And Then Like Lions

I did a hike that I haven’t done before on May the 21st. I hiked the Lion Canyon Trail off of Oak Creek Grade. It was a trail that I have avoided due to motorcycles being allowed on it. It turned out to be a nice hike despite the motorcycle trail status. The trail starts in the middle of Oak Creek Campground. The trailhead was overrun by a huge group camped at the trailhead. Fortunately, none of them were hiking. I had the trail to myself until the last half mile of my hike on the way back. I saw a hiker and a motorcyclist in that last half mile. From the trailhead, the trail is a steady 2.5 mile climb through a small canyon. The trail ends at a large meadow at the top with an elevation over 9,000 feet. There are jeep roads at the meadow. Too my surprise, the meadow has not been trashed. It has some wonderful views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Here are the pictures.

The Trail - Getting close the top.

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Jeep road through the meadow

Aspen trees on the meadow edge

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

The meadow and the mountains