June 14 & 15, 2016
After staying one night at the Snake Gulch trail head with all the nasty grasses that stopped us from hiking, Bill and I decided to drive up into the cool Kaibab forest for our second night of camping.
Back out of Snake Gulch I stopped at a few places along the road to point out some of the archaeological sites I’d seen along the cliff faces on a previous visit. This little alcove is high up on the rock, about the middle of the photo.
Parked at the coral and started to walk back along the cliff but again the grasses stopped us.
So we headed up into the cool pine forest and looked for a campsite. I really love National Forest roads and these are pretty well maintained and very well signed. Just please don’t build any more. There are usually sweet little spaces where vehicles have safely driven off road and it’s obviously a campsite. Gotta’ love free dispersed camping in our forests.
We found a nice open spot to drive into not far from the road with fire rings which we did not use. Good thing as unknown to us the Forest Service had put the forest on fire restriction. Not a surprise considering how dry everything is. And we only had three vehicles drive by.
Surrounded by my favorite tree, the sweet Ponderosa Pine.
A stacking of limbs against an unusual cluster of branches appeared to be the remains of a shelter. In this area of the forest there’s much evidence of hunter camps, some with a heavy branch lashed across two trees to hang a deer on.
Grasses and flowers carpeted the pine’s floor, like it should. This is a nice example of what a Ponderosa pine forest should look like, open, park like. There’s been just enough fire and thinning to counter all the years when fire was suppressed.
Tiny flowers reach for the patches of dappled sun that finds its way through the tall canopy to the ancient and thickly needled forest floor.
The moon peaked through tall branches still a week away from full.
Late light made the pines glow.
We hung out over a leisurely coffee and muffin breakfast before heading separate ways. Bill returned home to Kanab and I back to the North Rim. But I was in no hurry and had to stop several times for photos.
The road crossed this huge meadow that is closed to motorized vehicles but open to hiking, horses, and bicycles. I didn’t really see a trail but it sure looked like a gorgeous place to walk. And there is a little used two-track to the left.
I passed another meadow with a sign for 1 1/2 mile lake. Now I’d be surprised if there really is a lake but there’s a road and it looks like a pretty place to camp.
Then I entered the western edge of the 2006 Warm Fire and was soon back to the paved SR67 which took me south back to the park.
I’m amazed at how much water still stands in the meadows considering there’s been no rain. Imagine my surprise at seeing the unmistakable shape of a Blue Heron in one of the small pools.
