Blackleaf Canyon

A little more info on our hike today: Last week we read about an area, Blackleaf Canyon, that was supposed to be a quick one-mile hike through a canyon to a valley between two mountains. We stopped by the Forest Service office last week and were told that is would be a great easy hike for visitors and that it was an 8 mile drive on good roads. Neither of those things were really true. The road had just had new gravel added, which meant a sea of large rocks in the center. My brother, who unlike us actually owns his car, had to be careful not to ding anything. The last mile or so we we were really off-roading, so we ditched his car and he road in the cargo part of ours.

When we got there we saw about a thousand places for a grizzly to hide. It was cold and windy. Nevertheless, we started in. None of the signs said anything about a one-mile hike. The shortest one was 3.5 miles. So we hiked down the canyon enough to get some nice views. When the wind starting whipping strong enough to hurt our ears, we turned back.

In hindsight, it would have probably been better to take them to Swift Dam -- just as scenic, better roads, and less chance of bears.


Uncle Kevin's here! Georgie took to him immediately.

Starting down the road from Bynum to Blackleaf Canyon. The road ended up being more than twice as long as the forest service lady said it would be.

Our fearless scout -- Nana 'Bearbait' Hobbins.

Our scout with her assistant, the Bear Sprayer.

The only wildlife we saw on the trip -- some antelope in a field on the way back.