There are many interesting things one can learn by watching some YouTube videos. Many people have posted their hikes on YouTube, so Dave learned from someone’s hiking video about an interesting geological formation which is popularly known as the Vortex near the small southwest Utah town of Gunlock. Because Gunlock is nearly three thousand feet lower in elevation than Cedar City, the Vortex seemed like a reasonable destination for a hike on a cool winter day in Cedar City.

From the trailhead, the hike descends down on a trail full of black lava rock to a dry stream bed of white slick rock.

Climbing up the other side of the wash leads to red sand which is often seen in Utah’s “color country.”

The path ahead leads up a valley where red sand turns to the Navajo Sandstone common to the area.

The geological features on either side of the climb up the valley are fascinating for their variety.

Though the soil is very rocky, a variety of plants make the rocky soil their home.

Nearing the top of the rocky ridge the view of surrounding countryside opens up very nicely.

A couple Dave and Jan met on the climb offered to take a photo.

The vortex consists of two depressions in the rocky ridge which could hold water in rainy weather.

Hiking back down the rocky valley provided a nice view of the “lay of the land” Dave and Jan had climbed.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we know as Palm Sunday His followers were acknowledging Him as the Messiah He IS! When Pharisees called on Jesus to rebuke His followers He replied: “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out.” The stones and rocky terrain of Southwestern Utah ARE crying out in recognition of Messiah Jesus as the one who so creatively formed them!

Dave and Jan have hiked on parts of the Summit Trail which makes its way along the ridge of the mountain range identified on area maps as the Pine Valley Wilderness Range south and west of Cedar City. Hiking the entire trail would probably require some backpacking with an overnight stay somewhere in the heights – something which doesn’t sound appealing to them. So when they found a trailhead which indicated that its destination was the Summit Trail in just two miles they decided to try it out on a pleasant fall day.

The trail sign which caught Dave and Jan’s attention when they discovered it indicated that Gordon Spring was just a half mile ahead, with the Summit Trail only a mile and a half farther along.

Fall colors were on display in the shrubs and the trees along the trail.

Gordon Springs had been turned into a watering hole for livestock and wild animals of the area.

The trail began to climb more steeply beyond the Gordon Spring watering hole.

The view from a lunch spot beside the trail began to reveal distant mountains toward Cedar City.

Around a mile of steep climbing led to the intersection with the Summit Trail and the realization that Dave and Jan had passed the intersection before without knowing that it existed – with miles to go before the Summit Trail would actually get the hiker to the summit for which the trail was named. Though the return trip resulted in some slips for both Dave and Jan due to the steepness and rocky surface of the trail, they sustained no injuries and enjoyed another hiking adventure in the mountains of Southwest Utah.

As Dave has been known to say about creation’s beauty – “the Lord does nice work!”

Dave and Jan enjoyed two camping outings at Little Cottonwood Forest Service Campground this year – one in June and one in early October. The road up Beaver Canyon from the campground leads into the Tushar Mountains, the highest mountains in southwest Utah. Their hope to hike to Delano Peak was blocked in June because the dirt road beyond Big John Flat was closed due to snowy conditions.

By their October visit to the area the snow was gone and fall colors were at their peak in the Tushars.

Driving the dirt road to Mud Lake, where they parked their car, Dave and Jan started toward Delano Peak.

Some of the surrounding peaks in the Tushars are surprisingly barren in their appearance.

The steady climb and, more discouraging, a very strong wind made Jan decide that she had gone as far as she wanted to go, so she decided to head back to the car. But Dave, who was prevented on a previous hike up to Delano Peak from getting to the top by a fog cloud which settled down on the mountain – obscuring the path ahead – decided to continue the hike, so Jan assured him she would be fine heading down the mountain on her own and she posed for a picture where they parted ways on the hike.

The route to the peak sometimes included a trail, and sometimes crossed unmarked grassy slopes.

The view at the top of the peak provided a 360 degree panorama of views across southwest Utah.

And any hike in the heights of the Tushars offers the prospect of a view of the Mountain Goats which the Utah Division of Wildlife introduced from Washington State. Dave’s last hike up the Delano Peak trail took him much closer to the goats than this hike did, but it was satisfying to see them from a distance, so Dave got a picture of the flock – though the strong wind made it difficult to hold the camera still.

Dave found it very satisfying to get to the top of the highest peak in southwest Utah. The hike back to the car where Jan was busy reading took about two hours. In spite of high winds, it was an enjoyable hike.

