Calf Creek................

Last fall, we were exploring All American Scenic Highway 12 through Utah, from Bryce to Boulder, which was beautiful. At the time, we made a trip to Calf Creek to do a hike to the Lower Falls, which we heard was an outstanding hike. We started it, but it was way....tooo....hot.....for me!

So, we took a day to drive Scenic Highway 12 over Boulder Mountain from Torrey to Boulder so we could try the hike again. Little did we know, it is the snow-capped Boulder Mountain that we are looking at from our campground! So, it was up and over the mountain for us. No more desert environment, at least for an hour! We were in the mountains! Elevation 9600 feet! The ride was beautiful. Once we came down the other side of the mountain, we drove along the "hogback", which twists, turns and has dropoffs on both sides at once. Its fine in the car, but in the RV I think I'd be on the floor crying. The views are really spectacular! I'm pretty sure I posted about this in the fall,  but it bears repeating. Its that nice.

beginning of the hogback-All American Scenic Highway 12

just beautiful views from the hogback

interesting road though

you need to pay attention on this road!

beautiful!

up and down, and side to side too

A fun road!! Wouldn't wan to do it in the RV!!!!

Almost at Calf Creek now-see the camper down below on the right? That's where we are headed

Calf Creek has a small campground for smaller camping units or tents. The sites are secluded and really cool. Looks like it would be a fun place to camp. We walked through part of the campground to get to the trailhead. The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls is about a 6-mile roundtrip and is listed as a moderate hike, I think because of the amount of time you need to walk through sand. Its a slow go slogging through the sand, but the end is amazing! So worth it! In the summertime, its a refreshing place for a dip, if you can manage to get there without a heat stroke. For more information, click here.

So come along with us on this glorious hike and wait until you see the end!

that's the road we came down....Scenic Byway 12

trail register...note the double jackets! Its still in the 40's

starting out....nice hike....we did half of it in the fall before I had a heat stroke

this sand is deep.....like walking on the beach...not near the water

up and down

desert beauty

nice hike....and very popular!  (Its warming up now)!!

another unexpected pop of color

slogging through the sand

pop

easier walking on the slickrock

looks like a miniature cotton plant

pictographs on teh far side of the canyon wall

getting hot now!! trudging through sand for a while

even Tom looks hot (and its not that hot - mid 60's or so here-but the sun is blazing)

sweet

one of my favs

easier walking here...

getting closer

we are following a group of art students - well, they passed us on the trail - can still hear them

getting ready to bloom

refreshing area...but still sandy trail

hey look

segmented

just really interesting to me...I know....I'm a big dork!  (Oh I know why...it reminds me of looking at mold under a microscope)!

Landscape  change! Must be almost there

I like this area .... sand and all

and water!

looks so clean and refreshing

huge chunks of rock have fallen from the canyon wall

almost there

I hear water!

how nice it that??

this waterfall is 130 feet high

swimming is allowed, but it was rather chilly here....and the spray from the falls was more than refreshing

Love the colors! Such a verdant little paradise!

awesome!

everyone comes and just hangs out for a bit, eating lunch or just enjoying the peace

all the art students that passed us earlier on the trail (hey ....wait till your 60ish!)

another wonderful restaurant for lunch :)

great spot!

The falls were awesome, don't you agree?  It was an oasis to be sure. Most hikers, ourselves included, seemed to stay for quite a bit before doing the return hike. What a magical place. I'm sure it would be amazing swimming there as well! Anyway, we enjoyed our lunch and taking in the moment. Some things are priceless! We really enjoyed this hike...just wonderful!

On the way back, we made much better time since it was sprinkling a bit and we put our cameras away. Well, at least I did! Ha! So wouldn't you know.....we ran into a snake on our way back. Then we spent a bit of time watching it (from a distance). In the meantime, we wanted to get back over Boulder Mountain before weather arrived. 

ugh..ugh..ugh...really? I thought it was too cold for snakes!

trying to beat the incoming storm

honestly, this snake was at least 8 feet long!

that's not even all of it...and that's the trail! it crossed right in front of us, then went back to the other side

Driving back, the sky looked beautiful (in most places) and we stopped again at scenic overlooks that were not as clear in the morning. The view into the town of Boulder is very scenic, in my opinion, and I think I took the very same pictures last fall. After driving through the town, the trip back home to Torrey is over the mountain, and the landscape is much different. Very refreshing, and we enjoyed "winter" for about an hour. The temperature dropped to about 40, and we were lazy and still dressed in our "hiking through sand" clothes....no jackets! When we got out of the car, we froze!

very scenic

my favorite view-I think I took this same pic in the fall

on Boulder Mountain...the deer were out...but they looked both ways before crossing:)

where there's one, there's five (we know that from NJ)

getting ready to bloom...but its still winter on top of this mountain (9600 ft elevation)

where is my coat?

yikes its freezing!!

the view is amazing...the colors-wow!

we should put our coats back on

the sun hit just right! such a picture

again

okay..one more... close up

another herd of deer...the flora and fauna much different up here

beautiful

another beauty

Tom posing nicely and getting frostbite while I sit in the car and take the pic...ahhahahaha.....you never know what I'm gonna do.....ahhahhaha...we have fun!

oh man.....its soooo cold up here! But the views are incredible...and the colors!!!

one more shot...that is where we live now...under the red rock cliffs towards the left!