I almost didn’t make it to the park. I turned from the smooth, paved street onto a red dirt road, that was as narrow as to let one car pass at a time. I felt as if I were driving through a red forest. By the looks of it, it seemed as though the people living here had isolated themselves to this beautiful hidden place. Which I totally understand, as I too, was in search of solace between green paths and muddy narrow pathways.
As I was driving on this mud-forest street, a car comes towards me from the opposite direction. I pull to the side of the street to let them pass and ask them if the parking lot is farther up. Yes, they say. I keep driving for a couple of minutes at 10 mph as the street is proves to be muddier along the way. Another car comes the opposite direction of me, I slowly pull to the side and ask him if there is parking even further up. And he says “Yeah its really clean up there. Don’t worry you wont get stuck.” As he pulls away in his Giant Jeep x Extra Thick Tread Tires Outdoor Edition. Well great, I thought to myself. Either my tire is going to pop at some point or I will, in fact, get stuck. Just when I thought I may turn around, I turned the last corner and pulled into a perfectly clean, paved parking lot with a few open spaces.
It was still morning when I came out to hike. The paths were shaded and cool, still damp from last nights dew. I’ve never seen red earth before. It was dry, yet more mud-like than rock. Colorful birds I’d never seen before sang their bird songs in boastful delight, as the wind rustled the trees alongside the birds.
After climbing to an elevation of 2000 feet, it began getting harder and harder to catch my breath. I continued on for a little while longer, until I had finally reached the other side of the top of the mountain. After 2.5 hours of hiking, thinning air and the views turning from mountains and forests into an overview of the city; the sun was now in the middle of the sky, giving no mercy and little option for shade. I figured it would be best to start heading back.
As we were making our way up the mountain, gaining elevation with each step, I couldn’t help but continuously say “oh my god”. I was astonished, being able to witness some of the most beautiful views I’d ever seen. It was insane for me to realize how tiny of a speck we are as humans on this earth. And as always, it was a liberating feeling. To be up on such a high altitude, taking in the open vastness. All of it was beautiful. I felt like a tourist, pulling my phone out every other minute to capture a picture, but even the photo wouldn’t do the real life sight any justice. The varying sizes of rocks and mountains, all portraying their own shades of red and orange. I see why they call it Red Rock Canyon.
Once I had made my descend more than halfway down the mountain, I spotted a side trail that I decided to explore for a couple of minutes. It actually turned into another half an hour exploring of the side trail. The ground was a pastel red. It was decorated in bushes of wild sage and succulent-like trees. A little spring ran alongside the trail, though the trail was still as dry as the desert.
As I made my way back down, I encountered many others taking in the sights. All on a solo adventure of their own, pausing here and there to take a look over the edge. I wonder what goes through peoples minds when they stop and breathe for a moment and interpret everything around them while taking in what nature has to offer.
Dusty Paws Wander 
The pictures you have taken are beautiful! Very talented in capturing nature’s beauty!
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