Psalm 104:18 says that “the high mountains are for the wild goats,” and Dave found it an enjoyable adventure to join them on another high mountain adventure in the Tushars of southwest Utah.

Driving up the highway from Parawan toward Brian Head in southwestern Utah there is a left hand turn around seven miles along the road toward Yankee Meadows, a favorite recreation site for campers and boating/fishing enthusiasts. The paved road up to Yankee Meadows features some amazing geology and, in the fall, some amazing fall colors. But beyond the turn off for Yankee Meadows there is a second left hand turn at around the eight mile mark which is simply known as Left Hand Canyon. The pavement ends after about a mile, followed by a stream crossing without a bridge and a dirt road which continues up the canyon for many miles. Like the Yankee Meadow road, the road up Left Hand Canyon features more examples of amazing geology and, in the fall, some amazing fall colors. So Dave and Jan decided to check it out in late September.

The canyon walls include many examples of the red rocks which are characteristic of color country.

Uncertain about the condition of the dirt road ahead, Dave and Jan parked their car and proceeded on foot, enjoying the sight and sounds of a healthy stream, along with more stream side fall colors.

The skyline farther up the canyon included the variety of some interesting rocky spires.

Higher up, on the mountains ahead, the golden fall colors of Quaking Aspen were very evident.

There is obviously much more to enjoy in Left Hand Canyon, but seeing it will take a much longer hike – or maybe a drive (which many local residents enjoy taking in their all-terrain vehicles).

Dave and Jan are very grateful for the many opportunities they have to explore the amazing beauty and variety of the Lord’s creative genius so evident all around them! As the Psalmist David expressed it in Psalm 145:4: “One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.”

Dave and Jan headed for another camping outing the second week of September to the Petrified Forest State Park near Escalante, Utah (130 miles distant). The park includes a reservoir and several trails up to scenic views and numerous examples of petrified wood which are native to the area.

An evening hike on Thursday led up through colorful rocks to a plateau where many of the areas’ examples of petrified rock were visible – along with views of the reservoir and the nearby small town of Escalante with its population of around 900 people.

On Friday morning Dave and Jan took a hike around the reservoir – beginning with a trail on the rocky dike, continuing across wet soil conditions on the back side resulting from recent higher water levels.

Friday afternoon involved another hike to the top of the plateau for a closer look at the beauty of many of the petrified logs which were scattered across the ground and down into some of the canyons.

A short but more strenuous hike down into the Sleeping Rainbow canyon provided many more examples of the colorful petrified wood which make the State Park a popular destination for campers.

When the Lord Jesus was challenged by Pharisees in His day to silence His disciples, who celebrated His arrival in Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday,” He responded with the words: “I tell you, if these become silent the stones will cry out!” At the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, trees which have turned to stone are crying out in praise of the One who has placed amazing colors in the petrified forest which is on display. And the surrounding terrain is also displaying the Lord’s creativity in the landscape at the park.

Dave and Jan are enjoying the opportunity to explore the beauty and variety of the southwestern part of the state of Utah. They are grateful for the ability to see the Lord’s hand in all that He has created!

Dave and Jan are happy that their son Stephen and family “escaped” from California two years ago to live in Cedar City. So it is an opportunity for a “family reunion” when daughter Alissa and her Crandall family make the trek to Utah from South Dakota where they live in the city of Huron – a trek they have made each year since Dave and Jan moved to Utah. Though Dave wasn’t as quick with the camera as he should have been during Andrew and Alissa’s visit, the camera did record a few fun times with family members along with a good family photo (with Alissa the photographer). Let’s start with a look at all six grand-children on the front lawn of Dave and Jan’s house.

One of the things the Crandall boys enjoy doing is exploring caves on the Maragunt Pleateau. Two or three years ago Andrew introduced the family to Mammoth Cave, a lava tube cave with a large entrance and several smaller exits hundreds of feet away. This year he led his family on a tour of Bowers Cave, a smaller lava tube cave a few miles away from Mammoth Cave, but Dave forgot to take his camera along for the cave tour – though the only thing the camera would have captured was the small opening with a tall metal ladder providing access to cavers.

Another of the things the Crandall boys enjoy doing is creating “dams” on Coal Creek (flowing through town near Dave and Jan’s house). Here are some dam builders, mud bathers (Elijah), and the project managers (Andrew and Alissa).

