Into the Faerie Forest...

* There is a real, true Fairy Forest in Utah. This path is not it. Scroll to the bottom of this post to find directions to that trail. This location is called the I'll Never Tell Trail. It must remain a deep, dark secret.

Daughter, Lauren, and her adorable pup, Ellie, exploring the most magical of trails.

So, what are YOU doing this 4th of July weekend? We're avoiding public places because our puppy dogs are terrified of fireworks. 

Come along with us, on a virtual hike... through a lush garden -- which is pretty dang hard to find in a high plains desert like Utah!

I call this spot 'magical' because every inch of it is covered
with happily blooming wildflowers. So many that it almost looks 
as if someone planted them! Perhaps those elusive fairies?

True confessions: I am not much of a hiker. To be honest, I never was...

In my early years in the Midwest, I enjoyed hiking in the woodlands of Minnesota because it was... well... flat.

Meaning, it wasn't hard work. It was pure joy.

James Buckwheat [Erigonum jamesii] 

When you got hungry, you'd inevitably find wild raspberries and blackberries growing along the trail.

How sweet is that?

It's awfully hard to find flat, fun, unpopulated trails in Utah. Seems like we're always forced to scale a mountain in search of a pretty view.

Or, fight the crowds who have also discovered this path.

This is my summer to explore the High Uintas on horseback. Where alpine meadows stretch for miles.

To ride off trail ~ to abandon the well-documented paths, in search of unspoiled places most folks will never see.

And, it's smart that you DON'T try to find these trails, because it is remarkably easy to get lost in these dense woods.

Unless you're riding my horse, Sable, who is a homing pigeon to the horse trailer.

Which houses the cookies, that motivate her to enjoy these wildflower expeditions. She never loses sight of our path back to the parking lot... and the yummy treats that beckon.

Wild Onions [Allium canadense] If they smell like onions, eat 'em. If they don't they'll probably poison you.

I, of course, found this trail on my beloved horse.

Came back with my daughter, this 4th of July weekend -- to tackle this trail on foot! Something I haven't done in many years. It's lots easier on a horse. :)

Queen Anne's Lace ~ Wild Carrot ~ Don't eat it! ~ Looks exactly like Hemlock and you know what that is..

So, where are we?

Oh, I'll never tell. Because I'm learning a lot about wildflowers this summer.

I'm learning that these flowers flourish when we leave them alone.

Fireweed [Chamerion Angustifolium] named as such for it's quick propagation after wildfires.

And, in this place ~ that nobody knows ~ they rejoice in ways I'd never imagined.

I hope you've enjoyed this virtual adventure, of the magical place we call the Faerie Forest.

Thanks for coming along!

~ kate

* The more well-known Fairy Forest, along the Mirror Lake Highway, is a delightful little hike to take with your kids. Click here to visit the blog that documents this hike, and gives great directions to get there.

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