After signing the trail register, I headed down the trail. At first, I was a bit disappointed as the trail seemed rather boring.
Within a few hundred feet, the trail turned and began to descend into the Picket Wire Canyon.
The sight was absolutely beautiful. I could only image how the colors looked earlier in the year. It had to have been spectacular.
Once you reach the canyon floor, the trail is mostly flat. While I was certain I was on the right trail, it was nice to see all the signs.
A couple of miles in, the ruins of a home from the 1800s greets you. I couldn’t find any information or name, but it was interesting. Pieces of a car and the remains of a stove litter the site.
The heat of the day continued to rise, and I pressed forward.
Delores Mission and Cemetery
It’s always interesting to visit someplace long neglected from our past. I carefully wandered amongst the tombstones, snapping a few pictures and wishing peace to all those who passed this way or are here forever.
Hiking further onward, an excavated apatosaurus shoulder blade has ben left on the hill where it was discovered.
The Largest Dinosaur Tracksite in North America
Finally, after tracking almost 6 miles in the hot sun, I reached the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America. This is where scientists confirmed that plant-eating dinosaurs walked together in herds. It was an amazing experience to stand in places where we knew dinosaurs had walked; however, it was kind of sad that the site was not being maintained by the Department of the Interior. Much of the science is already completed, and maintaining this site takes time and money, which apparently is being used somewhere else.
Well, part of the site may not be well-maintained. I was happy to see that at least the vault toilets continue to be occasionally taken care of and stocked.
I spent some time just wandering around the site, enjoying the thought of what it must’ve been like millions of years ago as the dinosaurs roamed the Earth. After a brief bit of time sitting, hydrating, and having a snack, I began the long 6-mile trek back to the trailhead and my teardrop trailer.
The heat of the day was becoming completely oppressive, and I was so happy to find a large boulder that had an indentation where I could crawl in, take a break, and cool off for a while.
Back at camp, with no one anywhere nearby, I took a shower in the wide open space and enjoyed washing the sweat away.
The day ended on a high note as I finished a bottle of wonderful Bordeaux, the only bottle that I’d kept from my collection when I began this adventure.