There are many trails to hike in Rainbow Canyon, just over or around the nearest ridge from Dave and Jan’s house, so one day’s adventure included a hike into the canyon with the Crandalls where some of the boys climbed canyon walls with Andrew while Alissa, Jan and Dave chose an easier route up a wash to the trail which climbed one of the many ridges in Rainbow Canyon.

Hiking down one of the many washes to the canyon floor led the hikers by an interesting rock formation, which Jan and some of her lady friends have named the Honeycomb, a formation which Ephraim and Silas and Andrew climbed and posed on long enough for a photo.

The Crandalls’ visit to Cedar City concluded with a family dinner on Jan’s birthday (a date which Jan shares with Kathleen, good friend and neighbor), so Kathleen was included in the family picture taken on the front porch.

Dr. James Dobson observed that no one ever says, as he lies on his death bed, “I wish I had spent more time at the office,” but many have wished they had spent more time with their families. Dave and Jan are very happy to enjoy happy family relations with both Stephen and Alissa’s families, and are always happy for times the families can spend time together – even though there are many miles between them much of every year.

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!

Dave and Jan returned to beautiful Pine Valley for another camping adventure in mid-May. The U.S. Forest Service campground provides access for people who like to picnic, fish, camp, hike and ride bicycles, with numerous trails into the mountains which surround the valley on three sides. Many of the campsites, like the one they enjoyed, provide very nice views of the mountains.

The Santa Clara River Walk trail follows the river up the canyon, so Dave and Jan enjoyed a Thursday evening walk along the trail with its scenic views all along the way – including a rock garden.

Friday was the day for a hike up into the mountains on the popular and scenic Forsythe Canyon Trail.

The trail followed the stream which flowed through the canyon, requiring a few stream crossings.

Some of the rocky crags above the trail were soon seen from a different perspective higher up.

But there were many rocky crags much higher still which will have to wait for further exploration because the trail was soon featuring patches of snow and many downed trees which would have made continuing the hike more ambitious than Dave and Jan had planned for on their hike early in the hiking season.

So it was time to return to the grassy flats in the valley below – well aware that there is much more to explore in beautiful Pine Valley on future camping adventures in Southwestern Utah – where Dave and Jan feel richly blessed to be living in their retirement years. What the psalmist wrote resonates with them:

“For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods. In whose hands are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also.” Psalm 95:3-4

Dave and Jan returned to camping early in May at a dispersed camping sight close to the Duncan Springs trailhead not far from Cedar City. The trailhead is located along a little-traveled dirt road which goes to the small residential community of Pinto. The trailhead is located across the road from the Lion’s Mouth historic site where there are some rock drawings in a cave-like hollow left by some of the Native Americans who have lived in the region for many years. Dispersed camping on Bureau of Land Management land is allowed in Utah at no cost, so it was an inexpensive camping outing.

A Thursday evening walk across the road from the campsite up the trail to Lion’s Mouth provided scenes of evening’s glow on some of the rocky terrain which is characteristic of the area, as well as views of the iron mining areas north of highway 56 which gives Iron County its name.

The tree-bordered line of train cars along the bottom of the picture are used for shipping iron.

Fridays on Dave and Jan’s three-day camping outings are typically the day for hiking, so they stepped through the unidentified trailhead gateway for a hike they only knew about because of a U.S. Forest Service map of the area which identified the trail few people know about as the Duncan Springs Trail.

The trail passes through a forest of Pinyon Pine and Juniper trees which are typical of the area.

Looking west as the trail ascended the view included the reservoir just south of the town of Newcastle.

Just exactly where Duncan Springs is located is not clear, but its influence is evident for some distance.

There were a variety of spring flowers at various places along the trail of around five miles each way.

Though it was soon time to turn around and head back, there were still more mountains to the southeast of the Duncan Springs trail – accessible from various trailheads west of I-15.

A restful spot of green along the stream served well as a good stop for a welcome picnic lunch.

The hike back down the mountain provided views of the vast mountainous expanses to the west.

Dave and Jan are very happy to be able to enjoy camping outings at no cost (except for the cost of operating the car and the trailer) in what seems like a very remote location only twenty or twenty five miles from home! Living in Utah – which U.S. News and World Report has said for the past two years is the best place to live in America – has been a very pleasant experience for which they are very grateful to the Lord. As the Psalmist David put it in Psalm 16:6 – “the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.”