It's mostly a hike thru an oak forest, there are forest openings, small creeks and at times, the trail breaks into a larger sagebrush openings. If I stay on the proper trails and end up at the Ghost Falls trailhead, I'll have climbed to 5700ft. The total trip around ~4.5 miles.
I start at the Coyote hollow trailhead (around 10:15) and head towards the Canyon Hollow trail. My plan is to try and re-create the path I was on last time heading around the northside of the canyon first (the sunnier side) and then loop back on the southern side (I'm curious if there will be snow on that shadier side.)
There are a few trails at the start that can make things a little confusing (bike trail the Bonneville Shoreline Trail comes thru here). But I find my way to the first marker the Silcia Pit.
I'm seeing lots of small pink flowers I've been seeing on Antelope Island for quite some time. Sulphers are out flying. I find what has to be a shrew -- it's much larger than a mouse and its grey. As I walk past, it moves into the leaf litter.
The trail is mostly wet - but not really muddy (at least so far). Lots of deer tracks imprinted on the trail.
I see my first Field Crescent of the year. (One of many little orange flyers today.) And then a Painted Lady (lots of them too today).
I know Spring is here when I see a little white bfly with orange wingtips -- a Sara Orangetip -- fluttering around. It lands on a little white flower - it's a male. More Spring arrivals when I start seeing Yellow Glacier Lilies - there's not a lot of them so its probably getting close to the end of their bloom. And then, just starting their bloom -- blue Forget Me Knots. The Creeping OregonGrape is in full yellow bloom.
I take a "No-Outlet" side trail (called Memory Garden) for a little bit. But there is a whole family in the garden so I quickly head out. But I see a Margined White inside.
I find a little patch of a really pretty yellow flower plant. It's called Spurge and although it pretty, it's very invasive and non-native.
They have Spurge removals gatherings along the Foothills. These need to be removed.
I come to a section of trail that is full of blooming Ballhead Waterleaf.
A little further, I finally break-out into a sunny open rocky area. I spot a single pink Phlox growing alongside a rock in the middle of the trail.
And then my only squirrel of the day scrambling up some rocks. The sun didn't last long as I'm back into the forest.
I find the Ghost Falls trail. Ghost Falls was flowing but very quietly. It's a low angle waterfall with the water gliding over a large rock. It's damp in the area and I find Painted Ladies and a Sleepy Duskywing (a Spring flyer).
I have a choice to go back to the Canyon Hollow Trail or head up to the Ghost Falls Trailhead. I'm heading up to the Trailhead; it's at the top of the canyon and if I remember right, I'll get out of the forest for a lengthy of time. So up I go, still in the woods and up several switchbacks.
I pass thru an area that is full of OregonGrape -- there's yellow everywhere.
Around another switchback, I'm back out of the forest and see something that surprises me. A large yellow composite plant -- wasn't expecting that in April. Its leaves are buried under last year's plant stalks but I think it's an Arrowleaf Balsamroot (it does bloom in April). It's the only one I see.
And the views down the canyon (to the west) start opening up. More Painted Ladies and Crescents are flying here.
And finally, I'm at the top of the canyon. I see a Red Paintbrush in bloom, Lupine plants (not blooming yet), and a tall stalk with a ball of yellow flowers.
I pass the picnic shelter and head to the dirt road -- which is closed (as expected) because it's a mud pit. I try to find the less muddy spots to walk because I need the road to take me along the east edge of the canyon and get me to the Brock's Point Trail so I can complete the loop. There's snow on the other side as it faces north and does not get a lot of sun. But the snow is patchy and I'm expecting more mud than snow the rest of the way.
As I make my way along the road, I'm seeing Crescents, Whites. And then I see a very small yellow bfly. It lands on the road and I'm shocked when it's a Dainty Sulpher.
I've seen these guys before in the Midwest but its always in late summer as they migrate from the South. But its here, in Utah, in April, at around 5700 ft in elevation - it just doesn't compute. But it's really here and its very cool!!! The happy surprise of the day so far!
I find the Brock's Point Trail and continue. It parallels the road from beneath. Sometimes in the woods and other times in the open. I'm walking above the forest when I spot a rather large brown/mottled bird in the forest below. It's large but not a turkey -- it's a Dusky Sage Grouse (female)!
My second big surprise of the day -- I've never seen one before. I watch it disappear into the forest below.
The trail goes about a 1/4 mile before it pops into an opening with view point. I believe that's Lone Peak.
Then I continue along on the southern end on the canyon along the Clark's Trail. The rest of the trip in downhill and thru the forest. The vegetation on this side of the canyon is a bit behind the northern side (hey, there's still patches of snow over here). Instead of Waterleaf and Forget Me Knots, I'm seeing Spring Beauties and large patches of Glacier Lilies (some just starting to bloom). Not as many bflies over here either.
Lower down, I start seeing the Forget Me Knots again -- and several Sara Orangetips (they seem to like the nectar).
I'm almost to the end of the trail when I see 2 Duskywings and a Crescent swirling a bout in the air. The Crescent breaks off and leaves the 2 Duskywings swirling. Finally, one of the Duskywing lands; it's a Rocky Mt Duskwing. A Sara Orangetip flies by the Duskywing and lands nearby to nectar.
Fun day!
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