Morning Glory Natural Bridge

At the end of Negro Bill Trail is Morning Glory Natural Bridge.

It is 243 feet long and separated from the cliff by only 15 feet, technically making it not an actual bridge, but rather a large alcove arch.

My initial reaction when reaching the bridge was actually slight disappointment -I was so expecting one of those fully detached arch. Nonetheless, it is impressive to see up close and particularly from beneath it.

Oh, and that intrepid explorer in right side picture?... that's me, and probably as close as you'll ever see me on this blog.  ;o

Looking up. Thankfully, nothing fell on anyone's head.

Canyon Lands Continued

Continuing our way through Negro Bill Canyon.

I mentioned this canyon following a year round stream in the previous post, making it relatively lush for what one might expect of a canyon.

Appreciate the contrast between looking ahead on the trail and looking upward to the edges of the canyon.

Canyon Lands

Late afternoon and evening visit into the canyons,
during the cool hours of the day.

Negro Bill Canyon
- Named for an early 19th century Afircan American pioneer William Granstaff who grazed his cattle here, it has retained its name for historical reasons.

It is an easy 4.5 miles round trip through sandstones, willows, cottonwoods and sandy trails. Though the recommended time to allow is 4 hour round trip, I think it took us a little over 3, taking our time.

It's actually a great place to take kids. The trail follows a year round stream with plenty of place to stop and play in the water. Kids don't have to make it all the way obviously, and we in fact did meet several parents with small 2-4 years olds doing just that.

From the Bureau of Land Management site (BLM):

• Trailhead: On Utah Scenic Byway 128, three miles east of junction with U.S. 191.
• Length of Hike: 2 miles to Morning Glory Bridge; allow 4 hours round trip.
• Type of Hike: Constructed trail with several stream crossings. This is a hiking-only trail.
• Area Attractions: Year-round stream in scenic canyon. Morning Glory Natural Bridge, which has a span of 243 feet, is the sixth longest natural rock span in the United States.

Road to Utah

Amazing sky on the way to Moab.

Trip to Utah

A few days into Utah, mid March of 2010.