Silver King Trail

Friday, June 25, 2010

Thursday was a relaxing day for us. We drove to the next biggest town, which actually has a Walmart, and just explored around. The town is called Richfield and is very quaint. We laughed because we needed to mail some postcards, etc and when we looked for a mailbox, there were none to be found. It was the strangest thing, ever. We looked everywhere. So on the way out of town we started looking at the houses and they also do not have mailboxes... nowhere. Perhaps they still use the Pony Express???

When we arrived back home to base we again looked around, and our little town has no mailboxes either! Is that not the strangest thing? I'm guessing there is a small post office somewhere in each town and you have to get your own mail....

Yesterday, we hit the trail called Silver King Trail. It was long, almost 70 miles round trip. The trail was more like a dirt road for most of it. As we climbed higher and higher we layered the clothing. It was cold. We saw some snow but nothing compared to earlier in the week. Nothing threatening to us at all. We passed old buildings that were housing for the miners but have fallen due to the years and the elements. We found a mine but could not enter it. It was blocked off. We passed alot of deer, directly in front of us on the trails sometimes. But STILL no sheep! I think they lied to us about the Rams!!

As you travel through these trails you enter and exit state parks, national parks, BLM land, and very small patches of private property. The private people are very adamant about entering their property, which we don't blame them, but they are MEAN!!!

After about 3 hours we hit, Freemont Indian Reservation. This was an Indian we have never heard of so we stopped in the welcoming center. They had a short film about their settlement and disappearance and also a museum. In the museum there was a skeletal remain of a 17 year old Indian girl in which was found in 1987. A construction crew was clearing the land for highway 89, that passes through here, when they discovered her. Scientists have reconstructed her and it is very impressive. They also found a small village of huts and left behind pottery. It was very, very interesting. The theory behind their disappearance is still unknown. The Piute Indians, pronounced; Pie Ute; is the settled Indian in this territory.

On the way home we usually back track because alot of these trails just end. This one through this Indian Reservation went all the back to Marysvale so we decided to go for it. They have these 'gates' that you need to fit through in order to access the trail They are 50" wide and very unforgiving. If you cant fit through the gate, you cannot make it through the woods. They do not lie.

The second half of our trail was was beautiful. We climbed to about 9800 feet and the wooded areas were incredible. We would pass hundreds and hundreds of white cypress trees with their leaves twinkling in the sunlight. Then we would pass pine trees 80 feet tall and the smell was enough to want to bottle it up.

We also stopped at a very old cemetery here in Marysvale, UT. I cannot explain why I am so drawn to old, old cemetery's. But I always am, where ever we go. There is something just so peaceful and questioning about people who lived 150 years before us. To imagine what it was like for them is heartbreaking at times. The courage and tenacity they they possessed it absolutely amazing to me.

Last night we met, again, new neighbors. It is so much fun meeting all these different kinds of people and getting to know every one's stories as to why they are here and where they are going. It, again, reminds us how very very lucky we are to be able to do this. And the cherry on top of the cake is - it is so spectacular. The discovery is contagious.

Today, I'm not quite sure where Tommy is taking us, but today and tomorrow will be our last day to explore Marysvale. We are heading south about 90 miles to Zion National Park on Sunday.

Thanks for reading and have a good day!