Hiking Mossy Cave Utah

Hiking Mossy Cave, Utah

About four hours north of Las Vegas you will find Bryce Canyon.  I've written about Bryce Canyon previously and posted several pictures. But, have you visited other areas outside of the park?  This post is about Mossy Cave.

I've visited Mossy Cave one other time but this time I thought I'd present it to you.  Unless you peruse the outskirts of areas you visit you'll likely not come across these little finds.

From the entrance of Bryce Canyon, take the roundabout toward Tropic Utah.  There's a very small parking lot and if you arrive after 9 a.m. you'll likely have to park alongside the road either before or after the lot.  You may also be lucky to find an open spot, so definitely drive through the lot before parking on either side of it.

The following picture shows the GPS location of the parking lot.  Put it into your GPS and you'll be on your way.  If you don't use a GPS, as I mentioned previously, drive toward Tropic from the front entrance of Bryce Canyon; keep an eye on your right, and along the winding road you will see the parking lot.  You can also type Mossy Cave, Tropic, Utah in Google Maps.

Looking at this map, the hike does not appear to be too long.  The first large falls are easy and have a great view.  From the parking lot, it's a short 2000 ft / 609 m.  Stop, take pictures, and enjoy the water.

As long as there's no rain in the forecast hike up the stream as far as you can go.  There is a stop where you can no longer move forward because of a very tall, steep waterfall.  You may be able to go further if you have a grappling hook with a climbing ladder or are a great climber.  The distance to the waterfall is about 1.5 miles / 2320 m.

Along the way, there are many small waterfalls and terrific views. 

It will be best to bring water shoes with you as there are several points where you will need to cross the stream.

Please enjoy the following pictures of the hike.

This next picture is from the first waterfall you'll encounter.  This waterfall is where most persons who visit Mossy Cave stop, visit and then leave.  Likely you'll have the hike the rest of the way to yourself.

As always, happy hiking and thanks for visiting.

Gilcrease Orchard Las Vegas

  

Have you visited Gilcrease Orchard in Las Vegas? 

If you're looking for a bit of the Natural Side of Vegas where you can reap the labor of local-grown fruits and veggies then this is the place to visit.

As you can see the facade changes from time to time.

The orchard is a great escape for your children to learn where some foods come from and what it takes to bring them to your table.

There exist many varieties of vegetables and fruits from each season.

In the fall before Halloween is a great time to bring the kids to pick pumpkins and enjoy the spirit. Some buildings are decorated and there's fun for all.

Gilcrease also serves goodies to munch on and drink while visiting. If you visit during the fall you should try the pumpkin doughnuts. They're delicious and made in front of you.

The variety grown in this orchard is more than you would think. You will also find many varieties of fresh vegetables and more types of fruit-bearing trees than you would have thought would grow in the valley.

There's even a local bee hive on-site to help with pollination.

Gilcrease also offers tractor rides for the entire family. This next picture is of an old tractor of some type.

Many people also have their Weddings as Gilcrease.

This is a simple and short write-up about Gilcrease Orchard. I highly recommend you visit during the open season. Be sure to check their Web site for current growing conditions and whether or not they are open - this is a seasonal farm.

The Gilcrease Orchard's Web site can be reached at www.TheGilcreaseOrchard.com.

We hope you enjoy The Natural Side of Vegas

Bryce Canyon Again

I never tire of heading back to Bryce Canyon. There are many miles of trails; I don't think I'll ever hike all of them. I wanted to add pictures from another trip I took to Bryce. The area definitely looks the best when there's cloud cover. The shadows from the clouds passing overhead make the canyon look wonderful.

Enjoy the pics. Feel free to download and print for personal use if you wish. Please do not sell or distribute. These pictures are not free for commercial use.

Click each picture to view the full size.