April 21 - Desolation Trail (Millcreek Canyon)

A little after work hike today. Sunny and 75 degrees, why not?

Going to hike the Desolation Trail in Millcreek Canyon. Never been on the trail but it comes with high recommendations from a co-worker.

The trail starts 2.5 miles after the canyon's tollbooth.  It's a 4.8 mile round-tripper with a 1200 ft elevation gain (~6900ft).

Sunny at the very start but the trail is quickly absorbed into a spruce/fir forest. Lots of yellow Glacier Lilies blooming.

Otherwise, pretty bare -- just branches, logs, etc -- very thick forest. Maybe later in the year there will be more vegetation. Also, see/hear a Downy Woodpecker.

I spot a Mourning Cloak pretty close the to beginning and a Hoary Comma.

Just following the trail as it weaves through the forest.

Finally, I start seeing some rocky cliffs and a trail marker indicating Thayne Canyon straight ahead and Desolation Trail to the right. Off I go to the right to start the switchbacks. The trail is curving back north and west but still heading up....for a while and then it flattens out. Wasn't expecting that!

Then the trail begins to follow the curves of the canyon walls and strangely is heading downhill. I can't possibly be on the right trail - I'm supposed to be going up. Maybe I was supposed to take the Thayne Canyon branch --- should've read the trail guide better. Oh well, its a nice hike and better to be outside than in a gym.

In a sunny section now and the Glacier Lilies are past bloom. And a few feet later, back in the shade and around a curve, they are back to blooming again -- the wonders of a very sunny location, moves nature up a few weeks.

Back in that sunny section, there are some yellow flowers blooming -- maybe a species of buckwheat???

I come around another curve and there's a trail heading down (kinda under the trail I was just on) and one heading around and it doesn't look like an "official" trail. I'm confused. But there are Spring Beauties blooming here!!!

I've been walking for 45 minutes now, I'm not sure where to go so I head back the way I came.

Not all is lost, in that sunny section I spot the blue flash of a Spring Azure (first one of the year).

Back on the main trail, I see another Blue and Comma.

And I find the Desolation Trail turn off I missed on the way up. Oops! (I was on an extension coming down from the "top".)

Good day (even though it was shorter than planned).