The fall and winter seasons of 2022/2023 in Cedar City have seen a very healthy snowfall after years of drier weather and the challenges of drought. So Dave has had many opportunities to shovel some snow.

Not too far south of Cedar City the Mohave Dessert provides much warmer weather and much less likelihood of snow, so Dave and Jan headed south (around 35-40 miles) to a scenic area north of St. George known as Red Cliffs. The Red Cliffs area includes a popular small Forest Service campground (used by reservation only), some day use facilities (with limited parking on site), and miles of trails for hikers and cyclists to enjoy. Dave and Jan’s previous visit to the area took them hiking on the White Reef trail which connects with other trails leading back to the Red Cliffs campground. Because they had parked their car some distance away on a dirt parking lot just west of the 15 Freeway, they did not venture into the Cottonwood Canyon wilderness trail which begins at the campground, but this time they came with the intention of exploring the canyon – a very interesting experience.

Just inside the canyon entrance they saw a long-dead tree which looked very much like a fossilized elephant head.

Canyon walls soon began closing in on the trail into the canyon, revealing some very colorful displays of Navajo Sandstone rock.

A pleasant stream of cool, clear water flowed through the canyon – eventually feeding into the lake at Quail Creek State Park.

A small waterfall flowed over the red rock farther up the trail before very long.

Canyon walls continued to display varied and interesting red rock formations.

As canyon walls continued closing in there was a good sized pool and a challenging rock passage for hikers on the trail.

Before much further along the trail the water of the creek was pretty much filling the canyon.

And soon the hiker’s choices were either walk or swim in the creek, or turn around and hike back out of the canyon.

On his way out of the canyon Jan used her phone to catch Dave rounding a rock corner where only a rope kept him from a swim!

Dave and Jan are very happy to be living in an area where there is such beautiful and varied scenery to enjoy – beauty and variety for which they are deeply grateful to the Lord as the creator and sculptor of the “color country” which surrounds Cedar City.