(More like one HIKE and one WALK.)
Ahhh…. hiking in the summer in YNP. It can be gorgeous. It can be exhausting. It can be hot and dusty. It can be crowded. But if you’re lucky, you can find THE ONE hike that very few people are taking and you can enjoy the peace and solitude that we go to The Park for.
The hike we went on last weekend was all of the above, except crowded. Yes, there were a few people on the trail, but it wasn’t a constant stream and for the most part they were friendly and engaging and even polite. We even stopped and chatted with a few groups and shared a couple laughs!
The first hike was to the Suspension Bridge at Hellroaring Creek. When I say it’s only 2 mi RT, don’t be deceived into thinking it’s an easy breezy hike. The guide book says it’s “moderately strenuous.” It’s not 100% strenuous because the first half is pretty easy. It’s all down hill.
Straight down, to be exact.
It goes down… all the way to the bottom.
No ups. All down.
Easy.
Except you have to go UP all the way back to your car.
Straight up, to be exact.
It goes way up… all the way to the top.
No downs. All up.
This isn’t a great picture. It’s hard to show the grade in a photograph. But you can see where we started and see the river waaay down below. That’s close to where we ended. You can also see how much shade was on the trail. Yes, very little.
This is one of the switchbacks. It is a fair representation of the steepness of the trail. The trees at the top of the photo are close to the parking lot.
Thank heavens there were switchbacks! Judging from our experience and the other people we saw on the trail – 90% of whom were older than 50 – if there weren’t switchbacks and we had to climb straight up that hill, The Park would have to have a helicopter landing pad somewhere to haul us all out of there. As it was, we stopped on almost every corner to catch our breath and take a drink of water. On Saturday, the outside temps were a roasting 88°, with a slight breeze and heat exhaustion was a concern.
Once we arrived at the Suspension Bridge, however, we found it was worth the hike. This bridge isn’t wooden or rickety, like anything you’d find in an adventure movie (Think Indiana Jones). It’s 100% solid and safe.
It does sway just a bit and bounce as people walk over it, but I felt that it was safe enough to walk over. And I’m extremely afraid of heights!!
The creek below was beautiful and still running very full of run-off from the snows in the mountains. It lived up to its name of Hellroaring!
We spent some time hanging around the bridge, climbing on the rocks and enjoying the view. After all, if you’re going to expend so much time and energy getting some place, shouldn’t you enjoy some leisure time there?
The trail doesn’t end at the bridge. It continues onward and is about a 10 mi trail, but we only intended to see the bridge, so after cooling off, and enjoying the views we headed back UP to the car.
I’m happy to report that everyone survived and I’d even consider hiking this trail again! But probably in the fall when the temps are on the more mild side.
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The second hike was one we took the first part of August. This was a hike that Shackie and I took together with our kids. It was much easier but we still enjoyed a beautiful part of YNP that we hadn’t visited before.
This hike to Natural Bridge was more of a leisurely stroll walk through the forest. The trail was wide with only a gradual incline. We could walk side by side, which made it nice and easy for chatting with each other.
The view was gorgeous! The shade was plentiful and the mosquitoes were very welcoming as they feasted on our blood. Thank heavens we took lots of repellant.
There is a trail that allows you to hike up and behind the bridge, which gives you a whole different perspective.
There is bear activity in this area, so when I take my husband on this hike this fall, we’ll be sure to follow all the safety rules: make lots of noise (easy for us); hike in groups (again, easy); and carry bear spray (which we keep in the truck at all times now.)
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