by Ellen Heyn, Communications Associate
Canyons, slickrock, and arches steal the spotlight on the Colorado Plateau. But this St. Patrick's Day, we're celebrating the plateau's lesser-known pockets of green.
The green roll out starts in the spring, when cottonwoods pop along the canyon floors. Come summer, the high plateaus boast open meadows, wildflowers, and aspen groves. Enjoy these hikes, and the spectrum of shades throughout the seasons!
Canyon country heats up quick, and the first signs of spring appear in Hog Canyon as splashes of green vegetation. After a picnic at the Hog Springs Rest Area, you can work off lunch on this short but pleasant hike along an intermitent stream. End at a desert oasis, where a trickling waterfall and deep pool feature hanging ferns and shady cottonwood trees. Check it out ›
With nearly 1,500 elevation change, this hike starts in a canopy of trees and ends in an open desert. Aspens, spruce, and pine trees give way to sagebrush and scrubland, making this the perfect late spring adventure. Follow a perennial creek past walls of Navajo Sandstone, and when the canyon opens up farther downstream, enjoy vanilla scents wafting from ponderosa pines. Check it out ›
The alpine scenery on this summertime hike is steeped with green tones, which is rare in the Southwest! But oddly, you'll see very few lakes on Thousand Lake Mountain. Be sure to sign the trail register in the old mailbox, and enjoy views of the Waterpocket Fold from the top! Check it out ›
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