gold knob

Although I so very much appreciate it and enjoy it, I may be getting just the tiniest little bit bored with always going to Millcreek in the summer.  When Sunday rolled around (we had planned to get up really early on Monday to drive back to SLC, that way avoiding the returning holiday traffic jam going into Spanish Fork on Sunday afternoon (but definitely experiencing the Utah/Salt Lake County morning rush hour traffic) - choices), Milton and A decided to return to Gold Knob (4.25 mile RT hike) after a nearly six (!?!) year absence.  H opted out, preferring to go on a solo bike ride.

Gorgeous blue columbines

It does take a while to drive up to the Warner Lake campground, where the parking lot trailhead is: 24 miles on pavement, up the LaSal Loop road, and then five miles on a dirt road that could use some grading in spots.  After about an hour in the car, we pulled into the day use lot and got on the trail at 7:53.  It was a glorious 50 F.  Less glorious was the hooplehead who parked sideways instead of heading in, taking up about three spots.

"Was that a deer?"

It took us just over an hour to get to the top, going up through aspen glades, dark forests and wildflower meadows.  I kept M on leash the whole time, knowing that if we saw deer (and we did, plus chukkars, a bunny, a woodpecker and squirrels), he would chase them and likely get lost.  Neither of us particularly enjoy leash hiking but he did tow me up the steep spots, so that was all right.  

Kind of hazy but Castle Valley view

At the summit, we met a couple of paragliders and their dogs who were coming up to do some flying.  Not the dogs.  They were just there for the views, which are spectacular.  It took us just over an hour to get back to the car - which tells you how steep the trail is, even with the switchbacks.  The day use lot had several more vehicles in it (and also that hooplehead still) and it had "warmed up" to 70F.  Still glorious.

Seriously.  Don't park like this. Be considerate.

We had a quick beer/snack session before heading back down to Moab.  I know that we tend not to go up into the LaSals because it's a bit of a drive and the roads can be rough.  But with temperatures and trails like that, it's worth it.  We need to remember that.