Phenix in the Forest

This past weekend Andy, the Dogs, and I went for a short afternoon hike in New Harmony called Anderson Valley. Located in the foothills of the Pine Valley Mountains, New Harmony is a little town just south of Cedar City.  The hike and town are across the freeway from Kolob Canyons, the northern, and mostly overlooked, part of Zion National Park. This led to some spectacular and unexpected views. The further you get from the freeway, the more awe-inspiring the view becomes. The Kolob Canyons are a hidden secret of Zion, all of the spectacular views without the three hour shuttle lines. After driving through little New Harmony, we found the trailhead and started off. We wove our way through the desert shrubs and up towards the mountain ridge, following fence lines and crossing over creeks. Glancing across the valley, the canyons of Zion opened like a book, allowing us to stand in our world of green shrubs and view the towering walls of pink and red.