One week after Dave and Jan discovered and hiked up Henderson Hill on the road to Yankee Basin in the Parowan area, they returned to a trailhead they had noticed on the other side of the road in the same area. From the top of Henderson Hill they had looked down on some beautiful red rock cliffs and had decided to get up closer. The Vermillion Castle trail provided the opportunity to do just that.

The trail climbed steeply, with views of the red cliffs characteristic of the area to the west.

In addition to the abundant red rock, the area also includes quite a few examples of conglomerate rock.

Joining Dave and Jan for this hike was a good neighbor and friend, Kathleen, who also loves the area.

Though the trail was steep, it was only a little over a quarter of a mile before the “castle” began to come into view. The red rock and conglomerate were also accompanied by what appears to be limestone.

Dave and Jan (and Kathleen too) are always very impressed with the workmanship of the Creator who formed the earth, then reformed it in the waters of the worldwide flood of Noah’s day. The “castle” is a fitting habitation for the one described as “King of kings, and Lord of lords” in His word, the Bible.

Psalm 24:10 (NASB)
¹⁰  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.

Dave and Jan were hoping to take a hike on a Monday when summer temperatures in Cedar City were projected to be uncomfortably warm (in the 90’s), so they headed up I-15 to Parawan (15 miles), then east toward Brian Head, turning off that highway toward Yankee Meadow. Dave remembered having seen a sign for a trailhead along the road, and it turned out to be the Henderson Hill trailhead.

Across the road the scenery was already very promising – as so many places are in Southern Utah.

The trail crossed a small stream, then headed up the narrow canyon between two hills keeping Dave and Jan guessing which one was going to turn out to be Henderson Hill.

Henderson Hill is a mild-sounding name for the trail which ascended very steeply in many places. Not a heavily traveled trail, it helps to have a little imagination at points along the way as to where it goes!

Arriving at a beautiful meadow was one of the many enjoyments of the day’s hike, and there were some colorful floral displays at many points along the way even in the final weeks of the summer season.

Arriving at a saddle between the two hills revealed a colorful display of the red rocky terrain to the west.

The climb to the next saddle provided a very scenic spot for a lunch break in another meadow area which, to Jan’s delight, was filled with small colorful rocks which would be perfect to put through a rock polisher.

The final ascent to the top of Henderson Hill provided beautiful views of the red rock formations in the valley below in which the trailhead was located. Another trailhead on the other side of the road offered the promise of an opportunity to get up closer and more personal on another day’s hiking adventure.

During their lunch break Dave and Jan couldn’t resist the urge to worship the Creator in song with the familiar words of Psalm 8:9: “O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth”!