South Deuel Creek trail

Memorial Day was the perfect day.

Perfect.

My brother Josh and sister Kelsey had spent the night Sunday night (after our AD party) and in the morning, Kelsey and I went shopping at the new H&M. Looooooove that store. Then Kelsey babysat for us so Jason and I could go see "The Great Gatsby". And I loooooooved the movie. I thought it was amazing. Plus, Leonardo DiCaprio is exactly how I have always pictured Gatsby when reading the book. After the movie, Jason and I took the girls hiking.

We (I) have a goal to be more active as a family and we want to explore some of the trails around here this summer. On Memorial Day, we tried the South Deuel Creek trail. If you're familiar with Davis County, it's in the little canyon just north of the V.

Oh my goodness, it's the most beautiful trail we've ever been on! It starts off pretty high above the creek but then meanders right down to it. Right at the beginning of the trail you have to walk along the very narrow rim of a huge washout. It's a good thing I had Jason with me, because I do not think I could have handled that with three girls on my own. A little way after the washout, the hillside opens up and is covered with wildflowers. It is so beautiful!

After the field of wildflowers, the trail meanders through the woods down to the creek and crosses it in several places with rustic log bridges. And these are really rustic log bridges--4-5 saplings wrapped in wire and laid across the creek. They were fun to cross!!

Down by the creek, the trail sticks close to rocky bluffs and even climbs them. It was so fun to clamor over the rocks and pretend to be explorers!

The mark of a good hike is a dirty bum!

And.... we went back for my birthday! Yesterday I turned the big 2-8. Jason and I got a babysitter and went back to hike sans kids. We had been told that there is a rope swing at the end of the trail. Well, we hiked (fast, too!) for a whole hour and never found it. The trail didn't seem to be ending any time soon, so we turned around and hiked back, then got out camp chairs, a blanket, ice cold raspberry lemonade, and a couple of cupcakes from The Sweet Tooth Fairy and watched the sunset. It was the perfect end to a fabulous birthday!
So, final verdict on the South Deuel Creek trail: Beautiful. Slightly difficult for young kids (very narrow along a steep washout--Helena was nervous). Also, unless we just needed to hike even further, there's not really a destination. You should all go!