Pole Canyon

I am getting behind blogging the latest Nevada trip. On my last Saturday, we all went to the national park to get in some hiking, botanizing, and birding. It was a glorious day, but my coworkers decided to leave by four o'clock. That seemed like a great time for a six mile hike to me. The evening hours were beautiful and I had the trail to myself. The first half was continuous uphill through Pole Canyon. Near the top of the canyon, the valley opened up onto an alpine meadow. I even caught a glance of an elk. Somehow, he was much more majestic encountering him here than seeing one from a vehicle.

Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) was blooming profusely at the bottom of Pole Canyon.



A wide angle shot of where the elk was grazing.

Catching sight through the aspens.

Looking back down into the valley before climbing out over the ridge to Timber Creek.