Navajo, Spruces & Lodge Trail Loops

Chipper seems to know when it's Saturday, the first thing he does is smell our shoes!  Are we doing yard work or going hiking?!  If he smells hiking shoes he follows us around the house until it's time to go, as if we might leave him behind!  The Virgin River Rim Trail has been a great respite from the summer heat, and the lack of people on the trails has amazed us.  Despite the many dead falls, these connecting loop trails have provided us with easy access to "knock out" portions of the 32-mile Virgin River Rim Trail.  In this post, we spent two days hiking the Navajo, Spruces and Lodge Trail loops . . . we still have a few more sections to go!          

Starting out on the trail . . . we stepped over this little snow tunnel

The sunny sections of the trail were dry 

Then again, there was still quite a bit of snow for late June & early July

We had nice views of Navajo Lake along the way

There was a lot of dead fall along the trail . . . we got a workout!

We saw a lot of fungi growing on the pine trees

Our heavy winter was hard on these signs

Chipper is afraid of bikes . . .
He couldn't wait for this guy to get on down the trail

Creeping phlox was in bloom in the higher elevations

Great views looking towards Cascade Falls and Strawberry Point

Creeping Oregon Grape added a nice pop of yellow 

Obviously deer like this trail, too!

Hard to get lost on these trails, the signs are great!

Chipper loved munching on the snow

Another peek at Navajo Lake on our way down . . . 
The lake is really full this year

And the race is on . . .  I think it was a tie!

Just a beautiful trail!
And all to ourselves in the middle of summer!

First time we've seen a Canada Violet on a hike . . .
 our Canadian friends would say, eh? 

Chipper was a little camera shy . . . We are at the base of Andy Nelson Peak . . .
also known as, a hike for another day! 

We came upon this corral decorated for the 4th of July, a pretty neat sight! 

Virgin River Rim Trail - Deer Haven to Webster Flat

This year winter and spring brought an abundance of snow and rain to the state of Utah . . . it was badly needed after years of drought.  We really can't complain, but it has put a kink in our summer hiking plans . . . there is so much snow in the mountains many of the roads are still closed.  You know the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks",  well these old dogs are learning a few and it's been good!  The past two weekends we have driven up Cedar Canyon and the Virgin River Rim Trail has piqued our interest.  The trail is 32 miles long, but can be broken up into more manageable sections.  For this section we did a short four-mile out and back.  We plan to hike the trail in its entirety, just not all at once . . . so check back and see where we've been.     

Heading up Cedar Canyon in June you don't expect to see snow!

The closer we came to Cedar Breaks the higher the snow banks became! 

Wow!  This is crazy!

We thought maybe we would fish Mammoth Creek . . . wrong!

Enough of the snow and high water . . . 
We headed down to Webster Flat road and Deer Haven campground . . . no snow here,
just wildflowers, like this Star Lily  

Chipper waited patiently while we enjoyed a picnic lunch . . .
don't worry . . . he had a snack later!

Spring Beauty, should have bloomed in the spring, not in June! 

Deer Haven is such a pretty spot

That's Brian Head Peak (11,306) in the distance

We met these 3 ladies from Cedar City who were out on a trail ride 
They rode off into the sunset . . . actually they were headed back to Woods Lake

This trail is 32 miles long and can be done in sections

Today we are hiking the Deer Haven to Webster Flat road section
 Aspen Bluebells were growing along the trail

We had the trail to ourselves

We came across this sign (Lundell Troughs) hidden in the aspens

The troughs were empty even though the spring was running

Chipper enjoyed a nice cold drink from the spring

Remnants from the past 

 July 6, 1942 . . .
Could have been a sheepherder or someone who built the troughs?

There's something about walking through the forest, the air is fresh and it's so quiet 

Subalpine Larkspur

Looking to the south we could see Zion National Park

Well, we're just about back to where we started . . .
we'll finish other sections on another day . . . 
stay tuned!