Our RV park is on the Paria River and has some nice cliffs just on the other side of the river. I met some folks coming back from a hike, they said a horse/hiking trail goes up to the base of the cliffs. They said it was mostly flat, marked with rock cairns and about two miles long.
That seemed like a reasonable hike for an afternoon, so when we returned from our ride I had a late lunch and set out. I found the cairns marking the trail up out of the river.
There was more land under the cliffs than it looks like from the RV park.
Here it was an easy trail as it wound through the scrub towards the base of the cliffs.
As I got closer I could see the colored layers. I wonder if the black stripes are coal, or coal-like.
These cliffs are a lot prettier close up.
Water has made the rock layers into ladders here.
I love the striped rocks.
These are almost…
hoodoos, just give them a few thousands more years.
I love the way…
these layers…
are eroding.
As beautiful as this was…
it was not mostly flat. I crossed many washes with very steep sides.
It was a great hike,
but I was relieved to come to the fence, which meant we were looping back.
I’ve been seeing these here and there; the sego lily. It’s the state flower of Utah. I saw a couple on the hike. I like that this one seems to bloom right out of the bare soil. The plant is very unassuming compared to the flower.
The hike was a bit longer and more difficult than I expected,
but like always, I’m glad I went.
On the Roam Again 
Among my favorite pictures are the 3 where you say “I love the way” “these layers” “are eroding”. Those distinct color-layers are so pretty!
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