Easter Weekend | Sunday, April 17, 2022
This year on Easter morning Diane and I woke up before sunrise with plans to go on a longer hike together into the Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness, but shortly after leaving home we changed our minds and decided take it easy and do something shorter and easier instead, which turned out to be a good decision since it was very humid out! Instead, we headed over to the Kodels Canyon Trailhead and hiked a couple of the short interconnecting front-country trails to an outcropping of colorful Entrada sandstone located on the bench between Kodels Canyon and Devils Canyon. For well over the last decade it feels like every time I drive through Fruita on I-70 and look off to my left at this knob of sandstone I think to myself that I should really hike up to it sometime. Well, I guess it’s better late than never!
We started hiking up the Kodels Canyon Trail, which is also the beginning of the Fruita Dugway Trail, shortly after sunrise.
That knob of sandstone right in the middle of the photo was our destination this morning.
Along the way we had a nice view of Kodels Point (The King) above Kodels Canyon in the shadows.
The spring wildflowers were blooming this morning with plenty of Indian Paintbrush around.
We followed the trails behind a sandstone ridge.
Then we climbed to a higher vantage point of the area. The clouds were actually looking nice this morning, for a change!
We hiked up behind this point and then started climbing up onto the bench.
Sandstone Stripes
This was the view behind us as we followed a steep, faint trail up onto the bench.
Soon we were standing at the base of the sandstone knob and ready to climb to the top.
Nearing the highest point of the knob.
The view over lower Devils Canyon and the Grand Valley to the Book Cliffs was looking great.
I wandered all around the sandstone taking photos while we were up there.
Diane enjoyed the morning view while I explored the area.
We also had a good view of the Cowboy Hat Tower down below.
Nice clouds above the sandstone as we made our way back down from the knob and back to the trailhead. It was a nice way to start the day!
