Dave and Jan drove their trailer up Highway 14 the Thursday after Memorial Day, intending to camp at the Deer Haven Forest Service Campground where they have camped several times before. Finding that the camp, which was supposed to have opened for the season on Memorial Day, was still closed, they drove back a half mile to the Webster Flat road where there were places they could “dry camp” to set up camp for a two-night stay at a nice spot a short distance from the road.

Though Dave didn’t remember to take any pictures of the gathering, Stephen, Meagan, Ryan and Erin drove up the mountain from town to enjoy a barbecue meal consisting of hot dogs, chips, drinks, and s’mores. Ryan took a particular interest in cave-like fissures in nearby lava rocks, as well as a large pile of tree stumps where he could chop to his heart’s content with an axe Dave had brought along.

On Friday morning Dave and Jan drove to nearby Navajo Lake to hike another section of the 31 mile long Virgin River Rim Trail which they have been exploring little by little. This time they were hiking the portion of the trail which travels west from the west end of Navajo Lake back toward Deer Haven Campground where the trail begins.

Cliffs above the trail displayed the characteristic Navajo Sandstone which beautifies the area.

Dave and Jan always find hiking Utah’s forest trails high on the mountain a very enjoyable experience.

The trail was soon providing views of the rocky formations of Zion National Park miles in the distance.

There were interesting flowering plants to enjoy along the edges of the trail.

The U.S. Forest Service definitely has their work cut out for them trying to keep fallen logs cleared.

But the hike was pleasant, and the trail returned for another view of color country’s sandstone cliffs.

As the psalmist expressed it in Psalm 96:12 (NASB): ¹²  “Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy.” How good to be able to join the fields and the forest in praise of the Lord’s creative genius in so many places in and around southwest Utah!