hike this no-name trail along Sand Flats Road, just below the fee booth as you enter the Sand Flats Recreation Area, home to the famous "Slickrock Trail".
It snowed on and off for a couple of hours today, but at 5 PM with the overcast skies holding the last of the sun's warmth close to the rocks, the conditions for a hike were superb. I park on the shoulder next to a young couple and their dog, we head down the snow covered trail in close company, but I speed up and give them some privacy. Grand County is a sparsely populated place; only 1 person for every 2.5 square miles. The locals generally like their privacy, the California attitude of "your here and I have a right to be right next to you" doesn't fly here...thankfully.
This is a great little walk, 3 miles round trip on a mostly level course with great views towards Spanish Valley. The trail itself wanders along the base of a large red rock wall. The wall has this smooth grey-black surface in some places called "desert varnish" which is actually clay that has been baked in the sun. It's wonderful to look at and the ancient ones preferred it's black surface for chiseling their petroglyphs into at a depth of 1/4 inch. Along this route there are 2 petroglyphs that I've seen; long, curvy, snake looking shapes that possibly represent the ridge line of the La Sal mountains or maybe the nearby stream bed, no one knows for sure.....mystery is a good thing.
It's quiet and peaceful here, yet only a mile or so from town. This is a great trail to let your mind wonder and your body get some exercise. Near the petroglyphs there's a large pile of broken stones at the base of the cliff. On further examination the broken stones are in the shape of soup cans. These rocks might have formed an arch on top of the cliff many years ago. At the turn-around point your treated to a view of the confluence of Mill Creek and North Mill Creek approximately 200 feet below you as it winds through the ancient slot canyons and eventually through the middle of Moab on it's way to the Colorado River. There is a nice big flat rock to sit on at this location; perfect for a friend and a bottle of wine on a summer evening.
The locals hike this no-name trail along Sand Flats Road, just below the fee booth as you enter the Sand Flats Recreation Area, home to the famous "Slickrock Trail".
It snowed on and off for a couple of hours today, but at 5 PM with the overcast skies holding the last of the sun's warmth close to the rocks, the conditions for a hike were superb. I park on the shoulder next to a young couple and their dog, we head down the snow covered trail in close company, but I speed up and give them some privacy. Grand County is a sparsely populated place; only 1 person for every 2.5 square miles. The locals generally like their privacy, the California attitude of "your here and I have a right to be right next to you" doesn't fly here...thankfully.
This is a great little walk, 3 miles round trip on a mostly level course with great views towards Spanish Valley. The trail itself wanders along the base of a large red rock wall. The wall has this smooth grey-black surface in some places called "desert varnish" which is actually clay that has been baked in the sun. It's wonderful to look at and the ancient ones preferred it's black surface for chiseling their petroglyphs into at a depth of 1/4 inch. Along this route there are 2 petroglyphs that I've seen; long, curvy, snake looking shapes that possibly represent the ridge line of the La Sal mountains or maybe the nearby stream bed, no one knows for sure.....mystery is a good thing.
It's quiet and peaceful here, yet only a mile or so from town. This is a great trail to let your mind wonder and your body get some exercise. Near the petroglyphs there's a large pile of broken stones at the base of the cliff. On further examination the broken stones are in the shape of soup cans. These rocks might have formed an arch on top of the cliff many years ago. At the turn-around point your treated to a view of the confluence of Mill Creek and North Mill Creek approximately 200 feet below you as it winds through the ancient slot canyons and eventually through the middle of Moab on it's way to the Colorado River. There is a nice big flat rock to sit on at this location; perfect for a friend and a bottle of wine on a summer evening.
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