Pine Valley Recreation Area, Dixie National Forest, UT - Aug. 6, 2008
WE LEFT THE SALT LAKE CITY AREA AND HEADED SOUTH TO ST. GEORGE, UTAH. WE STAYED HERE A COUPLE OF DAYS TO CHECK OUT PINE VALLEY RECREATION AREA WHICH IS PART OF THE DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST.
WE ALSO NEEDED A FARRIER TO RESET THE SHOES ON OUR HORSES. WE FOUND A VERY GOOD FARRIER HERE IN ST. GEORGE. WITH NEW SHOES ON OUR HORSES, WE HEADED TO PINE VALLEY TO RIDE A FEW DAYS. ON THE WAY INTO THE VALLEY, “BEEP BEEP”, THE ROADRUNNER CROSSED THE ROAD IN FRONT OF US.
PINE VALLEY RECREATION AREA HAD A GREAT EQUESTRIAN CAMPGROUND WITH CORRALS FOR YOUR HORSES, A BATHROOM, AND WATER AVAILABLE.
WE RECEIVED A MAP UPON ENTERING PINE VALLEY WITH A VARIETY OF EASY TO DIFFICULT TRAILS. THE ELEVATION AT THE CAMPGROUND WAS 6000 FT WITH SOME OF THE TRAILS TAKING YOU TO 8000 FT OR 9000 FT. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 70’S AND 80’S WITH MORNING TEMPS AROUND 60.
WE STARTED OUT TO RIDE ONE DAY WITH THE MORNING SUN ON OUR BACKS. IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE A FLOCK OF TURKEYS AND THEIR YOUNG CROSSED OUR TRAIL DISAPPEARING IN THE TALL GRASSES. DEER WATCHED UNAFRAID AS WE PASSED THRU THEIR FORREST. JUNIPER TREES, PINYON TREES AND LOW GROWING SHRUBS WERE SCATTERED ALONG THE TRAIL PROVIDING FOOD AND SHELTER FOR BIRDS AND SMALL ANIMALS.
OUR TRAIL BEGAN TO CLIMB HIGHER UP THE MOUNTAIN, AND THE TERRAIN BECAME ROCKY AND STEEP IN PLACES. THE TOWERING PONDEROSA, SPRUCE AND FIR SHADED THE TRAIL AS IT FOLLOWED A SMALL STREAM FLOWING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN.
THE FORREST OPENED TO A SMALL GREEN MEADOW WHERE WE STOPPED FOR A REST WHILE THE HORSES IMMEDIATELY BEGAN EATING THE GREEN GRASS.
ALL ALONG THE TRAIL, BUTTERFLIES OF ALL COLORS AND SIZES WERE CHECKING OUT THE MANY WILDFLOWERS BLOOMING IN THIS ENCHANTED FOREST.
THE TRAIL CONTINUED TO CLIMB AND BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. FINALLY WE REACHED THE TOP OF A RIDGE WITH A PANORAMIC VIEW OF PINE VALLEY. IT WAS LATE SO WE RETURNED TO CAMP.
THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK ANOTHER TRAIL THAT FOLLOWED THE FOOTHILLS OF THE MOUNTAINS THRU TALL PONDEROSA PINES. THE TERRAIN WAS MORE DIFFICULT WITH TREES AND LIMBS SCATTERED ALONG THE TRAIL AND DEEP GULLIES TO CROSS.
RANGERS WERE THERE CLEANING UP THE FOREST AFTER THE WINTER STORMS. WE CROSSED SEVERAL STREAMS PROVIDING WATER FOR THE HORSES.
THE TRAILS AT PINE VALLEY WERE VARIED AND EASY TO FOLLOW. A GREAT PLACE TO RIDE.
WE HOPE YOU CAN STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE ON OUR ADVENTURES.
HAPPY TRAILS.
BOBBIE AND LARRY
