We finally had a nice weekend. So I loaded up my 15 & 16 year old daughters and headed off to meet several friends for a ride in Utah's Color Country
of Southern Utah. We drove down friday after work and camped out. Got up and met my friends and got on the trail around 9:30 am. You have about 1mile ride
from the area they make you park horse trailers to the edge of the canyon. The trail here is pretty level and lined with a nice rail fence. We all had
Foxtrotters so we got them gaiting and listened to the "Chunk of Meat, Chunk of Meat" cadence that they produce on the hard packed earth.
At the canyon rim we picked up the horse trail that descends down into the canyon. You go from an area of Ponderosa Pines to Red/Pink earth and Bristol Cone Pines as you drop over the edge of the canyon rim.
The trail descends down into the canyon folowing ridgelines or draws. You occassionally have to wind down some switch backs to get off some steep hillsides.
Some places the Switch backs are very steep
And some are cimb up between narrow canyon walls.
We rode this trail across just under the rim and passed through the hole in the wall that you can see the light through.
Trails are narrow and they drop off a long ways on the sides. For some reason my horse always likes to walk right along the edge. So we got to work on moving away from leg pressure a lot that day as it always seemed I was asking him to get away from the edge. I think the edge of the trail is softer and all our horses were barefoot. So they all prefered to get over to the edge.
The trails are usually not real steep. They just meander along following the contour lines with easy climbs.
There are a few places the trail passes through slots or natural tunnels in the rock walls
It was about 65*. we were at 8000 foot elevation. The skies were clear and the warm sun felt great. It was a wonderful day to get out and enjoy the beauties of the area I live in.
At the canyon rim we picked up the horse trail that descends down into the canyon. You go from an area of Ponderosa Pines to Red/Pink earth and Bristol Cone Pines as you drop over the edge of the canyon rim.
The trail descends down into the canyon folowing ridgelines or draws. You occassionally have to wind down some switch backs to get off some steep hillsides.
Some places the Switch backs are very steep
And some are cimb up between narrow canyon walls.
We rode this trail across just under the rim and passed through the hole in the wall that you can see the light through.
Trails are narrow and they drop off a long ways on the sides. For some reason my horse always likes to walk right along the edge. So we got to work on moving away from leg pressure a lot that day as it always seemed I was asking him to get away from the edge. I think the edge of the trail is softer and all our horses were barefoot. So they all prefered to get over to the edge.
The trails are usually not real steep. They just meander along following the contour lines with easy climbs.
There are a few places the trail passes through slots or natural tunnels in the rock walls
It was about 65*. we were at 8000 foot elevation. The skies were clear and the warm sun felt great. It was a wonderful day to get out and enjoy the beauties of the area I live in.
HAPPY
TRAILS.....Debby
You O God
Alone can turn my Mourning into Dancing*
