A Long Hike With an Amazing Reward

We set off early in the morning to avoid the worst of the mid-day heat.
The whole group was taking the Lower Calf Creek Trail in the Escalante
wilderness. The distance: 6 miles round trip. Not a thing for many
adults, but quite a distance for our 6 kids (including Carys and Élise
at age 5). As we walked we enjoyed views of "desert varnish" painted
cliff walls, Gambel Oak groves, the creek laced with Horsetail grass (a
really wonderful plant that is jointed- you can pull apart the pieces
and put it back together again), and Fremont storage granaries and
pictographs on the cliff walls.

By the time we heard the distant waterfall, it was hot, and we were all
ready for the refreshment that awaited. What an enchanting place! I
think the water was barely 50 degrees, but after changing (behind
bushes) into our swimsuits, we raced to see who could win the first
piece of Grandma's carrot cake by touching the waterfall first.

Although Skye and Liam did their fair-share of piggy-backing the twins
on the hike out, we were so proud of all of the kids for making the long
hike. We pray the children treasure these memories.